An Experimental Investigation of Incompressible Channel Flow Near Transition

1977 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Feliss ◽  
M. C. Potter ◽  
M. C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Transition To Turbulence ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Disturbance Intensity ◽  
Wall Boundary Layer ◽  
Wall Boundary ◽  
High Reynolds

This paper complements an earlier paper by Karnitz, Potter, and Smith [1] (1974) in which the mechanism of the transition of a plane Poiseuille flow between parallel plates was examined. In the present investigation an experimental critical Reynolds number of 7500 (based on average velocity and channel height) was achieved at which the flow became unstable and transition to turbulence occurred. The linear theoretical Reynolds number of 7700 for instability appears to be a simple extrapolation of the present data as the disturbance intensity is allowed to shrink to zero. Bursting (an alternating turbulent to laminar flow) was observed at transition. The transient changes in the velocity profile when the flow is intermittent between a turbulent burst and a laminar flow were observed. The major portion of the burst profile is characteristic of the one-seventh power law profile common to fully turbulent flow. Disturbances were observed to amplify to turbulent bursts in the wall boundary layers in the entrance region of the channel in high Reynolds number flows (the Reynolds number must exceed the critical Reynolds number by a sufficient amount). Thus, the wall boundary layer becomes unstable, resulting in a transition to turbulence before the flow becomes fully developed at sufficiently high Reynolds numbers.

Experimental Determination of Transition to Turbulence in a Rectangular Channel With Eddy Promoters

1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 484-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Kapat ◽  
J. Ratnathicam ◽  
B. B. Mikic´
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Rectangular Channel ◽  
Transition To Turbulence ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Laminar To Turbulent Transition ◽  
Turbulent Transition ◽  
Power Spectral ◽  
Unstable Configuration

We report on laminar-to-turbulent transition in a rectangular channel in the presence of periodically placed cylindrical eddy promoters. Transition is identified through the analysis of power spectral density (PSD) of velocity fluctuations. Placement of the eddy promoters in the channel, depending on the geometric configuration, can significantly reduce the value of Reynolds number at transition. The critical Reynolds number (based on the average velocity and the channel height) ranges from 1500 (for an unobstructed channel) to about 400 (for the most unstable configuration we have deployed). For all the configurations tested, demarcation of transition can be correlated with the expression: Reτ≡τ¯w,αv/ρH/2/ν=44˜51, where τw,αv is the spatially averaged value of mean wall shear stress and H is the channel height.

An Experimental Investigation of Transition of a Plane Poiseuille Flow

1974 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Karnitz ◽  
M. C. Potter ◽  
M. C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Experimental Facility ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Plane Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Theoretical Limit ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting ◽  
The Waves

The transition process of laminar flow between parallel plates is investigated experimentally. This problem has recently gained much attention with several reported works; however, the maximum transition Reynolds number reported has been approximately 3000 (based on average velocity and channel height) whereas the theoretical critical Reynolds number is 7700. Primary emphasis in this work is on approaching the theoretical limit in an experimental facility. A high aspect ratio (70 to 1) channel was used with air as the fluid. As the disturbance level at the entrance to the parallel plate section was reduced the transition Reynolds number increased monotonically. At a disturbance level of 0.3 percent the transition Reynolds number was 6700. Near transition small nearly sinusoidal waves in the critical shear layer were observed. The frequency of the waves was approximately 70 hertz, close to the frequency associated with the Tollmien-Schlichting waves of the critical point of linear theory. Sinusoidal waves preceded a turbulent burst which possessed an essentially plane front as it traveled downstream. As the Reynolds number was increased the bursting rate increased and the flow eventually became completely turbulent.

Controlling critical Reynolds number of parallel plate flow by boundary input

2007 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 507-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murad Kucur ◽  
Erol Uzal
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Eigenvalue Problem ◽  
Skin Friction ◽  
Parallel Plate ◽  
Control Parameter ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Transition To Turbulence ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Small Motion ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe aim of this study is to modify the critical Reynolds number (Recr) which is the critical parameter of the transition from laminar to turbulence regime. The transition to turbulence is delayed by increasing the critical Reynolds number.Design/methodology/approachA method to control the critical Reynolds number of viscous flow between parallel plates with an imposed pressure gradient to infinitesimal harmonic disturbances is introduced. The method consists of introducing harmonic perturbations to the lower plate based on skin friction measurements at the upper plate. The size of the introduced harmonic perturbation is chosen to be proportional to the measured skin friction. The proportionality constant is the control parameter for the manipulation of the critical Reynolds number. The resulting eigenvalue problem, similar to the Orr‐Sommerfeld problem, is solved for various values of the control parameter.FindingsSolution of the eigenvalue problem shows that the critical Reynolds number for the instability with respect to infinitesimal disturbances can be increased from 5,772.22 to 37,900.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to increase the critical Reynolds number of parallel plate flow from 5,772.22 to 37,900 by applying a small motion to the bottom plate, the amplitude of the motion being proportional to the skin friction measured at the upper plate.

