The structure of a highly decelerated axisymmetric turbulent boundary layer

Experiments were performed over a body of revolution at a length-based Reynolds number of 1.9 million. While the lateral curvature parameters are moderate ( $\delta /r_s < 2, r_s^+>500$ , where $\delta$ is the boundary layer thickness and r s is the radius of curvature), the pressure gradient is increasingly adverse ( $\beta _{C} \in [5 \text {--} 18]$ where $\beta_{C}$ is Clauser’s pressure gradient parameter), representative of vehicle-relevant conditions. The mean flow in the outer regions of this fully attached boundary layer displays some properties of a free-shear layer, with the mean-velocity and turbulence intensity profiles attaining self-similarity with the ‘embedded shear layer’ scaling (Schatzman & Thomas, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 815, 2017, pp. 592–642). Spectral analysis of the streamwise turbulence revealed that, as the mean flow decelerates, the large-scale motions energize across the boundary layer, growing proportionally with the boundary layer thickness. When scaled with the shear layer parameters, the distribution of the energy in the low-frequency region is approximately self-similar, emphasizing the role of the embedded shear layer in the large-scale motions. The correlation structure of the boundary layer is discussed at length to supply information towards the development of turbulence and aeroacoustic models. One major finding is that the estimation of integral turbulence length scales from single-point measurements, via Taylor's hypothesis, requires significant corrections to the convection velocity in the inner 50 % of the boundary layer. The apparent convection velocity (estimated from the ratio of integral length scale to the time scale), is approximately 40 % greater than the local mean velocity, suggesting the turbulence is convected much faster than previously thought. Closer to the wall even higher corrections are required.

Investigation into the turbulence statistics of installed jets using hot-wire anemometry

This work presents a detailed study of the turbulence flow statistics of a jet mounted with its axis parallel to a rigid flat plate. Hot-wire constant temperature anemometry has been used to measure the single-point and two-point statistics of the axial velocity component at several locations within the jet flow field. Results show that the jet mean flow near the plate surface is subjected to a local acceleration and redirection due to a Coandă-type effect. The propagation of these effects downstream of the plate trailing edge is strongly dependent on the plate position. Regarding the velocity fluctuations, the mean turbulence intensity levels are seen to decrease as the radial distance between the jet and surface decreases. Analysis of the single-point power spectral density data on the shear layer close to the plate shows that the reduction in magnitude of the low-frequency content of the energy spectrum is responsible for the decrease in turbulence intensity. Additionally, the characteristic time and length scales computed from two-point measurements reduce as the plate is mounted closer to the jet centre-line. The axial eddy convection velocity is seen to increase in the region of high turbulent kinetic energy in the shear layer adjacent to the surface. Empirical models for turbulence characteristic scales and eddy convection velocity are presented. These findings suggest that both the amplitude and distribution of the jet mixing noise sources are affected when closely installed next to a surface. This paper is a continuation of a recent investigation on the turbulence statistics of isolated jets presented in Proença (Exp Fluids 60(4):63, 2019). Graphic abstract

Wall-Normal Velocity Correlations in a Zero Pressure Gradient Turbulent Boundary Layer

An experimental campaign dedicated to the characterization of the wall-normal velocity correlations in a zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer was performed. A double set of laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) benches were used to access two-point two-time correlations of the wall-normal velocity. The measurements analysis confirms several important hypotheses classically made to model wall pressure spectra from the velocity correlations. In particular, the ratio of the wall-normal Reynolds stress to the turbulent shear stress is confirmed to exhibit a large plateau in the logarithmic region. In addition, Taylor's hypothesis of frozen turbulence is well recovered for the wall-normal velocity fluctuations. The convection velocity for the wall-normal velocity fluctuations is also shown to evolve across the boundary layer, according to the mean velocity profile. Furthermore, the decorrelation time scale of velocity correlations appears to be increasing throughout the boundary layer thickness in accordance with the increase of the convection velocity. The results obtained with this original campaign will help improving models for wall pressure spectra, especially those based on the resolution of the Poisson equation for the pressure for which the wall pressure correlations are related to the wall-normal velocity correlations.