On Some Recent Applications of the Coanda Effect to Acoustics

Over the last half century or so, the Coanda effect (which causes a jet of fluid to follow a curved surface) has been increasingly widely observed in a variety of applications including medicine, industry, maritime, and the natural world. Devices employing this effect usually offer substantial flow deflection and enhanced turbulence levels and entrainment compared with conventional jet flows. However, these prospective advantages are generally accompanied by other significant disadvantages such as flow detachment and a considerable increase in associated noise levels. This paper details some of these applications and discusses why the increased noise levels associated with this principle meant that its full potential is yet to be realized, and how these can be mitigated.