Bifurcation Characteristics of Flows in Rectangular Sudden Expansion Channels

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francine Battaglia ◽  
George Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Expansion Ratio ◽  
Sudden Expansion ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Effective Expansion ◽  
Three Dimensional Simulations

The effect of three-dimensionality on low Reynolds number flows past a symmetric sudden expansion in a channel was investigated. The geometric expansion ratio of in the current study was 2:1 and the aspect ratio was 6:1. Both experimental velocity measurements and two- and three-dimensional simulations for the flow along the centerplane of the rectangular duct are presented for Reynolds numbers in the range of 150 to 600. Comparison of the two-dimensional simulations with the experiments revealed that the simulations fail to capture completely the total expansion effect on the flow, which couples both geometric and hydrodynamic effects. To properly do so requires the definition of an effective expansion ratio, which is the ratio of the downstream and upstream hydraulic diameters and is therefore a function of both the expansion and aspect ratios. When the two-dimensional geometry was consistent with the effective expansion ratio, the new results agreed well with the three-dimensional simulations and the experiments. Furthermore, in the range of Reynolds numbers investigated, the laminar flow through the expansion underwent a symmetry-breaking bifurcation. The critical Reynolds number evaluated from the experiments and the simulations was compared to other values reported in the literature. Overall, side-wall proximity was found to enhance flow stability, helping to sustain laminar flow symmetry to higher Reynolds numbers in comparison to nominally two-dimensional double-expansion geometries. Lastly, and most importantly, when the logarithm of the critical Reynolds number from all these studies was plotted against the reciprocal of the effective expansion ratio, a linear trend emerged that uniquely captured the bifurcation dynamics of all symmetric double-sided planar expansions.

Difference in Critical Reynolds Number Between Hagen-Poiseuille and Plane Poiseuille Flows

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hidesada Kanda
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Average Velocity ◽  
Critical Reynolds Number ◽  
Inlet Section ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Plane Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Contraction Ratio ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract For plane Poiseuille flow, results of previous investigations were studied, focusing on experimental data on the critical Reynolds number, the entrance length, and the transition length. Consequently, concerning the natural transition, it was confirmed from the experimental data that (i) the transition occurs in the entrance region, (ii) the critical Reynolds number increases as the contraction ratio in the inlet section increases, and (iii) the minimum critical Reynolds number is obtained when the contraction ratio is the smallest or one, and there is no-shaped entrance or straight parallel plates. Its value exists in the neighborhood of 1300, based on the channel height and the average velocity. Although, for Hagen-Poiseuille flow, the minimum critical Reynolds number is approximately 2000, based on the pipe diameter and the average velocity, there seems to be no significant difference in the transition from laminar to turbulent flow between Hagen-Poiseuille flow and plane Poiseuille flow.

Characterizing the High Reynolds Number Regime for Deterministic Lateral Displacement (DLD) Devices

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Dincau ◽  
Arian Aghilinejad ◽  
Jong-Hoon Kim ◽  
Xiaolin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
Soft Lithography ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Critical Diameter ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Deterministic Lateral Displacement ◽  
Array Configuration ◽  
High Reynolds

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) is a common name given to a class of continuous microfluidic separation devices that use a repeating array of pillars to selectively displace particles having a mean diameter greater than the critical diameter (Dc). This Dc is an emergent property influenced by pillar shape, size, and spacing, in addition to the suspending fluid and target particle properties. The majority of previous research in DLD applications has focused on the utilization of laminar flow in low Reynolds number (Re) regimes. While laminar flow exhibits uniform streamlines and predictable separation characteristics, this low-Re regime is dependent on relatively low fluid velocities, and may not hold true at higher processing speeds. Through numerical modeling and experimentation, we investigated high-Re flow characteristics and potential separation enhancements resulting from vortex generation within a DLD array. We used an analytical model and computational software to simulate DLD performance spanning a Re range of 1–100 at flow rates of 2–170 μL/s (0.15–10 mL/min). Each simulated DLD array configuration was composed of 60 μm cylindrical pillars with a 45 μm gap size. The experimental DLD device was fabricated using conventional soft lithography, and injected with 20 μm particles at varying flow rates to observe particle trajectories. The simulated results predict a shift in Dc at Re > 50, while the experimental results indicate a breakdown of typical DLD operation at Re > 70.

The effect of rigid rotation on the finite-amplitude stability of pipe flow at high Reynolds number

1984 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 193-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Akylas ◽  
J.-P. Demurger
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Pipe Flow ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Finite Amplitude ◽  
Linear Instability ◽  
Rigid Rotation ◽  
Transition To Turbulence ◽  
Neutral Stability ◽  
Axisymmetric Mode ◽  
High Reynolds

A theoretical study is made of the stability of pipe flow with superimposed rigid rotation to finite-amplitude disturbances at high Reynolds number. The non-axisymmetric mode that requires the least amount of rotation for linear instability is considered. An amplitude expansion is developed close to the corresponding neutral stability curve; the appropriate Landau constant is calculated. It is demonstrated that the flow exhibits nonlinear subcritical instability, the nonlinear effects being particularly strong owing to the large magnitude of the Landau constant. These findings support the view that a small amount of extraneous rotation could play a significant role in the transition to turbulence of pipe flow.

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