A Theory for Predicting the Turbulent-Spot Production Rate

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle

A theory is presented for predicting the production rate of turbulent spots. The theory, based on that by Mayle–Schulz for bypass transition, leads to a new correlation for the spot production rate in boundary layer flows with a zero pressure gradient. The correlation, which agrees reasonably well with data, clearly shows the effects of both free-stream turbulence level and length scale. In addition, the theory provides an estimate for the lowest level of free-stream turbulence causing bypass transition.

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle

A theory is presented for predicting the production rate of turbulent spots. The theory, based on that by Mayle-Schulz for bypass transition, leads to a new correlation for the spot production rate in boundary layer flows with a zero pressure gradient. The correlation, which agrees reasonably well with data, clearly shows the effects of both free-stream turbulence level and length scale. In addition, the theory provides an estimate for the lowest level of free-stream turbulence causing bypass transition.


Author(s):  
Slawomir Kubacki ◽  
Daniele Simoni ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Erik Dick

An algebraic intermittency model for boundary layer flow transition from laminar to turbulent state, is extended using an experimental data base on boundary layer flows with various transition types and results by large eddy simulation of transition in a separated boundary layer. The originating algebraic transition model functions well for bypass transition in an attached boundary layer under a moderately high or elevated free-stream turbulence level, and for transition by Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in a separated boundary layer under a low free-stream turbulence level. It also functions well for transition in a separated layer, caused by a very strong adverse pressure gradient under a moderately high or elevated free-stream turbulence level. It is not accurate for transition in a separated layer under a moderately strong adverse pressure gradient, in the presence of a moderately high or elevated free-stream turbulence level. The extension repairs this deficiency. Therefore, a sensor function for detection of the front part of a separated boundary layer activates two terms that express the effect of free-stream turbulence on the breakdown of a separated layer, without changing the functioning of the model in other flow regions. The sensor and the breakdown terms use only local variables.


1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle ◽  
A. Schulz

A theory is presented for calculating the fluctuations in a laminar boundary layer when the free stream is turbulent. The kinetic energy equation for these fluctuations is derived and a new mechanism is revealed for their production. A methodology is presented for solving the equation using standard boundary layer computer codes. Solutions of the equation show that the fluctuations grow at first almost linearly with distance and then more slowly as viscous dissipation becomes important. Comparisons of calculated growth rates and kinetic energy profiles with data show good agreement. In addition, a hypothesis is advanced for the effective forcing frequency and free-stream turbulence level that produce these fluctuations. Finally, a method to calculate the onset of transition is examined and the results compared to data.


Author(s):  
R. E. Mayle ◽  
A. Schulz

A theory is presented for calculating the fluctuations in a laminar boundary layer when the free stream is turbulent. The kinetic energy equation for these fluctuations is derived and a new mechanism is revealed for their production. A methodology is presented for solving the equation using standard boundary layer computer codes. Solutions of the equation show that the fluctuations grow at first almost linearly with distance and then more slowly as viscous dissipation becomes important. Comparisons of calculated growth rates and kinetic energy profiles with data show good agreement. In addition, a hypothesis is advanced for the effective forcing frequency and free-stream turbulence level which produce these fluctuations. Finally, a method to calculate the onset of transition is examined and the results compared to data.


1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Volino ◽  
T. W. Simon

Recent experimental studies of two-dimensional boundary layers undergoing bypass transition have been reviewed to attempt to characterize the effects of free-stream turbulence level, acceleration, and wall curvature on bypass transition. Results from several studies were cast in terms of “local” boundary layer coordinates (momentum and enthalpy thickness Reynolds numbers) and compared. In unaccelerated flow on flat walls, skin friction coefficients were shown to match those from a laminar integral solution before transition and quickly adjusted to match those from a fully turbulent correlation after transition. Stanton number data also matched a correlation in the laminar region, but do not match correlation values so well in the turbulent region. The data showed that the relationship between skin friction coefficient and momentum thickness Reynolds number is unaffected by streamwise acceleration. Stanton numbers were strongly affected by acceleration, however, indicating a breakdown in Reynolds analogy. Concave curvature caused the formation of Go¨rtler vortices, which strongly influenced the skin friction. Convex curvature had an opposite, and lesser effect. The location and length of the transition region generally followed the expected trends as free-stream turbulence level, curvature, and acceleration were varied; the onset location and the transition length were extended by acceleration and convex curvature and reduced by concave curvature and enhanced turbulence. When individual cases were compared, some inconsistencies were observed. These inconsistencies indicate a need to characterize the flows to be compared more completely. Better spectral and length scale measurements of the free-stream disturbance would help in this regard. Within the transition region, the intermittency data from all the cases on flat walls (no curvature) were consistent with an intermittency distribution from the literature. Turbulent spot production rates were shown to be mostly dependent on free-stream turbulence, with a noted increase in spot production rate due to concave curvature and little effect of convex curvature. The acceleration effect on spot production rate was small for the cases studied.


Author(s):  
Kristina Ðurović ◽  
Luca De Vincentiis ◽  
Daniele Simoni ◽  
Davide Lengani ◽  
Jan Pralits ◽  
...  

