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Evolution of vortex structure in boundary layer transition induced by roughness elements

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Abstract

The particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hydrogen-bubble visualization technique are used to investigate the flat-plate boundary layer transition induced by an array of roughness elements. The streamwise evolutions of the mean and fluctuation velocity are analyzed, and the critical Reynolds number Re k,c is determined between 339 and 443 under current experimental setup. The hairpin vortices shed from supercritical roughness elements are visualized by swirling strength, in which two pairs of counter-rotating vortices can be observed: one vortex pair is the manifestation of the neck of the hairpin vortices shed from the top of the roughness; the other vortex pair, which originates from the lower part of the roughness, comes from the streamwise vortices that are constantly perturbed by the hairpin vortex shedding.

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Acknowledgments

This project was awarded financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10832001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fluid Mechanics Key Laboratory of Education Ministry, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, 100191, China

    C. Zhang, C. Pan & J. J. Wang

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  1. C. Zhang
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  2. C. Pan
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  3. J. J. Wang
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Correspondence to J. J. Wang.

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Zhang, C., Pan, C. & Wang, J.J. Evolution of vortex structure in boundary layer transition induced by roughness elements. Exp Fluids 51, 1343–1352 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1152-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1152-9

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