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Breakdown in a boundary layer exposed to free-stream turbulence

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Abstract

The natural secondary breakdown modes of a flat plate boundary layer exposed to a free-stream turbulence level of 6.7% are characterised by experimental visualisations. The used experimental set-up is a water channel and no external triggering of the instabilities is used. The visualisations show the presence of two secondary instability modes, a sinuous (antisymmetric) and a varicose (symmetric) mode. The amplitudes of both instabilities increase, according to a non-linear profile, in upstream direction. The amplitudes also experience temporal growth. When a critical amplitude is reached, roll-up structures appear. These structures develop and finally merge, resulting in a turbulent spot. The development of the amplitude is similar in both modes. However, the amplitude of the varicose instability varies between 0.38 and 0.63 [2 π A/ λ] and the sinuous amplitude between 0.11 and 0.23 [2 π A/ λ]. The propagation velocities of the sinuous and varicose instabilities are 0.91 [u/u blas] and 0.87 [u/u blas] respectively. This shows that both modes are located in a low speed streak.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, P.O. Box 513, Eindhoven, 5600, The Netherlands

    J. Mans, E. C. Kadijk, H. C. de. Lange & A. A. van. Steenhoven

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  1. J. Mans
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  2. E. C. Kadijk
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  3. H. C. de. Lange
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  4. A. A. van. Steenhoven
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Correspondence to J. Mans.

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Mans, J., Kadijk, E.C., Lange, H.C.d. et al. Breakdown in a boundary layer exposed to free-stream turbulence. Exp Fluids 39, 1071–1083 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-005-0040-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-005-0040-6

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