Despite extensive study, there remain significant questions about the Reynolds-number scaling of the zero-pressure-gradient flat-plate turbulent boundary layer. While the mean flow is generally accepted to follow the law of the wall, there is little consensus about the scaling of the Reynolds normal stresses, except that there are Reynolds-number effects even very close to the wall. Using a low-speed, high-Reynolds-number facility and a high-resolution laser-Doppler anemometer, we have measured Reynolds stresses for a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer from Reθ = 1430 to 31 000. Profiles of u′2, v′2, and u′v′ show reasonably good collapse with Reynolds number: u′2 in a new scaling, and v′2 and u′v′ in classic inner scaling. The log law provides a reasonably accurate universal profile for the mean velocity in the inner region.

Reynolds-number scaling of the flat-plate turbulent boundary layer

Careful reassessment of new and pre-existing data shows that recorded scatter in the hot-wire-measured near-wall peak in viscous-scaled streamwise turbulence intensity is due in large part to the simultaneous competing effects of the Reynolds number and viscous-scaled wire length l+. An empirical expression is given to account for these effects. These competing factors can explain much of the disparity in existing literature, in particular explaining how previous studies have incorrectly concluded that the inner-scaled near-wall peak is independent of the Reynolds number. We also investigate the appearance of the so-called outer peak in the broadband streamwise intensity, found by some researchers to occur within the log region of high-Reynolds-number boundary layers. We show that the outer peak is consistent with the attenuation of small scales due to large l+. For turbulent boundary layers, in the absence of spatial resolution problems, there is no outer peak up to the Reynolds numbers investigated here (Reτ= 18830). Beyond these Reynolds numbers and for internal geometries the existence of such peaks remains open to debate. Fully mapped energy spectra, obtained with a range of l+, are used to demonstrate this phenomenon. We also establish the basis for a maximum flow frequency, a minimum time scale that the full experimental system must be capable of resolving, in order to ensure that the energetic scales are not attenuated. It is shown that where this criterion is not met (in this instance due to insufficient anemometer/probe response), an outer peak can be reproduced in the streamwise intensity even in the absence of spatial resolution problems. It is also shown that attenuation due to wire length can erode the region of the streamwise energy spectra in which we would normally expect to see kx 1 scaling. In doing so, we are able to rationalize much of the disparity in pre-existing literature over the kx1 region of self-similarity. Not surprisingly, the attenuated spectra also indicate that Kolmogorov-scaled spectra are subject to substantial errors due to wire spatial resolution issues. These errors persist to wavelengths far beyond those which we might otherwise assume from simple isotropic assumptions of small-scale motions. The effects of hot-wire length-to-diameter ratio (l/d) are also briefly investigated. For the moderate wire Reynolds numbers investigated here, reducing l/d from 200 to 100 has a detrimental effect on measured turbulent fluctuations at a wide range of energetic scales, affecting both the broadband intensity and the energy spectra. © 2009 Copyright Cambridge University Press.

Hot-wire spatial resolution issues in wall-bounded turbulence

The incompressible zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer: An assessment of the data

The present study of the pressure fluctuations in the interaction region oif a two-dimensionals compression flow established that the frequency of the shock-wave unsteadiness is of the same order as the bursting frequency of the upstream boundary layer and that this frequency is independent of the downstream separated flow. The conditional-sampling technique developed herein is capable of separating phenomena due to shock-wave oscillations from those due to transport phenomena of turbulence. The results show that turbulence as inferred from wall-pressure fluctuations may be significantly amplified approaching the shock.

Some new aspects of the shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction in compression-ramp flows

Spanwise vorticity measurements have been performed in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers over the range 1010 < Rθ < 4850 (Rθ ≡ U∞ θ/ν, where U∞ is the free-stream velocity and θ is the momentum deficit thickness) using a four-wire probe. In addition, experiments quantifying the spatial and temporal resolution required to obtain an accurate statistical representation of the small-scale structure of wall-bounded turbulence were performed. Furthermore, a thorough investigation of statistical convergence for a variety of fluctuating quantities was performed. Comparisons with earlier high-resolution studies indicate that the maximum value of u′/uτ increases with increasing Reynolds number over the given Rθ range (u′ ≡ r.m.s. u, and uτ is the friction velocity). It is suggested that detecting this dependence provides a good measure of probe resolution. In general it was found that statistics of velocity gradients were distinctly more sensitive to finite probe size than velocity statistics. Wire spacing experiments suggest that Wyngaard's (1969) criterion is to a good approximation valid even under anisotropic conditions. Furthermore, it was found that instantaneously spatial averaging of ∂u/∂t caused significant attenuation in the resulting r.m.s., and that this averaging procedure is sensitive to the level of mean shear. A simple method of estimating how noise in the u-velocity signals enters into the ∂u/∂y signals is presented. The convergence study shows that statistical convergence criteria developed from free-shear flows severely underestimates the averaging times required in boundary layers. A table of general convergence criteria is provided.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022112090002889

On accurately measuring statistics associated with small-scale structure in turbulent boundary layers using hot-wire probes

Hot-wire anemometer measurements, using two types of probes, are reported for wall boundary layer flows with particular attention being given to the near-wall region and to measurements at high Reynolds numbers up to Rϕ≈ 15,000. To obtain accurate near-wall measurements, the influence of wall proximity on hot-wire readings was eliminated by using a highly insulating wall material. Measurements were carried out with a single hot-wire boundary layer probe to obtain the longitudinal velocity informatemperature-wake sensor for the cross flow tion and a hot-wire, information.

Z. Zaric

Papers

Influence of Reynolds number on characteristics of turbulent wall boundary layers

The influence of Reynolds number on characteristics of turbulent boundary layers