Flow structures around an inclined substrate subjected to a supersonic impinging jet in laser cutting

• Published in: Optics and laser technology Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 479 - 486
• Main Authors: Mai, Ching-Chuan, Lin, Jehnming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical applications; Computational methods in fluid dynamics; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Inclined impinging jet; Industrial applications; Laser cutting; Optics; Physics; Shock wave; Laser cutting; Inclined impinging jet; Shock wave; Shock waves; Computational fluid dynamics; Supersonic jet; Industrial application; Digital simulation; Flow visualization; Laser beam applications
• ISSN: 0030-3992; 1879-2545
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-3992(02)00046-4

In laser cutting, the flow structure around a substrate significantly affects the material removal rate, the cutting depth and the surface finish of the cutting front. In this paper, the phenomena of shock wave that is induced by a supersonic impinging jet emanating from a straight nozzle onto a substrate with varying inclined angles has been simulated numerically and visualized experimentally. The numerical model offers fairly good prediction in comparison with the experiments. It transpires that the angle of inclination has a significant and dramatic effect on the flow structure and that a large wall pressure with a steep gradient can be built up when the angle is large.