scholarly journals Effects of Free-Stream Turbulence Intensity on a Boundary Layer Recovering From Concave Curvature Effects

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Kestoras ◽  
Terrence W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Velocity Distribution ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Outer Region ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Flat Wall ◽  
Curvature Effects ◽  
Turbulent Eddies ◽  
Concave Wall

Experiments are conducted on a flat recovery wall downstream of sustained concave curvature in the presence of high free-stream turbulence (TI∼8%). This flow simulates some of the features of the flow on the latter parts of the pressure surface of a gas turbine airfoil. The combined effects of concave curvature and TI, both present in the flow over a turbine airfoil, have so far little been studied. Computation of such flows with standard turbulence closure models has not been particularly successful. This experiment attempts to characterize the turbulence characteristics of this flow. In the present study, a turbulent boundary layer grows from the leading edge of a concave wall then passes onto a downstream flat wall. Results show that turbulence intensities increase profoundly in the outer region of the boundary layer over the recovery wall. Near-wall turbulent eddies appear to lift off the recovery wall and a “stabilized” region forms near the wall. In contrast to a low-free-stream turbulence intensity flow, turbulent eddies penetrate the outer parts of the “stabilized” region where sharp velocity and temperature gradients exist. These eddies can more readily transfer momentum and heat. As a result, skin friction coefficients and Stanton numbers on the recovery wall are 20% and 10%, respectively, above their values in the low-free-stream turbulence intensity case. Stanton numbers do not undershoot flat-wall expectations at the same ReΔ2 values as seen in the low-TI case. Remarkably, the velocity distribution in the core of the flow over the recovery wall exhibits a negative gradient normal to the wall under high free-stream turbulence intensity conditions. This velocity distribution appears to be the result of two effects: 1) cross transport of kinetic energy by boundary work in the upstream curved flow and 2) readjustment of static pressure profiles in response to the removal of concave curvature.

Effects of Free-Stream Turbulence Intensity on a Boundary Layer Recovering From Concave Curvature Effects

1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Kestoras ◽  
T. W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Velocity Distribution ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Outer Region ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Flat Wall ◽  
Curvature Effects ◽  
Turbulent Eddies ◽  
Concave Wall

Experiments are conducted on a flat recovery wall downstream of sustained concave curvature in the presence of high free-stream turbulence (TI ∼ 8%). This flow simulates some of the features of the flow on the latter parts of the pressure surface of a gas turbine airfoil. The combined effects of concave curvature and TI, both present in the flow over a turbine airfoil, have so far been little studied. Computation of such flows with standard turbulence closure models has not been particularly successful. This experiment attempts to characterize the turbulence characteristics of this flow. In the present study, a turbulent boundary layer grows from the leading edge of a concave wall, then passes onto a downstream flat wall. Results show that turbulence intensities increase profoundly in the outer region of the boundary layer over the recovery wall. Near-wall turbulent eddies appear to lift off the recovery wall and a “stabilized” region forms near the wall. In contrast to a low-free-stream turbulence intensity flow, turbulent eddies penetrate the outer parts of the “stabilized” region where sharp velocity and temperature gradients exist. These eddies can more readily transfer momentum and heat. As a result, skin friction coefficients and Stanton numbers on the recovery wall are 20 and 10 percent, respectively, above their values in the low-free-stream turbulence intensity case. Stanton numbers do not undershoot flat-wall expectations at the same Reδ2 values as seen in the low-TI case. Remarkably, the velocity distribution in the core of the flow over the recovery wall exhibits a negative gradient normal to the wall under high-free-stream turbulence intensity conditions. This velocity distribution appears to be the result of two effects: (1) cross transport of kinetic energy by boundary work in the upstream curved flow and (2) readjustment of static pressure profiles in response to the removal of concave curvature.

scholarly journals Turbulent Transport Measurements in a Heated Boundary Layer: Combined Effects of Free-Stream Turbulence and Removal of Concave Curvature

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Kestoras ◽  
Terrence W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Turbulent Transport ◽  
Outer Part ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
Prandtl Numbers ◽  
Near Wall

