DNS of a variable density jet in the supercritical thermodynamic state

Cryogenic rocket engines, advanced gas turbines and diesel engines are characterized by the injection of a liquid fuel into a high temperature and pressure chamber. Typically the fuel is injected at high enough pressure to be close or above the critical pressure. In these conditions the behavior of the fluid differs strongly from that of a perfect gas. It exhibits large variations of thermodynamic and transport properties also for small temperature changes, with significant effects on mixing and combustion processes. In this context an appropriate numerical simulation should take into account such thermodynamic phenomena via suitable equation of state and transport properties relations.