The Effect of Inlet Turbulence Intensity on the Reattachment Process Over a Backward-Facing Step

1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Isomoto ◽  
S. Honami
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Grid Turbulence ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Reattachment Length ◽  
Backward Facing Step ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Separated Shear Layer

Behavior of a separated shear layer over a backward-facing step and its reattachment is presented when a two-dimensional cavity or rod is installed upstream of the step in order to change local turbulence intensity in addition to grid turbulence in the free-stream. The reattachment length has a strong negative correlation with maximum turbulence intensity near the wall at the separation point. Turbulence in the entrainment region immediately downstream of the step plays an important role in determining the reattachment length.

scholarly journals Effect of turbulence on the wake of a wall-mounted cube

2016 ◽  
Vol 804 ◽  
pp. 513-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Jason Hearst ◽  
Guillaume Gomit ◽  
Bharathram Ganapathisubramani
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Reattachment Length ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Boundary Layer Development ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Shedding Frequency ◽  
Layer Development

The influence of turbulence on the flow around a wall-mounted cube immersed in a turbulent boundary layer is investigated experimentally with particle image velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry. Free-stream turbulence is used to generate turbulent boundary layer profiles where the normalised shear at the cube height is fixed, but the turbulence intensity at the cube height is adjustable. The free-stream turbulence is generated with an active grid and the turbulent boundary layer is formed on an artificial floor in a wind tunnel. The boundary layer development Reynolds number ($Re_{x}$) and the ratio of the cube height ($h$) to the boundary layer thickness ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}$) are held constant at $Re_{x}=1.8\times 10^{6}$ and $h/\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}=0.47$. It is demonstrated that the stagnation point on the upstream side of the cube and the reattachment length in the wake of the cube are independent of the incoming profile for the conditions investigated here. In contrast, the wake length monotonically decreases for increasing turbulence intensity but fixed normalised shear – both quantities measured at the cube height. The wake shortening is a result of heightened turbulence levels promoting wake recovery from high local velocities and the reduction in strength of a dominant shedding frequency.

Passive Manipulation of Separation-Bubble Transition Using Surface Modifications

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. McAuliffe ◽  
Metin I. Yaras
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Separation Bubble ◽  
Surface Modifications ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Vortex Pairing ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Scale Turbulence

Through experiments using two-dimensional particle-image velocimetry (PIV), this paper examines the nature of transition in a separation bubble and manipulations of the resultant breakdown to turbulence through passive means of control. An airfoil was used that provides minimal variation in the separation location over a wide operating range, with various two-dimensional modifications made to the surface for the purpose of manipulating the transition process. The study was conducted under low-freestream-turbulence conditions over a flow Reynolds number range of 28,000–101,000 based on airfoil chord. The spatial nature of the measurements has allowed identification of the dominant flow structures associated with transition in the separated shear layer and the manipulations introduced by the surface modifications. The Kelvin–Helmholtz (K-H) instability is identified as the dominant transition mechanism in the separated shear layer, leading to the roll-up of spanwise vorticity and subsequent breakdown into small-scale turbulence. Similarities with planar free-shear layers are noted, including the frequency of maximum amplification rate for the K-H instability and the vortex-pairing phenomenon initiated by a subharmonic instability. In some cases, secondary pairing events are observed and result in a laminar intervortex region consisting of freestream fluid entrained toward the surface due to the strong circulation of the large-scale vortices. Results of the surface-modification study show that different physical mechanisms can be manipulated to affect the separation, transition, and reattachment processes over the airfoil. These manipulations are also shown to affect the boundary-layer losses observed downstream of reattachment, with all surface-indentation configurations providing decreased losses at the three lowest Reynolds numbers and three of the five configurations providing decreased losses at the highest Reynolds number. The primary mechanisms that provide these manipulations include: suppression of the vortex-pairing phenomenon, which reduces both the shear-layer thickness and the levels of small-scale turbulence; the promotion of smaller-scale turbulence, resulting from the disturbances generated upstream of separation, which provides quicker transition and shorter separation bubbles; the elimination of the separation bubble with transition occurring in an attached boundary layer; and physical disturbance, downstream of separation, of the growing instability waves to manipulate the vortical structures and cause quicker reattachment.

Turbulent Flow Past a Surface-Mounted Two-Dimensional Rib

1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Acharya ◽  
S. Dutta ◽  
T. A. Myrum ◽  
R. S. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Duct Flow ◽  
Core Flow ◽  
The Core ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Flow Past ◽  
The Mean

The ability of the nonlinear k–ε turbulence model to predict the flow in a separated duct flow past a wall-mounted, two-dimensional rib was assessed through comparisons with the standard k–ε model and experimental results. Improved predictions of the streamwise turbulence intensity and the mean streamwise velocities near the high-speed edge of the separated shear layer and in the flow downstream of reattachment were obtained with the nonlinear model. More realistic predictions of the production and dissipation of the turbulent kinetic energy near reattachment were also obtained. Otherwise, the performance of the two models was comparable, with both models performing quite well in the core flow regions and close to reattachment and both models performing poorly in the separated and shear-layer regions close to the rib.

