An Approximate Method for the Calculation of Turbulent Boundary Layers in Diffusers

1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Norbury

SummaryAn approximate method is described for the calculation of turbulent boundary layers in which the turbulence is developed before the commencement of the adverse pressure gradient, as in most diffuser layers. It is based on a method due to Spence which has been modified and also extended to the calculation of three-dimensional diverging layers such as occur in ducts whose breadth is increasing. The velocity profiles occurring in a diverging layer are examined and it is shown that the inner part obeys the universal logarithmic law, as in two-dimensional layers. This result is used to obtain an equation for the form parameter in diverging layers, by substitution in the equation of motion and incorporation of the equations of momentum and continuity for diverging flow. The form parameter equation contains a term involving the gradient of shear stress at y = θ and values of this term are obtained by the analysis of experimental data and the substitution of known values for all the other terms in the form parameter equation. Values of the term involving shear stress gradient are then correlated in terms of known boundary layer quantities, and the resulting correlation allows the formulation of a step-by-step method for the solution of the form parameter equation. This may be used in conjunction with the momentum equation to predict the boundary layer growth. It was not found possible to effect a satisfactory correlation for boundary layers on lifting aerofoils, in which the turbulence develops within the adverse pressure gradient, and the method cannot be used for the prediction of such layers. The results of a number of calculations are given.

2013 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
pp. 477-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zambri Harun ◽  
Jason P. Monty ◽  
Romain Mathis ◽  
Ivan Marusic

AbstractResearch into high-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers in recent years has brought about a renewed interest in the larger-scale structures. It is now known that these structures emerge more prominently in the outer region not only due to increased Reynolds number (Metzger & Klewicki, Phys. Fluids, vol. 13(3), 2001, pp. 692–701; Hutchins & Marusic, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 579, 2007, pp. 1–28), but also when a boundary layer is exposed to an adverse pressure gradient (Bradshaw, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 29, 1967, pp. 625–645; Lee & Sung, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 639, 2009, pp. 101–131). The latter case has not received as much attention in the literature. As such, this work investigates the modification of the large-scale features of boundary layers subjected to zero, adverse and favourable pressure gradients. It is first shown that the mean velocities, turbulence intensities and turbulence production are significantly different in the outer region across the three cases. Spectral and scale decomposition analyses confirm that the large scales are more energized throughout the entire adverse pressure gradient boundary layer, especially in the outer region. Although more energetic, there is a similar spectral distribution of energy in the wake region, implying the geometrical structure of the outer layer remains universal in all cases. Comparisons are also made of the amplitude modulation of small scales by the large-scale motions for the three pressure gradient cases. The wall-normal location of the zero-crossing of small-scale amplitude modulation is found to increase with increasing pressure gradient, yet this location continues to coincide with the large-scale energetic peak wall-normal location (as has been observed in zero pressure gradient boundary layers). The amplitude modulation effect is found to increase as pressure gradient is increased from favourable to adverse.


Author(s):  
Yvan Maciel ◽  
Tie Wei ◽  
Ayse G. Gungor ◽  
Mark P. Simens

We perform a careful nondimensional analysis of the turbulent boundary layer equations in order to bring out, without assuming any self-similar behaviour, a consistent set of nondimensional parameters characterizing the outer region of turbulent boundary layers with arbitrary pressure gradients. These nondimensional parameters are a pressure gradient parameter, a Reynolds number (different from commonly used ones) and an inertial parameter. They are obtained without assuming a priori the outer length and velocity scales. They represent the ratio of the magnitudes of two types of forces in the outer region, using the Reynolds shear stress gradient (apparent turbulent force) as the reference force: inertia to apparent turbulent forces for the inertial parameter, pressure to apparent turbulent forces for the pressure gradient parameter and apparent turbulent to viscous forces for the Reynolds number. We determine under what conditions they retain their meaning, depending on the outer velocity scale that is considered, with the help of seven boundary layer databases. We find the impressive result that if the Zagarola-Smits velocity is used as the outer velocity scale, the streamwise evolution of the three ratios of forces in the outer region can be accurately followed with these non-dimensional parameters in all these flows — not just the order of magnitude of these ratios. This cannot be achieved with three other outer velocity scales commonly used for pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers. Consequently, the three new nondimensional parameters, when expressed with the Zagarola-Smits velocity, can be used to follow — in a global sense — the streamwise evolution of the stream-wise mean momentum balance in the outer region. This study provides a clear and consistent framework for the analysis of the outer region of adverse-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju Hyun Shin ◽  
Seung Jin Song

An experimental investigation has been conducted to identify the effects of pressure gradient and surface roughness on turbulent boundary layers. In Part II, smooth- and rough-surface turbulent boundary layers with and without adverse pressure gradient (APG) are presented at a fixed Reynolds number (based on the length of flat plate) of 900,000. Flat-plate boundary layer measurements have been conducted using a single-sensor, hot-wire probe. For smooth surfaces, compared to the zero pressure gradient (ZPG) boundary layer, the APG boundary layer has a higher mean velocity defect throughout the boundary layer and lower friction coefficient. APG decreases the streamwise normal Reynolds stress for y less than 0.4 times the boundary layer thickness and increases it slightly in the outer region. For rough surfaces, APG reduces the roughness effects of increasing the mean velocity defect and normal Reynolds stress for y less than 23 and 28 times the average roughness height, respectively. Consistently, for the same roughness, APG decreases the integrated streamwise turbulent kinetic energy. APG also decreases the roughness effect on the friction coefficient, roughness Reynolds number, and roughness shift. Compared to the ZPG boundary layers, the roughness effects on integral boundary layer parameters—boundary layer thickness and momentum thickness—are weaker under APG. Thus, contrary to the favorable pressure gradient (FPG) in part I, APG reduces the roughness effects on turbulent boundary layers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 820 ◽  
pp. 667-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bobke ◽  
R. Vinuesa ◽  
R. Örlü ◽  
P. Schlatter

