Flow separation

About: Flow separation is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 16708 publications have been published within this topic receiving 386926 citations.

Self-induced separation

Abstract: A rational theory is developed to explain the initial pressure rise and consequent separation of a laminar boundary layer when it interacts with a moderately strong shock. In this theory, which is firmly based on the linearized theory of Lighthill (1953), the region of interest is divided into three parts: the major part of the boundary layer, which is shown to change under largely inviscid forces, the supersonic main stream just adjacent to the boundary layer in which the pressure variation is small; and a region close to the wall, on boundary-layer scale, in which the relative variation of the velocity is large but is controlled by the incompressible boundary-layer equations, together with novel boundary conditions. We find that the first two parts can be handled in a straightforward way and the problem of self-induced separation reduces, in its essentials, to the solution of a single problem in the theory of incompressible boundary layers. It is found that this problem has three solutions, one of which corresponds to undisturbed flow and another describes a boundary layer which, spontaneously, generates an adverse pressure gradient and a decreasing skin friction which eventually vanishes and then downstream a reversed flow is set up. The third solution generates a favourable pressure gradient and is not relevant to the present study. Although there has hitherto been no valid numerical method of integrating a boundary layer with reversed flow, we find that an ad hoc method seems to lead to a stable solution which has a number of the properties to be expected of a separated boundary layer. Comparison with experiment gives qualitatively good agreement, but quantitatively errors of the order of 20% are found. It is believed that these errors arise because the Reynolds numbers at which the experiments were carried out are too small.

The prediction of separation of the turbulent boundary layer

Abstract: A rapid method for the prediction of flow separation results from an approximate solution of the equations of motion; a single empirical factor is required. The equations are integrated by a modified ‘inner and outer solutions’ technique developed recently for laminar boundary layers, the criterion for separation being obtained as a simple formula applying directly to the separation position. At Reynolds numbers of the order of 106, the criterion is when d2p/dx2 [ges ] 0 and Cp [les ] 4/7; the coefficient 0·39 is replaced by 0·35 when d2p/dx2 < 0.The prediction of the pressure rise to separation is likely to be from 0 to 10% too low, which puts it second in accuracy to those methods, such as Maskell's (1951), which utilize the Ludweig-Tillmann skin friction law. However, the convenience of the method makes the present error acceptable for many applications, while a greater accuracy should be attainable from an improved allowance for the quantity d2p/dx2.The main derivation is for arbitrary pressure distributions, while an extension leads to the pressure distribution which just maintains zero skin friction throughout the region of pressure rise.The concept of a turbulent inner layer with zero wall stress is put forward, and it is deduced that in the neighbourhood of the wall the velocity is proportional to the square root of the distance from the wall.

Large-scale structure in the mixing layer of a round jet

Abstract: Late transitional and turbulent flows in the mixing-layer region of a round jet are investigated for a range of Reynolds numbers by using flow-visualization and hotwire techniques. Attention is focused on the vortices in the transition region and the large eddies in the turbulent region. The interaction and coalescence of vortex rings in the transition region are described. The transition region is characterized by a growth of three-dimensional flow due to a wave instability of the cores of the vortex rings. The merging of these distorted vortices produces large eddies which can remain coherent up to the end of the potential-core region of the jet. A conditional sampling technique is used to measure eddies moving near the jet centre-line. These eddies differ significantly from the ring vortices as they are three-dimensional and contain irregular small-scale turbulence. However, when averaged, their structure is similar in cross-section to that of a vortex ring. These sampled eddies contribute greatly to local velocity fluctuations and statistical correlations. The experiments indicate a need for careful consideration of the meanings of terms such as ‘vortex’, ‘eddy’ and ‘turbulent flow’. In particular care must be taken to discriminate between the orderly, easily visualized, vortices in the transition regions of free shear flows and the less clearly visualized, but strong, large eddies in the fully developed turbulent regions.

Turbulence modeling validation

Abstract: The performances of four turbulence models are evaluated against eight selected experimental flow fields. The four models are the two-equation k-e model of Launder and Sharma, the two-equation k-a> model of Wilcox, the twoequation k-03 SST model of Menter, and the one-equation eddy-viscosity model of Spalart and Allmaras. The eight turbulent flows of the validation are four fully-developed freeshear flows, an incompressibl e boundary layer, and three complex flows with flow separation. The free-shear layer flows comprise a mixing layer, a round jet, a plane jet, and a plane wake flow. The three complex flows are comprised of an adverse-pressure-gradient boundary layer, an axisymmetric shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction, and a transonic RAE 2822 airfoil flow. The experimental data for these flows is well established and has been extensively used in model developments. The numerical predictions include mean velocity profiles, spreading rates, surface pressure coefficients, skin friction, and shear-stress profiles. Most significantly, this research includes a sensitivity study on the accuracy of the solutions with respect to the effects of freestream turbulence, grid resolution, grid spacing near the wall, initial conditions, numerical methods and codes, and free stream Mach number effects on incompressible flows.

Effects of spanwise rotation on the structure of two-dimensional fully developed turbulent channel flow.

Abstract: Experiments on fully developed turbulent flow in a channel which is rotating at a steady rate about a spanwise axis are described. The Coriolis force components in the region of two-dimensional mean flow affect both local and global stability. Three stability-related phenomena were observed or inferred: (1) the reduction (increase) of the rate of wall-layer streak bursting in locally stabilized (destabilized) wall layers; (2) the total suppression of transition to turbulence in a stabilized layer; (3) the development of large-scale roll cells on the destabilized side of the channel by growth of a Taylor-Gortler vortex instability. Local effects of rotational stabilization, such as reduction of the turbulent stress in wall layers, can be related to the local Richardson number in a simple way. This paper not only investigates this effect, but also, by methods of flow visualization, exposes some of the underlying structure changes caused by rotation.-