Synthetic jet actuators for mixing applications

A method for mixing a primary jet stream of primary fluid with an ambient fluid, comprising the steps of:

• providing said primary jet stream;
• generating a synthetic jet stream, said synthetic jet stream comprising a series of fluid vortices entraining said ambient fluid;
• emitting said synthetic jet stream in a direction transverse to said primary jet stream;
• and
• mixing said primary jet stream with said ambient fluid by contacting said primary jet stream with said synthetic jet stream.

A system for mixing a primary jet stream of fluid with an ambient fluid, comprising:

• a synthetic jet actuator for emitting a synthetic jet stream transverse to said primary jet stream, said synthetic jet actuator directly introducing high frequency perturbations into said primary jet stream;
• and
• said primary jet stream of fluid contacting said high frequency perturbations, said mixing of said primary jet stream and said ambient fluid being modified by said high frequency perturbations;
• wherein, said synthetic jet actuator comprises:
• (a) a jet housing defined by walls, said jet housing having an internal chamber with a volume of said ambient fluid and an opening in said jet housing connecting said internal chamber to an external environment;
• and
• (b) a volume changing means for periodically changing said volume of ambient fluid within said internal chamber so that a series of fluid vortices are generated and projected in said external environment out from said opening of said jet housing.

A system for mixing a primary jet stream of a first fluid with a second fluid, comprising:

• (a) a means for generating a primary jet stream;
• (b) an excitation means for directly introducing high frequency perturbations into said primary jet stream;
• and
• (c) said primary jet stream contacting said perturbations, said mixing of said primary jet stream and said second fluid being modified by said excitation means.

A method of mixing a primary jet stream of a primary fluid with an ambient fluid comprising the steps of:

• providing said primary jet stream;
• generating high frequency perturbations;
• emitting said high frequency perturbations in a direction transverse to said primary jet stream;
• and
• mixing said primary jet stream of said primary fluid with said ambient fluid by contacting said primary jet stream with said perturbations.

A method of mixing a primary jet stream of a primary fluid with an ambient fluid, comprising the steps of:

• providing said primary jet stream;
• generating high frequency perturbations, said perturbations comprising said ambient fluid;
• emitting said high frequency perturbations in a direction transverse to said primary jet stream;
• and
• mixing said primary jet stream of fluid in said phase with said ambient fluid in said phase by contacting said primary jet stream with said perturbations.