Influence of large-scale motions on the frictional drag in a turbulent boundary layer

2017 ◽  
Vol 829 ◽  
pp. 751-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinyul Hwang ◽  
Hyung Jin Sung

Direct numerical simulation data of a turbulent boundary layer ($Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=1000$) were used to investigate the large-scale influences on the vortical structures that contribute to the local skin friction. The amplitudes of the streamwise and wall-normal swirling strengths ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{x}$and$\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{y}$) were conditionally sampled by measuring the large-scale streamwise velocity fluctuations ($u_{l}$). In the near-wall region, the amplitudes of$\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{x}$and$\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{y}$decreased under negative$u_{l}$rather than under positive$u_{l}$. This behaviour arose from the spanwise motions within the footprints of the large-scale low-speed ($u_{l}<0$) and high-speed structures ($u_{l}>0$). The intense spanwise motions under the footprint of positive$u_{l}$noticeably strengthened the small-scale spanwise velocity fluctuations ($w_{s}$) below the centre of the near-wall vortical structures as compared to$w_{s}$within the footprint of negative$u_{l}$. The streamwise and wall-normal components were attenuated or amplified around the modulated vortical motions, which in turn led to the dependence of the swirling strength on the$u_{l}$event. We quantified the contribution of the modulated vortical motions$\langle -w\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}_{y}\rangle$, which were related to a change-of-scale effect due to the vortex-stretching force, to the local skin friction. In the near-wall region, intense values of$\langle -w\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}_{y}\rangle$were observed for positive$u_{l}$. By contrast, these values were low for negative$u_{l}$, in connection with the amplification of$w_{s}$and$\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}_{y}$by the strong spanwise motions of the positive$u_{l}$. The resultant skin friction induced by the amplified vortical motions within$u_{l}^{+}>2$was responsible for 15 % of the total skin friction generated by the change-of-scale effect. Finally, we applied this analysis to a drag-reduced flow and found that the amplified vortical motions within the footprint of positive$u_{l}$were markedly diminished, which ultimately contributed to the total drag reduction.

Author(s):  
P. Konieczny ◽  
A. Bottaro ◽  
V. Monturet ◽  
B. Nogarede

This work aims at finding efficient means to reduce skin friction drag in a turbulent boundary layer. The argument on which the study is based is that turbulence exists near a wall because of the presence of an autonomous cycle which is maintained even in the absence of forcing from the free-stream. The central elements of this cycle are the near-wall coherent structures whose dynamics control the turbulence production. It is postulated that an action at the wall capable of disrupting the turbulent wall-cycle can yield a significant skin friction reduction. A model cycle is produced by embedding artificial, large scale streamwise vortices and streaks in a Blasius boundary layer. A control is then conceived, meant to produce an agglomeration of the streaks to hamper the cycle. The action envisaged consists in a movement of the wall, in the form of a spanwise standing or travelling wave of sufficiently long wavelength. The controllers in the present macroscopic simulation are simply cantilever beams whose movement is driven by ceramic piezo-actuators. Piezoelectric fibers realizing the same action (properly rescaled) provide, possibly, the answer to the technological challenge of the integral control of near-wall turbulence.


Author(s):  
Pranav Joshi ◽  
Xiaofeng Liu ◽  
Joseph Katz

In this study we focus on the effect of mean and fluctuating pressure gradients on the structure of boundary layer turbulence. Two dimensional, time-resolved PIV measurements have been performed upstream of and inside an accelerating sink flow for inlet Reynolds number of Reθ = 3071, and acceleration parameter of K=1.1×10−6. The time-resolved data enables us to calculate the planer projection of pressure gradient by integrating the in-plane components of the material acceleration of the fluid (neglecting out-of-plane contribution). We use it to study the effect of boundary layer scale fluctuating pressure gradients ∂p′~/∂x, which are expected to be mostly two-dimensional, on the flow structure. Due to the imposed mean favorable pressure gradient (FPG) within the sink flow, the Reynolds stresses normalized by the local freestream velocity decrease over the entire boundary layer. However, when scaled by the inlet freestream velocity, the stresses increase close to the wall and decrease in the outer part of the boundary layer. This trend is caused by the confinement of the newly generated vortical structures in the near-wall region of the accelerating flow due to combined effects of downward mean flow, and stretching by velocity gradients. Within both the zero pressure gradient (ZPG) and FPG boundary layers, sweeping motions mostly occur during positive fluctuating pressure gradients ∂p′~/∂x>0 as the fluid moving towards the wall is decelerated by the presence of the wall. Vorticity is depleted in the near-wall region, as the wall absorbs −ω′ from the flow by viscous diffusion. On the other hand, ejections occur mostly during periods of favorable fluctuating pressure gradients ∂p′~/∂x<0. During these periods, there is more viscous flux of vorticity −ω′ into the flow, since ∂−ω′/∂y<0 at the wall. Large scale ejection motions associated with ∂p′~/∂x<0 are more likely to transport smaller scale turbulence to the outer region of the boundary layer, while turbulence remains largely confined close to the wall due to the sweeping motions accompanying ∂p′~/∂x>0. During periods of ∂p′~/∂x>0 in the ZPG boundary layer, sweeps tend to increase the momentum in the near-wall region, whereas the adverse pressure gradient decelerates the fluid. These competing effects result in an unstable ω′<0 shear layer which rolls up into coherent vortical structures and increases ω′ω′ near the wall as compared to periods of ∂p′~/∂x<0. Due to the strong mean acceleration of the flow and weaker sweeps in the FPG boundary layer, the formation of an unstable shear layer, and hence vortical structures, is suppressed, decreasing the enstrophy close to the wall as compared to periods of ∂p′~/∂x<0.


