Optimal disturbances and large-scale energetic motions in turbulent boundary layers

2018 ◽  
Vol 860 ◽  
pp. 40-80
Author(s):  
Timothy B. Davis ◽  
Ali Uzun ◽  
Farrukh S. Alvi
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Homogeneous Solution ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Wall Turbulence ◽  
Energy Spectra ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Slow Development ◽  
Wake Modes ◽  
Optimal Disturbances

We examine disturbances leading to optimal energy growth in a spatially developing, zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer. The slow development of the turbulent mean flow in the streamwise direction is modelled through a parabolized formulation to enable a spatial marching procedure. In the present framework, conventional spatial optimal disturbances arise naturally as the homogeneous solution to the linearized equations subject to a turbulent forcing at particular wavenumber combinations. A wave-like decomposition for the disturbance is considered to incorporate both conventional stationary modes as well as propagating modes formed by non-zero frequency/streamwise wavenumber and representative of convective structures naturally observed in wall turbulence. The optimal streamwise wavenumber, which varies with the spatial development of the turbulent mean flow, is computed locally via an auxiliary optimization constraint. The present approach can then be considered, in part, as an extension of the resolvent-based analyses for slowly developing flows. Optimization results reveal highly amplified disturbances for both stationary and propagating modes. Stationary modes identify peak amplification of structures residing near the centre of the logarithmic layer of the turbulent mean flow. Inner-scaled disturbances reminiscent of near wall streaks, and amplified over short streamwise distances, are identified in the computed streamwise energy spectra. In all cases, however, propagating modes surpass their stationary counterpart in both energy amplification and relative contribution to total fluctuation energy. We identify two classes of large-scale energetic modes associated with the logarithmic and wake layers of the turbulent mean flow. The outer-scaled wake modes agree well with the large-scale motions that populate the wake layer. For high Reynolds numbers, the log modes increasingly dominate the energy spectra with the predicted streamwise and wall-normal scales in agreement with superstructures observed in turbulent boundary layers.

Developing turbulent boundary layers with system rotation

1985 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 405-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Watmuff ◽  
H. T. Witt ◽  
P. N. Joubert
Keyword(s):  
Skin Friction ◽  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Momentum Balance ◽  
Reynolds Stresses ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Secondary Circulations ◽  
Spatially Periodic

Measurements are presented for low-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers developing in a zero pressure gradient on the sidewall of a duct. The effect of rotation on these layers is examined. The mean-velocity profiles affected by rotation are described in terms of a common universal sublayer and modified logarithmic and wake regions.The turbulence quantities follow an inner and outer scaling independent of rotation. The effect appears to be similar to that, of increased or decreased layer development. Streamwise-energy spectra indicate that, for a given non-dimensional wall distance, it is the low-wavenumber spectral components alone that are affected by rotation.Large spatially periodic spanwise variations of skin friction are observed in the destabilized layers. Mean-velocity vectors in the cross-stream plane clearly show an array of vortex-like structures which correlate strongly with the skin-friction pattern. Interesting properties of these mean-flow structures are shown and their effect on Reynolds stresses is revealed. Near the duct centreline, where we have measured detailed profiles, the variations are small and there is a reasonable momentum balance.Large-scale secondary circulations are also observed but the strength of the pattern is weak and it appears to be confined to the top and bottom regions of the duct. The evidence suggests that it has minimally affected the flow near the duct centreline where detailed profiles were measured.

scholarly journals Statistical evidence of anasymptotic geometric structure to the momentum transporting motions in turbulent boundary layers

2017 ◽  
Vol 375 (2089) ◽  
pp. 20160084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleb Morrill-Winter ◽  
Jimmy Philip ◽  
Joseph Klewicki
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Reynolds Shear Stress ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Wall Turbulence ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Joint Analysis ◽  
Large Reynolds Number ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Length Scales ◽  
The Mean