Turbulent boundary layers under adverse pressure gradients are studied using well-resolved large-eddy simulations (LES) with the goal of assessing the influence of the streamwise pressure-gradient development. Near-equilibrium boundary layers were characterized through the Clauser pressure-gradient parameter $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$. In order to fulfil the near-equilibrium conditions, the free stream velocity was prescribed such that it followed a power-law distribution. The turbulence statistics pertaining to cases with a constant value of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ (extending up to approximately 40 boundary-layer thicknesses) were compared with cases with non-constant $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ distributions at matched values of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ and friction Reynolds number $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}$. An additional case at matched Reynolds number based on displacement thickness $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}^{\ast }}$ was also considered. It was noticed that non-constant $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ cases appear to approach the conditions of equivalent constant $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ cases after long streamwise distances (approximately 7 boundary-layer thicknesses). The relevance of the constant $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ cases lies in the fact that they define a ‘canonical’ state of the boundary layer, uniquely characterized by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ and $Re$. The investigations on the flat plate were extended to the flow around a wing section overlapping in terms of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ and $Re$. Comparisons with the flat-plate cases at matched values of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ and $Re$ revealed that the different development history of the turbulent boundary layer on the wing section leads to a less pronounced wake in the mean velocity as well as a weaker second peak in the Reynolds stresses. This is due to the weaker accumulated effect of the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ history. Furthermore, a scaling law suggested by Kitsios et al. (Intl J. Heat Fluid Flow, vol. 61, 2016, pp. 129–136), proposing the edge velocity and the displacement thickness as scaling parameters, was tested on two constant-pressure-gradient parameter cases. The mean velocity and Reynolds-stress profiles were found to be dependent on the downstream development. The present work is the first step towards assessing history effects in adverse-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers and highlights the fact that the values of the Clauser pressure-gradient parameter and the Reynolds number are not sufficient to characterize the state of the boundary layer.


1978 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. Kader ◽  
A. M. Yaglom

Dimensional analysis is applied to the velocity profile U(y) of turbulent boundary layers subjected to adverse pressure gradients. It is assumed that the boundary layer is in moving or local equilibrium in the sense that the free-stream velocity U∞ and kinematic pressure gradient α = ρ−1dP/dx vary only slowly with the co-ordinate x. This assumption implies a rather complicated general equation for the velocity gradient dU/dy which may be considerably simplified for several specific regions of the flow. A general family of velocity profiles is derived from the simplified equations supplemented by some experimental information. This family agrees well with almost all existing data on velocity profiles in adverse-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers. It may be used for the derivation of a skin-friction law which predicts satisfactorily the values of the wall shear stress at any non-negative value of the pressure gradient. The variation of the boundary-layer thickness with x is also predicted by dimensional considerations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. 101-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOUNG-HO LEE ◽  
HYUNG JIN SUNG

The effects of adverse pressure gradients on turbulent structures were investigated by carrying out direct numerical simulations of turbulent boundary layers subjected to adverse and zero pressure gradients. The equilibrium adverse pressure gradient flows were established by using a power law free-stream distribution U∞ ~ xm. Two-point correlations of velocity fluctuations were used to show that the spanwise spacing between near-wall streaks is affected significantly by a strong adverse pressure gradient. Low-momentum regions are dominant in the middle of the boundary layer as well as in the log layer. Linear stochastic estimation was used to provide evidence for the presence of low-momentum regions and to determine their statistical properties. The mean width of such large-scale structures is closely associated with the size of the hairpin-like vortices in the outer layer. The conditionally averaged flow fields around events producing Reynolds stress show that hairpin-like vortices are the structures associated with the production of outer turbulence. The shapes of the vortices beyond the log layer were found to be similar when their length scales were normalized according to the boundary layer thickness. Estimates of the conditionally averaged velocity fields associated with the spanwise vortical motion were obtained by using linear stochastic estimation. These results confirm that the outer region of the adverse pressure gradient boundary layer is populated with streamwise-aligned vortex organizations, which are similar to those of the vortex packet model proposed by Adrian, Meinhart & Tomkins (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 422, 2000, pp. 1–54). The adverse pressure gradient augments the inclination angles of the packets and the mean streamwise spacing of the vortex heads in the packets.


1975 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Offen ◽  
S. J. Kline

A model is proposed which attempts to explain the complete ‘burst cycle’. This model views the wall streak as a sub-boundary layer, within the conventionally defined boundary layer, and the lift-up stage of bursting either as an upwelling motion of this sub-boundary layer which is similar to a local, convected separation or, equivalently, as the consequence of a vortex roll-up. ‘Sweeps’ are thought to represent the passage of a previous burst from further upstream. They appear either to impress on the wall streak the temporary adverse pressure gradient required to bring about its lifting or, alternatively, to provide the outer vortex which rolls up with the vortex associated with the wall streak. The model is also used to explain how the interactions between a burst and a sweep bring about (i) breakup, as well as (ii) new wall streaks further downstream.Arguments are presented to demonstrate that the three kinds of oscillatory growth reported by Kim, Kline & Reynolds (1971) may be associated with just one type of flow structure: the stretched and lifted vortex described by Kline et al. (1967).


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