Turbulence measurements for both momentum and heat transport are taken in a boundary layer over a flat, recovery wall downstream of a concave wall (R=0.97m). The boundary layer appears turbulent from the beginning of the concave wall and grows over the test wall with negligible streamwise acceleration. The strength of curvature at the bend exit, δ99.5/R, is 0.04. The free-stream turbulence intensity is ∼8% at the beginning of the curve and is nearly uniform at ∼4.5% throughout the recovery wall. Comparisons are made with data taken in an earlier study, in the same test facility, but with a low free-stream turbulence intensity (−0.6%). Results show that on the recovery wall, elevated free-stream turbulence intensity enhances turbulent transport quantities such as -uv¯ and vt¯ in most of the outer part of the boundary layer, but near-wall values of vt¯ remain unaffected. This is in contrast to near-wall vt¯ values within the curve which decrease when free-stream turbulence is increased. At the bend exit, decreases of -uv¯ and vt¯ due to removal of curvature become more profound when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated, compared to low-TI behavior. Measurements in the core of the flow indicate that the high levels of cross transport of momentum over the upstream concave wall cease when curvature is removed. Other results show that turbulent Prandtl numbers over the recovery wall are reduced to −0.9 when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated, consistent with the rise in Stanton numbers over the recovery wall.

Measurements in a Transitional Boundary Layer With Görtler Vortices

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph J. Volino ◽  
Terrence W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Streamwise Velocity ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Görtler Vortices ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Gortler Vortices

The laminar-turbulent transition process has been documented in a concave-wall boundary layer subject to low (0.6%) free-stream turbulence intensity. Transition began at a Reynolds number, Rex (based on distance from the leading edge of the test wall), of 3.5×105 and was completed by 4.7×105. The transition was strongly influenced by the presence of stationary, streamwise, Görtler vortices. Transition under similar conditions has been documented in previous studies, but because concave-wall transition tends to be rapid, measurements within the transition zone were sparse. In this study, emphasis is on measurements within the zone of intermittent flow. Twenty-five profiles of mean streamwise velocity, fluctuating streamwise velocity, and intermittency have been acquired at five values of Rex, and five spanwise locations relative to a Görtler vortex. The mean velocity profiles acquired near the vortex downwash sites exhibit inflection points and local minima. These minima, located in the outer part of the boundary layer, provide evidence of a “tilting” of the vortices in the spanwise direction. Profiles of fluctuating velocity and intermittency exhibit peaks near the locations of the minima in the mean velocity profiles. These peaks indicate that turbulence is generated in regions of high shear, which are relatively far from the wall. The transition mechanism in this flow is different from that on flat walls, where turbulence is produced in the near-wall region. The peak intermittency values in the profiles increase with Rex, but do not follow the “universal” distribution observed in most flat-wall, transitional boundary layers. The results have applications whenever strong concave curvature may result in the formation of Görtler vortices in otherwise 2-D flows. Because these cases were run with a low value of free-stream turbulence intensity, the flow is not a replication of a gas turbine flow. However, the results do provide a base case for further work on transition on the pressure side of gas turbine airfoils, where concave curvature effects are combined with the effects of high free-stream turbulence and strong streamwise pressure gradients, for they show the effects of embedded streamwise vorticity in a flow that is free of high-turbulence effects.

Free-Stream Turbulence Effects on Convex-Curved Turbulent Boundary Layers

1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. You ◽  
T. W. Simon ◽  
J. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Skin Friction Coefficient ◽  
Radius Of Curvature ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Curvature Effects ◽  
Asymptotic Shape ◽  
Turbulence Effects