The turbulence contribution to the mean flow is reflected by the motions producing the Reynolds shear stress (〈− uv 〉) and its gradient. Recent analyses of the mean dynamical equation, along with data, evidence that these motions asymptotically exhibit self-similar geometric properties. This study discerns additional properties associated with the uv signal, with an emphasis on the magnitudes and length scales of its negative contributions. The signals analysed derive from high-resolution multi-wire hot-wire sensor data acquired in flat-plate turbulent boundary layers. Space-filling properties of the present signals are shown to reinforce previous observations, while the skewness of uv suggests a connection between the size and magnitude of the negative excursions on the inertial domain. Here, the size and length scales of the negative uv motions are shown to increase with distance from the wall, whereas their occurrences decrease. A joint analysis of the signal magnitudes and their corresponding lengths reveals that the length scales that contribute most to 〈− uv 〉 are distinctly larger than the average geometric size of the negative uv motions. Co-spectra of the streamwise and wall-normal velocities, however, are shown to exhibit invariance across the inertial region when their wavelengths are normalized by the width distribution, W ( y ), of the scaling layer hierarchy, which renders the mean momentum equation invariant on the inertial domain. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Toward the development of high-fidelity models of wall turbulence at large Reynolds number’.

Low-Reynolds-Number Turbulent Boundary Layers in Zero and Favorable Pressure Gradients

1983 ◽  
Vol 27 (03) ◽  
pp. 147-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Smits ◽  
N. Matheson ◽  
P. N. Joubert
Keyword(s):  
Friction Coefficient ◽  
Skin Friction ◽  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Skin Friction Coefficient ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Low Reynolds

This paper reports the results of an extensive experimental investigation into the mean flow properties of turbulent boundary layers with momentum-thickness Reynolds numbers less than 3000. Zero pressure gradient and favorable pressure gradients were studied. The velocity profiles displayed a logarithmic region even at very low Reynolds numbers (as low as Rθ = 261). The results were independent of the leading-edge shape, and the pin-type turbulent stimulators performed well. It was found that the shape and Clauser parameters were a little higher than the correlation proposed by Coles [10], and the skin friction coefficient was a little lower. The skin friction coefficient behavior could be fitted well by a simple power-law relationship in both zero and favorable pressure gradients.

Pressure gradient effects on the large-scale structure of turbulent boundary layers

2013 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
pp. 477-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zambri Harun ◽  
Jason P. Monty ◽  
Romain Mathis ◽  
Ivan Marusic
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Amplitude Modulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Outer Region ◽  
Adverse Pressure Gradient ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Small Scale

AbstractResearch into high-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers in recent years has brought about a renewed interest in the larger-scale structures. It is now known that these structures emerge more prominently in the outer region not only due to increased Reynolds number (Metzger & Klewicki, Phys. Fluids, vol. 13(3), 2001, pp. 692–701; Hutchins & Marusic, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 579, 2007, pp. 1–28), but also when a boundary layer is exposed to an adverse pressure gradient (Bradshaw, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 29, 1967, pp. 625–645; Lee & Sung, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 639, 2009, pp. 101–131). The latter case has not received as much attention in the literature. As such, this work investigates the modification of the large-scale features of boundary layers subjected to zero, adverse and favourable pressure gradients. It is first shown that the mean velocities, turbulence intensities and turbulence production are significantly different in the outer region across the three cases. Spectral and scale decomposition analyses confirm that the large scales are more energized throughout the entire adverse pressure gradient boundary layer, especially in the outer region. Although more energetic, there is a similar spectral distribution of energy in the wake region, implying the geometrical structure of the outer layer remains universal in all cases. Comparisons are also made of the amplitude modulation of small scales by the large-scale motions for the three pressure gradient cases. The wall-normal location of the zero-crossing of small-scale amplitude modulation is found to increase with increasing pressure gradient, yet this location continues to coincide with the large-scale energetic peak wall-normal location (as has been observed in zero pressure gradient boundary layers). The amplitude modulation effect is found to increase as pressure gradient is increased from favourable to adverse.

scholarly journals Self-similar compressible turbulent boundary layers with pressure gradients. Part 1. Direct numerical simulation and assessment of Morkovin’s hypothesis

2019 ◽  
Vol 880 ◽  
pp. 239-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Wenzel ◽  
Tobias Gibis ◽  
Markus Kloker ◽  
Ulrich Rist
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Mach Number ◽  
Direct Numerical Simulation ◽  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Self Similar

