The resonant interaction of disturbances at laminar-turbulent transition in a boundary layer

1984 ◽  
Vol 138 ◽  
pp. 209-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu. S. Kachanov ◽  
V. Ya. Levchenko
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Resonant Interaction ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Turbulent Transition ◽  
Random Priming ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting

The three-dimensional resonant interaction of a plane Tollmien-Schlichting wave, having a frequency f1, with a pair of oblique waves having frequencies ½ f1, was observed and studied experimentally. In the initial stages, the interaction proved to be a parametric resonance, resulting in the amplification of small random priming (background) oscillations of frequency ½ f1, and of a packet of low-frequency oscillations. The resonant interaction of waves in a boundary layer was investigated also by introducing a priming oscillation with frequency f’ = ½ f1 + Δf for different values of the frequency detuning Δf. The importance of the discovered wave interaction in boundary-layer transition is demonstrated. Causes of realization of different types of laminar-flow breakdown are discussed.

Numerical simulation of boundary-layer transition and transition control

1989 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
pp. 403-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Laurien ◽  
L. Kleiser
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Numerical Results ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Longitudinal Vortices ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting

The laminar-turbulent transition process in a parallel boundary-layer with Blasius profile is simulated by numerical integration of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using a spectral method. The model of spatially periodic disturbances developing in time is used. Both the classical Klebanoff-type and the subharmonic type of transition are simulated. Maps of the three-dimensional velocity and vorticity fields and visualizations by integrated fluid markers are obtained. The numerical results are compared with experimental measurements and flow visualizations by other authors. Good qualitative and quantitative agreement is found at corresponding stages of development up to the one-spike stage. After the appearance of two-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting waves of sufficiently large amplitude an increasing three-dimensionality is observed. In particular, a peak-valley structure of the velocity fluctuations, mean longitudinal vortices and sharp spike-like instantaneous velocity signals are formed. The flow field is dominated by a three-dimensional horseshoe vortex system connected with free high-shear layers. Visualizations by time-lines show the formation of A-structures. Our numerical results connect various observations obtained with different experimental techniques. The initial three-dimensional steps of the transition process are consistent with the linear theory of secondary instability. In the later stages nonlinear interactions of the disturbance modes and the production of higher harmonics are essential.We also study the control of transition by local two-dimensional suction and blowing at the wall. It is shown that transition can be delayed or accelerated by superposing disturbances which are out of phase or in phase with oncoming Tollmien-Schlichting instability waves, respectively. Control is only effective if applied at an early, two-dimensional stage of transition. Mean longitudinal vortices remain even after successful control of the fluctuations.

Numerical investigation of the interaction of the Klebanoff-mode with a Tollmien–Schlichting wave

2002 ◽  
Vol 450 ◽  
pp. 1-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
HERMANN F. FASEL
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Turbulent Transition ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the Navier–Stokes equations are used to investigate the role of the Klebanoff-mode in laminar–turbulent transition in a flatplate boundary layer. To model the effects of free-stream turbulence, volume forces are used to generate low-frequency streamwise vortices outside the boundary layer. A suction/blowing slot at the wall is used to generate a two-dimensional Tollmien–Schlichting (TS) wave inside the boundary layer. The characteristics of the fluctuations inside the boundary layer agree very well with those measured in experiments. It is shown how the interaction of the Klebanoff-mode with the two-dimensional TS-wave leads to the formation of three-dimensional TS-wavepackets. When the disturbance amplitudes reach a critical level, a fundamental resonance-type secondary instability causes the breakdown of the TS-wavepackets into turbulent spots.

The control of boundary-layer transition using a wave-superposition principle

1983 ◽  
Vol 137 ◽  
pp. 233-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. W. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Superposition Principle ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Feedback System ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting ◽  
Equal Amplitude

An experimental study has been made of the concept of controlling boundary-layer transition by superimposing in the flow Tollmien–Schlichting waves that are of equal amplitude and antiphased to the disturbances that grow and lead to transition. The cases that have been considered are transition arising from a single-frequency two-dimensional disturbance and transition arising from a nonlinear interaction between two waves of different frequency. A feedback system for controlling transition has also been studied. In each case, both hot-wire surveys and flow visualization have shown that it is possible to delay transition but that the flow cannot be restored completely to its undisturbed state. This appears to be a consequence of interactions between the very weak three-dimensional background disturbances in the flow and the primary two-dimensional waves. The implications of these findings in an implementation of the concept are discussed.

Weakly nonlinear stages of boundary-layer transition initiated by modulated Tollmien–Schlichting waves

2013 ◽  
Vol 732 ◽  
pp. 571-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. B. de Paula ◽  
W. Würz ◽  
E. Krämer ◽  
V. I. Borodulin ◽  
Y. S. Kachanov
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Modulation Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Weakly Nonlinear ◽  
Resonant Interactions ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting

AbstractWeakly nonlinear interactions involving amplitude-modulated Tollmien–Schlichting waves in an incompressible, two-dimensional aerofoil boundary layer are investigated experimentally. Selected resonant regimes are examined with emphasis on the regimes where more than one fundamental Tollmien–Schlichting (TS) wave is present in the flow. The experiments were performed on an NLF-type aerofoil section for glider applications. Disturbances with controlled frequency-spanwise-wavenumber spectra were excited in the boundary layer and studied by phase-locked hot-wire measurements. The results show that nonlinear mechanisms connected with the steepening of the primary TS wave modulation do not play any significant role in the transition scenarios studied. It is also shown that modulations of the two-dimensional fundamental waves tend to generate additional modes at modulation frequency. These low-frequency disturbances are found to be produced by a non-resonant quadratic combination of spectral components of the primary, modulated TS wave. The investigations show that the efficiency of the process is higher for three-dimensional low-frequency modes in comparison with two-dimensional modes. Thus, the emergence of three-dimensionality for the low-frequency waves does not require any resonant interactions. In a subsequent nonlinear stage, the self-generated detuned subharmonics are found to be strongly amplified due to resonant interactions with the primary TS waves. The sequence of weakly nonlinear mechanisms found and investigated here seems to be the most likely route to the laminar–turbulent transition, at least for two-dimensional boundary layers of aerofoils with a long extent of laminar flow and in a ‘natural’ disturbance environment.

Effects of Weak Free Stream Nonuniformity on Boundary Layer Transition (Keynote Paper)

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Watmuff
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting ◽  
Distorted Waves ◽  
Thickness Variations

Experiments are described in which well-defined FSN (Free Stream Nonuniformity) distributions are introduced by placing fine wires upstream of the leading edge of a flat plate. Large amplitude spanwise thickness variations are present in the downstream boundary layer resulting from the interaction of the laminar wakes with the leading edge. Regions of elevated background unsteadiness appear on either side of the peak layer thickness, which share many of the characteristics of Klebanoff modes, observed at elevated Free Stream Turbulence (FST) levels. However, for the low background disturbance level of the free stream, the layer remains laminar to the end of the test section (Rx ≈ l.4×106) and there is no evidence of bursting or other phenomena associated with breakdown to turbulence. A vibrating ribbon apparatus is used to demonstrate that the deformation of the mean flow is responsible for substantial phase and amplitude distortion of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. Pseudo-flow visualization of hot-wire data shows that the breakdown of the distorted waves is more complex and occurs at a lower Reynolds number than the breakdown of the K-type secondary instability observed when the FSN is not present.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document