scholarly journals Numerical experiments on the stability of leading edge boundary layer flow: A two-dimensional linear study

1993 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassilios Theofilis
Author(s):  
Stefan Becker ◽  
Donald M. McEligot ◽  
Edmond Walsh ◽  
Eckart Laurien

New results are deduced to assess the validity of proposed transition indicators when applied to situations other than boundary layers on smooth surfaces. The geometry employed utilizes a two-dimensional square rib to disrupt the boundary layer flow. The objective is to determine whether some available criteria are consistent with the present measurements of laminar recovery and transition for the flow downstream of this rib. For the present data — the proposed values of thresholds for transition in existing literature that are based on the freestream turbulence level at the leading edge are not reached in the recovering laminar run but they are not exceeded in the transitioning run either. Of the pointwise proposals examined, values of the suggested quantity were consistent for three of the criteria; that is, they were less than the threshold in laminar recovery and greater than it in the transitioning case.


1952 ◽  
Vol 56 (496) ◽  
pp. 279-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Black

Detailed investigations of the two-dimensional characteristics of thin aerofoil sections with small leading-edge radius have been made by Gault and McCullough. They found that at angles of incidence well below the stalling angle of the section, the laminar boundary layer separated from the surface near the nose, became transitional away from the surface, and re-attached to the aerofoil as a turbulent layer a little farther downstream. Beneath the separated layer, a “bubble” vortex was formed lying parallel to the leading edge, its rotation being such that the flow adjacent to the surface was towards the leading edge.


Author(s):  
Vassilios Theofilis ◽  
Michel O. Deville ◽  
Peter W. Duck ◽  
Alexander Fedorov

This paper is concerned with the structure of steady two–dimensional flow inside the viscous sublayer in hypersonic boundary–layer flow over a flat surface in which microscopic cavities (‘microcavities’) are embedded. Such a so–called Ultra Absorptive Coating (UAC) has been predicted theoretically [1] and demonstrated experimentally [2] to stabilize passively hypersonic boundary–layer flow. In an effort to further quantify the physical mechanism leading to flow stabilization, this paper focuses on the nature of the basic flows developing in the configuration in question. Direct numerical simulations are performed, addressing firstly steady flow inside a singe microcavity, driven by a constant shear, and secondly a model of a UAC surface in which the two–dimensional boundary layer over a flat plate and a minimum nontrivial of two microcavities embedded in the wall are solved in a coupled manner. The influence of flow– and geometric parameters on the obtained solutions is illustrated. Based on the results obtained, the limitations of currently used theoretical methodologies for the description of flow instability are identified and suggestions for the improved prediction of the instability characteristics of UAC surfaces are discussed.


2008 ◽  
Vol 614 ◽  
pp. 315-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
UWE EHRENSTEIN ◽  
FRANÇOIS GALLAIRE

A separated boundary-layer flow at the rear of a bump is considered. Two-dimensional equilibrium stationary states of the Navier–Stokes equations are determined using a nonlinear continuation procedure varying the bump height as well as the Reynolds number. A global instability analysis of the steady states is performed by computing two-dimensional temporal modes. The onset of instability is shown to be characterized by a family of modes with localized structures around the reattachment point becoming almost simultaneously unstable. The optimal perturbation analysis, by projecting the initial disturbance on the set of temporal eigenmodes, reveals that the non-normal modes are able to describe localized initial perturbations associated with the large transient energy growth. At larger time a global low-frequency oscillation is found, accompanied by a periodic regeneration of the flow perturbation inside the bubble, as the consequence of non-normal cancellation of modes. The initial condition provided by the optimal perturbation analysis is applied to Navier–Stokes time integration and is shown to trigger the nonlinear ‘flapping’ typical of separation bubbles. It is possible to follow the stationary equilibrium state on increasing the Reynolds number far beyond instability, ruling out for the present flow case the hypothesis of some authors that topological flow changes are responsible for the ‘flapping’.


1988 ◽  
Vol 196 ◽  
pp. 359-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Yeo

In this paper, we are concerned with the linear stability of zero pressure-gradient laminar boundary-layer flow over compliant walls which are composed of one or more layers of isotropic viscoelastic materials and backed by a rigid base. Wall compliance supports a whole host of new instabilities in addition to the Tollmien-Schlichting mode of instability, which originally exists even when the wall is rigid. The perturbations in the flow and the compliant wall are coupled at their common interface through the kinematic condition of velocity continuity and the dynamical condition of stress continuity. The disturbance modes in the flow are governed by the Orr-Sommerfeld equation using the locally-parallel flow assumption, and the response of the compliant layers is described using a displacement-stress formalism. The theoretical treatment provides a unified formulation of the stability eigenvalue problem that is applicable to compliant walls having any finite number of uniform layers; inclusive of viscous sublayer. The formulation is well suited to systematic numerical implementation. Results for single- and multi-layer walls are presented. Analyses of the eigenfunctions give an insight into some of the physics involved. Multi-layering gives a measure of control over the stability characteristics of compliant walls not available to single-layer walls. The present study provides evidence which suggests that substantial suppression of disturbance growth may be possible for suitably tailored compliant walls.


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