Surface Roughness Impact on Boundary Layer Transition and Loss Mechanisms over a Flat-Plate under a Low-Pressure Turbine Pressure Gradient

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-40
Author(s):  
Heechan Jeong ◽  
Seung Jin Song
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Separation Bubble ◽  
Low Pressure Turbine ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Profile Loss

Abstract An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the effects of surface roughness on the profile loss of a flat-plate with a contoured wall. All of the measurements have been conducted for the suction side pressure gradient of a high-lift low pressure turbine airfoil at the fixed Reynolds number (Rec) and freestream turbulence intensity (Tu) of 1.2 · 105 and 3.2%, respectively, representing a cruise condition. The time-resolved streamwise and wall-normal velocity fields for three different surface roughness values of Ra/C · 105 = 0.065, 4.417 and 7.428 have been measured with a 2D hot-wire probe. For the smooth surface, a laminar separation bubble forms from about 60% of the chord; and laminar-to-turbulent transition occurs during reattachment. Since the portion of turbulent flow over the flat-plate is relatively small, the overall profile loss is mainly determined by the momentum deficit generated during transition. Increased roughness decreases the maximum height and length of the separation bubble but does not affect the separation bubble onset location. The beneficial effects of increased surface roughness on the profile loss appear in the separated shear layer and reattachment. Increased surface roughness increases turbulent mixing in the separated shear layer. Thus, the shear layer thickness and momentum deficit are reduced. In addition, increased surface roughness reduces the length scale and turbulence intensity of the shed vortices. Consequently, turbulent mixing and momentum deficit during reattachment of boundary layers are decreased, resulting in a lower profile loss.

Numerical investigation of laminar–turbulent transition in laminar separation bubbles: the effect of free-stream turbulence

2018 ◽  
Vol 858 ◽  
pp. 714-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirzad Hosseinverdi ◽  
Hermann F. Fasel
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Shear Layer Instability ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Turbulent Transition ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Separation Bubbles

The role of free-stream turbulence (FST) in the hydrodynamic instability mechanisms and transition to turbulence in laminar separation bubbles (LSBs) was investigated using direct numerical simulations (DNS). Towards this end, a set of highly resolved DNS have been carried out, where isotropic FST fluctuations with intensities from 0.1 % to 3 % are introduced to investigate the relevant physical mechanisms governing the interaction of separation and transition in LSBs. For disturbance-free simulations, i.e. without FST, laminar–turbulent transition involves a Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability of the separated shear layer. For LSBs subjected to FST, vortical FST fluctuations penetrate the approaching attached laminar boundary layer upstream of the separation location and induce slowly growing low-frequency disturbances, so-called Klebanoff (K) modes, which cause a spanwise modulation with a distinct spanwise wavelength. Simultaneously, the FST enhances the initial levels of instability waves with frequencies in the frequency range of the KH instability, but at much smaller amplitude levels compared to the K-modes. Results from the calculations based on the linearized Navier–Stokes equations and comparison with DNS results reveal that the K-mode exhibits exponential growth in the separated shear layer until it reaches a peak amplitude. At the same time, two-dimensional (2D) disturbance waves are also exponentially amplified, in fact at larger growth rate compared to the K-mode, due to the primary (convective) shear-layer instability mechanism until they saturate downstream of the peak amplitude associated with the K-mode. Therefore, based on detailed spectral analysis and modal decompositions for the separation bubbles investigated, the transition process is the result of two different mechanisms: (i) strong amplification of high-frequency (order of the shedding frequency), essentially 2D or weakly oblique fluctuating disturbances and (ii) low-frequency, three-dimensional K-modes caused by FST. Depending on the intensity of the FST, one of these mechanisms would dominate the transition process, or both mechanisms act together and contribute simultaneously. The net effect of these two events is an acceleration of transition for an increased level of FST intensity, which in turn leads to a reduction of the extent of the separation bubble in streamwise and wall-normal directions. The ‘roll-up’ into spanwise large-scale vortical structures resulting from the shear-layer instability, and the eventual breakdown of these structures, strongly contribute to the reattachment process. The spanwise coherence of these ‘rollers’ deteriorates due to the presence of large-amplitude K-modes, thus effectively weakening their strength for high levels of FST intensities ($Tu>1\,\%$).