Abstract The aerodynamic efficiency of turbomachinery blades is profoundly affected by the occurrence of laminar-turbulent transition in the boundary layer since skin friction and losses rise for the turbulent state. Depending on the free-stream turbulence level, we can identify different paths towards a turbulent state. The present study uses direct numerical simulation as the primary tool to investigate the flow behaviour of the low-pressure turbine blade. The computational set-up was designed to follow the experiments by Lengani & Simoni [1]. In the simulations, the flow past only one blade is computed, with periodic boundary conditions in the cross-flow directions to account for the cascade. Isotropic homogeneous free-stream turbulence is prescribed at the inlet. The free-stream turbulence is prescribed as a superposition of Fourier modes with a random phase shift. Two levels of the free-stream turbulence intensity were simulated (Tu = 0.19% and 5.2%), with the integral length scale being 0.167c, at the leading edge. We observed that in case of low free-stream turbulence on the suction side, the Kelvin–Helmholz instability dominated the transition process and full-span vortices were shed from the separation bubble. Transition on the suction side proceeded more rapidly in the high-turbulence case, where streaks broke down into turbulent spots and caused bypass transition. On the pressure side, we have identified the appearance of longitudinal vortical structures, where increasing the turbulence level gives rise to more longitudinal structures. We note that these vortical structures are not produced by Görtler instability.


2008 ◽  
Vol 613 ◽  
pp. 135-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
VICTOR OVCHINNIKOV ◽  
MEELAN M. CHOUDHARI ◽  
UGO PIOMELLI

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of bypass transition due to high-amplitude free-stream turbulence (FST) are carried out for a flat-plate boundary layer. The computational domain begins upstream of the plate leading edge and extends into the fully turbulent region. Thus, there is noad hoctreatment to account for the initial ingestion of FST into the laminar boundary layer. We study the effects of both the FST length scale and the disturbance behaviour near the plate leading edge on the details of bypass transition farther downstream. In one set of simulations, the FST parameters are chosen to match the ERCOFTAC benchmark case T3B. The inferred FST integral length scaleL11is significantly larger (RL=UL11/ν = 6580) than that employed in previous simulations of bypass transition (RL≃ 1000). An additional set of simulations was performed atRL= 1081 to compare the transition behaviour in the T3B case with that of a smaller value of FST length scale. The FST length scale is found to have a profound impact on the mechanism of transition. While streamwise streaks (Klebanoff modes) are observed at both values of the FST length scale, they appear to have clear dynamical significance only at the smaller value ofRL, where transition is concomitant with streak breakdown. For the T3B case, turbulent spots form upstream of the region where streaks could be detected. Spot precursors are traced to quasi-periodic spanwise structures, first observed as short wavepackets in the wall-normal velocity component inside the boundary layer. These structures are reoriented to become horseshoe vortices, which break down into young turbulent spots. Two of the four spots examined for this case had a downstream-pointing shape, similar to those found in experimental studies of transitional boundary layers. Additionally, our simulations indicate the importance of leading-edge receptivity for the onset of transition. Specifically, higher fluctuations of the vertical velocity at the leading edge of the plate result in higher levels of streamwise Reynolds stress inside the developing boundary layer, facilitating breakdown to turbulence.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Barrett ◽  
D. Keith Hollingsworth

A new heat transfer correlation for turbulent boundary layers subjected to free-stream turbulence was developed. The new correlation estimates dimensionless heat transfer coefficients without the use of conventional boundary-layer thickness measures and the associated Reynolds numbers. Using only free-stream parameters (mean velocity, turbulence intensity and length scale), the new correlation collected many authors’ elevated-turbulence, flat-plate Stanton number data to within ±11%. The level of scatter around the new correlation compared well to previous correlations that require additional flow information as input parameters. For a common subset of data, scatter using earlier correlation methods ranged from 5–10%; scatter around the new correlation varied from 6–9% over the same data subset. A length-scale dependence was identified in a Stanton number previously defined using a near-wall streamwise velocity fluctuation, St′. A new near-wall Stanton number was introduced; this parameter was regarded as a constant in a two-region boundary layer model on which the new correlation is based.


2010 ◽  
Vol 660 ◽  
pp. 114-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. MANDAL ◽  
L. VENKATAKRISHNAN ◽  
J. DEY

Boundary-layer transition at different free-stream turbulence levels has been investigated using the particle-image velocimetry technique. The measurements show organized positive and negative fluctuations of the streamwise fluctuating velocity component, which resemble the forward and backward jet-like structures reported in the direct numerical simulation of bypass transition. These fluctuations are associated with unsteady streaky structures. Large inclined high shear-layer regions are also observed and the organized negative fluctuations are found to appear consistently with these inclined shear layers, along with highly inflectional instantaneous streamwise velocity profiles. These inflectional velocity profiles are similar to those in the ribbon-induced boundary-layer transition. An oscillating-inclined shear layer appears to be the turbulent spot-precursor. The measurements also enabled to compare the actual turbulent spot in bypass transition with the simulated one. A proper orthogonal decomposition analysis of the fluctuating velocity field is carried out. The dominant flow structures of the organized positive and negative fluctuations are captured by the first few eigenfunction modes carrying most of the fluctuating energy. The similarity in the dominant eigenfunctions at different Reynolds numbers suggests that the flow prevails its structural identity even in intermittent flows. This analysis also indicates the possibility of the existence of a spatio-temporal symmetry associated with a travelling wave in the flow.


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