An experimental investigation of the combined effects of surface curvature and streamwise pressure gradients both in laminar and turbulent flows

Abstract

Flow and heat transfer characteristics over flat, concave and convex surfaces have been investigated in a low speed wind tunnel in the presence of adverse and favourable pressure gradients (k), for a range of –3.6 × 10^–6 ≤ k ≤ +3.6 × 10^–6. The laminar near zero pressure gradient flow, with an initial momentum thickness Reynolds number of 200, showed that concave wall boundary layer was thinner and heat transfer coefficients were almost 2 fold of flat plate values. Whereas for the same flow condition, thicker boundary layer and 35% less heat transfer coefficients of the convex wall were recorded with an earlier transition. Accelerating laminar flows caused also thinner boundary layers and an augmentation in heat transfer values by 28%, 35% and 16% for the flat, concave and convex walls at k = 3.6 × 10^–6. On the other hand decelerating laminar flows increased the boundary layer thickness and reduced Stanton numbers by 31%, 26% and 22% on the flat surface, concave and convex walls respectively. Turbulent flow measurements at k = 0, with an initial momentum thickness Reynolds number of 1100, resulted in 30% higher and 25% lower Stanton numbers on concave and convex walls, comparing to flat plate values. Moreover the accelerating turbulent flow of k = 0.6 × 10^–6 brought about 29%, 30% and 24% higher Stanton numbers for the flat, concave and convex walls and the decelerating turbulent flow of k = –0.6 × 10^–6 caused St to decrease up to 27%, 25% and 29% for the same surfaces respectively comparing to zero pressure gradient values. An empirical equation was also developed and successfully applied, for the estimation of Stanton number under the influence of pressure gradients, with an accuracy of better than 4%.