Self-similar turbulent boundary layer with imposed pressure gradient. Four flow regimes

Abstract

Self-similar flows of an incompressible fluid in a turbulent boundary layer, when the free-stream velocity is a power function (with the exponent m) of the longitudinal coordinate, have been studied. It has been shown that there are four different self-similar flow regimes corresponding to four individual similarity parameters one of which is the known Clauser parameter and the three other parameters have been established for the first time. At adverse pressure gradient, when the exponent m lies in a certain range depending on Reynolds number, the problem has two solutions with different values of the boundary-layer thickness and skin friction; consequently, hysteresis in a pre-separation flow is possible. Separation occurs not at the minimal value of m that corresponds to the strongest adverse pressure gradient, but at m = −0.216 −0.4 Re ^−1/3 _p + O(Re ^−2/3 _p ), where Re _p is the Reynolds number based on longitudinal pressure gradient. The theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental data.