Free-stream turbulence intensity effects on a convex-curved turbulent boundary layer are investigated. An attached fully turbulent boundary layer is grown on a flat plate and is then introduced to a downstream section where the test wall is convexly curved, having a constant radius of curvature. Two cases, with free-stream turbulence intensities of 1.85 and 0.65 percent, are discussed. They were taken in the same facility and with the same strength of curvature, δ/R = 0.03−0.045. The two cases have similar flow conditions upon entry to the curve, thus separating the free-stream turbulence effects under study from other effects. The higher turbulence case displayed stronger curvature effects on the skin friction coefficient Cf, and on streamwise-normal and shear stress profiles, than observed in the lower turbulence case. Observations of this are: (1) As expected, the higher turbulence case has a higher Cf value ( ∼ 5 percent) upstream of the curve than does the lower turbulence case, but this difference diminishes by the end of the curve. (2) Streamwise turbulence intensity profiles, differing upstream of the curve for the two cases, are found to be similar near the end of the curve, thus indicating that the effect of curvature is dominating over the effect of free-stream turbulence intensity. Many effects of curvature observed in the lower turbulence intensity case, and reported previously, e.g., a dramatic response to the introduction of curvature and the rapid assumption of an asymptotic shape within the curve, are also seen in the higher turbulence case.

scholarly journals Turbulence Measurements in a Heated, Concave Boundary Layer Under High Free-Stream Turbulence Conditions

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Kestoras ◽  
Terrence W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Mixing Length ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Turbulence Measurements ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
Prandtl Numbers

Turbulence measurements for both momentum and heat transfer are taken in a low-velocity, turbulent boundary layer growing naturally over a concave wall. The experiments are conducted with negligible streamwise acceleration and a nominal free-stream turbulence intensity of −8%. Comparisons are made with data taken in an earlier study in the same test facility but with a 0.6% free-stream turbulence intensity. Results show that elevated free-stream turbulence intensity enhances turbulence transport quantities like uv and vt in most of the boundary layer. In contrast to the low-turbulence cases, high levels of transport of momentum are measured outside the boundary layer. Stable, Görtler-like vortices, present in the flow under low-turbulence conditions, do not form when the free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated. Turbulent Prandtl numbers, Prt, within the log region of the boundary layer over the concave wall increase with streamwise distance to values as high as 1.2. Profiles of Prt suggest that the increase in momentum transport with increased free-stream turbulence intensity precedes the increase in heat transport. Distributions of near-wall mixing length for momentum remain unchanged on the concave wall when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated. Both for this level of free-stream turbulence and for the lower level, mixing length distributions increase linearly with distance from the wall following the standard slope. However when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated, this linear region extends farther into the boundary layer, indicating the emerging importance of larger eddies in the wake of the boundary layer with the high-turbulence free-stream. Because these eddies are damped by the wall, the influence of the wall grows with eddy size.

scholarly journals Free-Stream Turbulence and Concave Curvature Effects on Heated, Transitional Boundary Layers

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 338-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kim ◽  
T. W. Simon ◽  
S. G. Russ
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Reynolds Analogy ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Curvature Effects ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
Laminar And Turbulent Flows

An experimental investigation of transition in concave-curved boundary layers at two free-stream turbulence levels (0.6 and 8.6 percent) was performed. For the lower free-stream turbulence intensity case, Go¨rtler vortices were observed in both laminar and turbulent flows using liquid crystal visualization and spanwise velocity and temperature traverses. Transition is thought to occur via a vortex breakdown mode. The vortex locations were invariant with time but were nonuniform across the span in both the laminar and turbulent flows. The upwash regions between two vortices were more unstable than were the downwash regions, containing higher levels of u’ and u’ v’, and lower skin friction coefficients and shape factors. Turbulent Prandtl numbers, measured using a triple-wire probe, were near unity for all post-transitional profiles, indicating no gross violation of Reynolds analogy. No streamwise vortices were observed in the higher turbulence intensity case. This may be due to the high eddy viscosity, which reduces the turbulent Go¨rtler number to subcritical values, thus eliminating the vortices, or due to an unsteadiness of the vortex structure that could not be observed by the techniques used. Based upon these results, predictions that assume two-dimensional modeling of the flow over a concave wall with high free-stream turbulence levels, as on the pressure surface of a turbine blade, seem to be adequate—there is no time-average, three-dimensional structure to be resolved. High levels of free-stream turbulence superimposed on a free-stream velocity gradient (which occurs within curved channels) cause a cross-stream transport of momentum within the flow outside the boundary layer. The total pressure within this region can rise above the value measured at the inlet to the test section.

Turbulence Measurements in a Heated, Concave Boundary Layer Under High-Free-Stream Turbulence Conditions

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 172-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Kestoras ◽  
T. W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Mixing Length ◽  
Turbulence Measurements ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
Momentum And Heat Transfer ◽  
Prandtl Numbers

Turbulence measurements for both momentum and heat transfer are taken in a lowvelocity, turbulent boundary layer growing naturally over a concave wall. The experiments are conducted with negligible streamwise acceleration and a nominal freestream turbulence intensity of ∼8 percent. Comparisons are made with data taken in an earlier study in the same test facility but with a 0.6 percent free-stream turbulence intensity. Results show that elevated free-stream turbulence intensity enhances turbulence transport quantities like uv and vt in most of the boundary layer. In contrast to the low-turbulence cases, high levels of transport of momentum are measured outside the boundary layer. Stable, Go¨rtlerlike vortices, present in the flow under low-turbulence conditions, do not form when the free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated. Turbulent Prandtl numbers, Prt, within the log region of the boundary layer over the concave wall increase with streamwise distance to values as high as 1.2. Profiles of Prt suggest that the increase in momentum transport with increased free-stream turbulence intensity precedes the increase in heat transport. Distributions of near-wall mixing length for momentum remain unchanged on the concave wall when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated. Both for this level of free-stream turbulence and for the lower level, mixing length distributions increase linearly with distance from the wall, following the standard slope. However, when free-stream turbulence intensity is elevated, this linear region extends farther into the boundary layer, indicating the emerging importance of larger eddies in the wake of the boundary layer with the high-turbulence free stream. Because these eddies are damped by the wall, the influence of the wall grows with eddy size.

Hydrodynamic and Thermal Measurements in a Turbulent Boundary Layer Recovering From Concave Curvature

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 891-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Kestoras ◽  
T. W. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layer ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Skin Friction Coefficient ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Flat Wall ◽  
Concave Wall ◽  
Thermal Measurements ◽  
Streamwise Pressure Gradient ◽  
Curved Section

The behavior of a boundary layer on a flat wall downstream of sustained concave curvature is documented. Experiments are conducted with negligible streamwise pressure gradient and a low free-stream turbulence intensity (0.6 percent). The turbulent boundary layer has a moderate strength of curvature (δ/R = 0.024) at the entry to the recovery section. Results show that the skin friction coefficient, which increases over the concave wall, decreases rapidly at first over the recovery wall, then slowly approaches flat-wall values. Stanton number values decrease rapidly, undershooting expected flat-wall values. A discussion of this behavior, supported by profile measurements, is given. Effects include destabilization in the concave-curved flow and rapid streamline readjustment (acceleration) at the end of the curved section. Goertler vortices established on the curved wall persist onto the recovery wall; however, their effects weaken.

scholarly journals Effect of turbulence on the wake of a wall-mounted cube

2016 ◽  
Vol 804 ◽  
pp. 513-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Jason Hearst ◽  
Guillaume Gomit ◽  
Bharathram Ganapathisubramani
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Reattachment Length ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Boundary Layer Development ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Shedding Frequency ◽  
Layer Development

The influence of turbulence on the flow around a wall-mounted cube immersed in a turbulent boundary layer is investigated experimentally with particle image velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry. Free-stream turbulence is used to generate turbulent boundary layer profiles where the normalised shear at the cube height is fixed, but the turbulence intensity at the cube height is adjustable. The free-stream turbulence is generated with an active grid and the turbulent boundary layer is formed on an artificial floor in a wind tunnel. The boundary layer development Reynolds number ($Re_{x}$) and the ratio of the cube height ($h$) to the boundary layer thickness ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}$) are held constant at $Re_{x}=1.8\times 10^{6}$ and $h/\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}=0.47$. It is demonstrated that the stagnation point on the upstream side of the cube and the reattachment length in the wake of the cube are independent of the incoming profile for the conditions investigated here. In contrast, the wake length monotonically decreases for increasing turbulence intensity but fixed normalised shear – both quantities measured at the cube height. The wake shortening is a result of heightened turbulence levels promoting wake recovery from high local velocities and the reduction in strength of a dominant shedding frequency.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document