A direct numerical simulation study of self-similar compressible flat-plate turbulent boundary layers (TBLs) with pressure gradients (PGs) has been performed for inflow Mach numbers of 0.5 and 2.0. All cases are computed with smooth PGs for both favourable and adverse PG distributions (FPG, APG) and thus are akin to experiments using a reflected-wave set-up. The equilibrium character allows for a systematic comparison between sub- and supersonic cases, enabling the isolation of pure PG effects from Mach-number effects and thus an investigation of the validity of common compressibility transformations for compressible PG TBLs. It turned out that the kinematic Rotta–Clauser parameter $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}_{K}$ calculated using the incompressible form of the boundary-layer displacement thickness as length scale is the appropriate similarity parameter to compare both sub- and supersonic cases. Whereas the subsonic APG cases show trends known from incompressible flow, the interpretation of the supersonic PG cases is intricate. Both sub- and supersonic regions exist in the boundary layer, which counteract in their spatial evolution. The boundary-layer thickness $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{99}$ and the skin-friction coefficient $c_{f}$, for instance, are therefore in a comparable range for all compressible APG cases. The evaluation of local non-dimensionalized total and turbulent shear stresses shows an almost identical behaviour for both sub- and supersonic cases characterized by similar $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}_{K}$, which indicates the (approximate) validity of Morkovin’s scaling/hypothesis also for compressible PG TBLs. Likewise, the local non-dimensionalized distributions of the mean-flow pressure and the pressure fluctuations are virtually invariant to the local Mach number for same $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}_{K}$-cases. In the inner layer, the van Driest transformation collapses compressible mean-flow data of the streamwise velocity component well into their nearly incompressible counterparts with the same $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}_{K}$. However, noticeable differences can be observed in the wake region of the velocity profiles, depending on the strength of the PG. For both sub- and supersonic cases the recovery factor was found to be significantly decreased by APGs and increased by FPGs, but also to remain virtually constant in regions of approximated equilibrium.

scholarly journals On the streamwise evolution of turbulent boundary layers in arbitrary pressure gradients

2002 ◽  
Vol 461 ◽  
pp. 61-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. PERRY ◽  
IVAN MARUSIC ◽  
M. B. JONES
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Adverse Pressure Gradient ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Stream Velocity ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Law Of The Wall ◽  
The Mean

A new approach to the classic closure problem for turbulent boundary layers is presented. This involves, first, using the well-known mean-flow scaling laws such as the log law of the wall and the law of the wake of Coles (1956) together with the mean continuity and the mean momentum differential and integral equations. The important parameters governing the flow in the general non-equilibrium case are identified and are used for establishing a framework for closure. Initially closure is achieved here empirically and the potential for achieving closure in the future using the wall-wake attached eddy model of Perry & Marusic (1995) is outlined. Comparisons are made with experiments covering adverse-pressure-gradient flows in relaxing and developing states and flows approaching equilibrium sink flow. Mean velocity profiles, total shear stress and Reynolds stress profiles can be computed for different streamwise stations, given an initial upstream mean velocity profile and the streamwise variation of free-stream velocity. The attached eddy model of Perry & Marusic (1995) can then be utilized, with some refinement, to compute the remaining unknown quantities such as Reynolds normal stresses and associated spectra and cross-power spectra in the fully turbulent part of the flow.

Coherent structures in direct numerical simulation of turbulent boundary layers at Mach 3

2007 ◽  
Vol 594 ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTHEW J. RINGUETTE ◽  
MINWEI WU ◽  
M. PINO MARTÍN
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Direct Numerical Simulation ◽  
Boundary Layers ◽  
Coherent Structures ◽  
Mass Flux ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layers ◽  
Turbulence Structure ◽  
Taylor’S Hypothesis ◽  
Mach 3

We demonstrate that data from direct numerical simulation of turbulent boundary layers at Mach 3 exhibit the same large-scale coherent structures that are found in supersonic and subsonic experiments, namely elongated, low-speed features in the logarithmic region and hairpin vortex packets. Contour plots of the streamwise mass flux show very long low-momentum structures in the logarithmic layer. These low-momentum features carry about one-third of the turbulent kinetic energy. Using Taylor's hypothesis, we find that these structures prevail and meander for very long streamwise distances. Structure lengths on the order of 100 boundary layer thicknesses are observed. Length scales obtained from correlations of the streamwise mass flux severely underpredict the extent of these structures, most likely because of their significant meandering in the spanwise direction. A hairpin-packet-finding algorithm is employed to determine the average packet properties, and we find that the Mach 3 packets are similar to those observed at subsonic conditions. A connection between the wall shear stress and hairpin packets is observed. Visualization of the instantaneous turbulence structure shows that groups of hairpin packets are frequently located above the long low-momentum structures. This finding is consistent with the very large-scale motion model of Kim & Adrian (1999).

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