Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A visual study on complex flow structures and flow breakdown in a boundary layer transition

  • Original
  • Published:
Experiments in Fluids Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A visualization study is conducted on the excited laminar-turbulent transition within a flat plate boundary layer flow in a water tunnel. The hydrogen bubble technique is employed to investigate the complex characteristics of the flow structure and its breakdown in the later stages of the transition. A new flow structure is observed, which involves two secondary hairpin vortices outboard of both legs of a primary hairpin vortex. This complex structure is argued to be a precursor of a turbulent spot in this K-type transition. Also reported in the paper is the evolution of the flow structure and its subsequent breakdown, manifested by the emergence of dark spots, low-speed fluid bumps, and near-wall hairpin vortex groups. The results indicate that the near-wall flow breakdown is the result of instability of a local three-dimensional high-shear layer between the low-speed fluid bump and the outer higher-speed region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2a–c
Fig. 3
Fig. 4a–d
Fig. 5a, b
Fig. 6a–c
Fig. 7a–c
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10a–e
Fig. 11a–e
Fig.12a–d
Fig. 13a, b

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acarlar MS, Smith CR (1987) A study of hairpin vortices in a laminar boundary layer. Part 2: Hairpin vortices generated by fluid injection. J Fluid Mech 175:43–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borodulin VI, Kachanov YS (1995) Formation and development of coherent structures in transitional boundary layer. J Appl Mech Tech Phys 36(4):60–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Borodulin VI, Gaponenko VR, Kachanov YS, Meyer DGW, Rist U, Lian QX, Lee CB (2001) Transitional boundary-layer structures: Direct numerical simulation and experiment (in press, accepted by the Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics journal)

  • Guo H (1999) Experimental investigation on flow instability and transition in boundary layer. PhD dissertation, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, China

  • Haidari AH, Smith CR (1994) The generation and regeneration of single hairpin vortices. J Fluid Mech 277:135–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Kachanov YS (1994) Physical mechanism of laminar-boundary-layer transition. Annu Rev Fluid Mech 26:411–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Klebanoff PS, Tidstrom KD, Sargent LM (1962) The three-dimensional nature of boundary-layer instability. J Fluid Mech 12:1-34

    Google Scholar 

  • Kline SJ, Renolds WC, Schraub FA, Runstadler PW (1967) The structure of turbulent boundary layers. J Fluid Mech 30:741-773

    Google Scholar 

  • Knapp CF, Roache PJ (1968) A combined visual and hot-wire anemometer investigation of boundary-layer transition. AIAA J 6:29–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CB, Du XD, Lian QX, Borodulin VI, Gaponenko VR, Kachanov YS (1998) Combined study of mechanisms of evolution and breakdown of coherent structures in transitional boundary layer at controlled conditions. In: Proceedings of the 9th international conference on methods of aerophysical research, Novosibirsk: Institute of Theoretical & Applied Mechanics, Russia, June/July 1998, pp 135–140

  • Lian QX (1994) Coherent structure in the inner and outer region of a turbulent boundary layer. In: Zhang ZS, Miyake Y (eds) The recent developments in turbulence research. International Academic Publishers, Beijing, pp 109–131

  • Lian QX, Guo H (1998) A visual study of the transition flow of a boundary layer. In: Proceedings of the 3rd China-Japan workshop on turbulent flows, Beijing, China, International Academic Publishers, Beijing, pp 85–97

  • Lian QX (1999) A kind of fast changing coherent structure in a turbulent boundary layer. Acta Mech Sinica (English Series) 15(3):193–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishioka M (1994) Some fundamental problems on transition to wall turbulence. In: Kobayashi R (ed) Laminar-turbulent transition. Springer, Berling Heidelberg New York, pp 15–26

  • Panton RL (1996) Incompressible flow, 2nd edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York

  • Perry AE, Lim TT, The EW (1981) A visual study of turbulent spots. J Fluid Mech 104:387–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Reshotko E (1994) Boundary layer instability, transition and control. AIAA Paper 94–0001

  • Sankaran R, Sokolov M, Antonia RA (1988) Substructures in a turbulent spot. J Fluid Mech 197:389–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubauer GB, Klebanoff PS (1955) Contributions on the mechanics of boundary layer transition. NACA-TN-1289

  • Smith CR, Walker JDA (1997) Sustaining mechanisms of turbulent boundary layers: the role of vortex development and interactions. In: Panton RL (ed) Advances in fluid mechanics, vol 15, Self-sustaining mechanisms of wall turbulence. ,Computational Mechanics Publications, Southampton, pp 13–47

  • Talmon AM, Kunen JMG, Ooms G (1986) Simultaneous flow visualization and Reynolds-stress measurement in a turbulent boundary layer. J Fluid Mech 163:459–478

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation and the Climb Project of China. The authors express thanks to Professor Y.S. Kachanov and Dr. Borobulin for their kind suggestions on the excitation setup. We would like to thank Dr. B. Tao (Purdue University, USA) for improving the English.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 100083, Beijing, P. R. China

    Hui Guo, Qi Xiang Lian, Yan Li & Hai Wen Wang

Authors
  1. Hui Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qi Xiang Lian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hai Wen Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hui Guo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guo, H., Lian, Q.X., Li, Y. et al. A visual study on complex flow structures and flow breakdown in a boundary layer transition. Exp Fluids 37, 311–322 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0818-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0818-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation