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Low Reynolds number effects in open-channel turbulent boundary layers

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Abstract

The present study reports measurements of a turbulent boundary layer in an open-channel flow using fiber-optic laser Doppler anemometry. The Reynolds numbers based on momentum thickness and depth of flow are in the range 750≤Re θ ≤2,400 and 15,300≤Re h ≤54,200, respectively. It is shown that an accurate estimate of the wall shear stress can be made by fitting a fifth-order polynomial to the near-wall data. The effect of Reynolds number on the mean turbulence intensity and triple correlation is examined using both conventional scaling laws and the recent scaling laws proposed by George and Castillo. The present results show that different scaling laws lead to different conclusions on low Reynolds number effects.

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Acknowledgements

The support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) via a postgraduate scholarship to MFT and in the form of equipment grants to RB and DJB is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 5V6, Canada

    M. F. Tachie

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada

    R. Balachandar

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7 N 5A9, Canada

    D. J. Bergstrom

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  1. M. F. Tachie
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  2. R. Balachandar
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  3. D. J. Bergstrom
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Correspondence to M. F. Tachie.

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Tachie, M.F., Balachandar, R. & Bergstrom, D.J. Low Reynolds number effects in open-channel turbulent boundary layers. Exp Fluids 34, 616–624 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-003-0599-8

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