Active Control of a Backward Facing Step Flow With Plasma Actuators

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan D'Adamo ◽  
Roberto Sosa ◽  
Guillermo Artana
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Plasma Actuators ◽  
Backward Facing Step ◽  
Step Flow ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Layer Flow ◽  
Electrohydrodynamic Actuator

Active control over a backward facing step flow is studied experimentally by means of plasma based devices. The Reynolds number based on the step height h is 1520. An electrohydrodynamic actuator (EHD), dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) type, is flush mounted to the step wall. The DBD configuration adds momentum locally, normal to the separated shear layer, thus producing strong modifications downstream. The actuation is periodic and its frequency and amplitude are scrutinized to characterize the flow behavior under forcing. Measures of velocity fields for these flows are obtained from particle image velocimetry (PIV). As reported by previous works, the reattachment length shows an important reduction for an optimum forcing frequency. This value closely matches the shear layer flow natural frequency. On the other hand, the flow is less sensitive to the forcing amplitude though the analysis allows us to optimize the actuation in order to save power consumption.

The dynamics of the transitional flow over a backward-facing step

2009 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. 85-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. SCHÄFER ◽  
M. BREUER ◽  
F. DURST
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Channel Wall ◽  
Shear Layers ◽  
Recirculation Region ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Reattachment Length ◽  
Backward Facing Step ◽  
Recirculation Bubble ◽  
Flowing Fluid ◽  
Rotational Movement

The internal flow over a backward-facing step in the transitional regime (ReD = 6000) was studied based on direct numerical simulations. The predictions were carried out with the help of a finite-volume Navier–Stokes solver equipped with a co-visualization facility which allows one to investigate the flow dynamics at high temporal resolution. First, grid-induced oscillations were precluded by a careful grid design. Second, the strong influence of the velocity profile approaching the step was studied and outlined. The main objective, however, was to provide a comprehensive insight into the dynamic flow behaviour, especially oscillations of the reattachment length of the primary recirculation region. The origin of this well-known flapping behaviour of the reattachment line is not yet completely understood. In the present work, the mechanisms leading to the oscillations of the reattachment length were extensively investigated by analysing the time-dependent flow. Besides the oscillations of the primary recirculation region, oscillations of the separation and the reattachment line of the secondary recirculation bubble at the upper channel wall were also observed. The results clearly show that in the present flow case the flapping of the primary reattachment and the secondary separation line is due to vortical structures in the unstable shear layers between the main flow and the recirculation bubbles. Vortices emerging in the shear layers and sweeping downstream convectively induce small zones of backward-flowing fluid at the channel walls while passing the recirculation regions. In the case of the primary recirculation region, the rotational movement of the shear-layer vortices impinging on the lower channel wall was found to cause zones of negative fluid velocity at the end of the recirculation bubble and thus flapping of the reattachment line. In contrast, in the case of the secondary recirculation region, the shear-layer vortices moved away from the upper channel wall so that their rotational movement did not reach the boundary. In this case, the pressure gradients originating from local pressure minima located in the shear-layer vortices were identified as being responsible for the oscillations of the separation line at the upper channel wall. While moving downstream with the shear-layer vortices, the pressure gradients were found to influence the top boundary of the channel and create alternating zones of forward- and backward-flowing fluid along the wall. All of these unsteady processes can best be seen from animations which are provided on the Journal of Fluid Mechanics website: journals.cambridge.org/FLM.

Investigation of a Reattaching Turbulent Shear Layer: Flow Over a Backward-Facing Step

1980 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kim ◽  
S. J. Kline ◽  
J. P. Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Eddy Viscosity ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Turbulent Shear ◽  
Turbulence Structure ◽  
Backward Facing Step ◽  
Turbulent Shear Layer ◽  
Separated Shear Layer ◽  
Layer Flow

Incompressible flow over a backward-facing step is studied in order to investigate the flow characteristics in the separated shear-layer, the reattachment zone, and the redeveloping boundary layer after reattachment. Two different step-heights are used: h/δs = 2.2 and h/δs = 3.3. The boundary layer at separation is turbulent for both cases. Turbulent intensities and shear stress reach maxima in the reattachment zone, followed by rapid decay near the surface after reattachment. Downstream of reattachnent, the flow returns very slowly to the structure of an ordinary turbulent boundary layer. In the reattached layer the conventional normalization of outerlayer eddy viscosity by U∞ δ* does not collapse the data. However, it was found that normalization by U∞ (δ − δ*) does collapse the data to within ± 10% of a single curve as far downstream as x/xR ≈ 2, the last data station. This result illustrates the strong downstream persistence of the energetic turbulence structure created in the separated shear layer.

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