Based on the linear stability analysis, a mathematical model for the stability of a viscous liquid jet in a coaxial twisting compressible airflow has been developed. It takes into account the twist and compressibility of the surrounding airflow, the viscosity of the liquid jet, and the cavitation bubbles within the liquid jet. Then, the effects of aerodynamics caused by the gas–liquid velocity difference on the jet stability are analyzed. The results show that under the airflow ejecting effect, the jet instability decreases first and then increases with the increase of the airflow axial velocity. When the gas–liquid velocity ratio A = 1, the jet is the most stable. When the gas–liquid velocity ratio A > 2, this is meaningful for the jet breakup compared with A = 0 (no air axial velocity). When the surrounding airflow swirls, the airflow rotation strength E will change the jet dominant mode. E has a stabilizing effect on the liquid jet under the axisymmetric mode, while E is conducive to jet instability under the asymmetry mode. The maximum disturbance growth rate of the liquid jet also decreases first and then increases with the increase of E. The liquid jet is the most stable when E = 0.65, and the jet starts to become more easier to breakup when E = 0.8425 compared with E = 0 (no swirling air). When the surrounding airflow twists (air moves in both axial and circumferential directions), given the axial velocity to change the circumferential velocity of the surrounding airflow, it is not conducive to the jet breakup, regardless of the axisymmetric disturbance or asymmetry disturbance.
Stability of a Viscous Liquid Jet in a Coaxial Twisting Compressible Airflow