2012 ◽  
Vol 225 ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zambri Harun ◽  
Mohamad Dali Isa ◽  
Mohammad Rasidi Rasani ◽  
Shahrir Abdullah

Single normal hot-wire measurements of the streamwise component of velocity were taken in boundary layer flows subjected to pressure gradients at matched friction Reynolds numbers Reτ ≈ 3000. To evaluate spatial resolution effects, the sensor lengths are varied in both adverse pressure gradient (APG) and favorable pressure gradient (FPG). A control boundary layer flow in zero pressure gradient ZPG is also presented. It is shown here that, when the sensor length is maintained a constant value, in a contant Reynolds number, the near-wall peak increases with (adverse) pressure gradient. Both increased contributions of the small- and especially large-scale features are attributed to the increased broadband turbulence intensities. The two-mode increase, one centreing in the near-wall region and the other one in the outer region, makes spatial resolution studies in boundary layer flow more complicated. The increased large-scale features in the near-wall region of an APG flow is similar to large-scales increase due to Reynolds number in ZPG flow. Additionally, there is also an increase of the small-scales in the near-wall region when the boundary layer is exposed to adverse pressure gradient (while the Reynolds number is constant). In order to collapse the near-wall peaks for APG, ZPG and FPG flows, the APG flow has to use the longest sensor and conversely, the FPG has to use the shortest sensor. This study recommends that the empirical prediction by Huthins et. al. (2009) to be reevaluated if pressure gradient flows were to be considered such that the magnitude of the near-wall peak is also a function of the adverse pressure gradient parameter.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 48-62
Author(s):  
Vladimir Kornilov ◽  
Andrey Boiko ◽  
Ivan Kavun

Possibility of turbulent skin-friction reduction in an incompressible boundary layer of a flat plate with air blowing through a microperforated surface consisting of alternating permeable and impermeable sections was studied experimentally and computationally. The mass flow rate of the air per unit area was varied in the range from 0 to 0.0709 kg/s/m2 , which corresponds to the maximum blowing coefficient equal to 0.00344. A consistent reduction of the local skin-friction values along the chord of the microperforated insert was found, the reduction achieving nearly 70 % at the end of the last active blowing sections, except the impermeable surface sections demonstrating, on the contrary, the skin friction increase: the longer section, the higher skin friction.


2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Jasion ◽  
John Shrimpton

Dust entrained by low flying helicopters leads to the degraded visual environment, brownout. Particle inception is a critical stage in the development of the dust cloud. Here, near-wall Lagrangian particle forces are considered through analyzing an approximate time-averaged full-scale rotor flow. This simplified flow does not attempt to predict brownout, instead it provides scales and velocity data in the near-wall region, compares the role of particle-fluid forces, and provides a foundation for Lagrangian entrainment models. The analysis shows that three characteristic particle sizes are exposed to different physics in different boundary layer zones, a function of the distance from the helicopter. Drag is the dominant aerodynamic force, cohesion is large for small particles, but wall-bounded lift is sufficient to entrain medium-sized particles. A complementary analytical prediction of tip vortices found that both large-scale inviscid features and small-scale viscous features of the boundary layer are significant.


Author(s):  
Nick Hutchins ◽  
Kwing-So Choi

Measurements have been made in a turbulent boundary layer modified by flow aligned vertical (sub-boundary layer) elements. Comparisons between the coherent structure (near-wall and outer-layer region) for both modified and canonical cases have been conducted in order to better understand the mechanism of skin friction reduction. Thus far we can report a modified near-wall convection velocity obeying inner scaling and a reduced spread of correlated events away from the wall. The outer-layer appears to be characterised by large-scale arch-like structures which produce a velocity field consistent with the heads of lifted near-wall horseshoe vortices. The modified case shows reduced convection velocity, increased frequency of occurrence and increased entrainment for this type of outer-layer event.


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