The stability of rotating-disc boundary-layer flow over a compliant wall. Part 2. Absolute instability

1997 ◽  
Vol 350 ◽  
pp. 261-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. COOPER ◽  
PETER W. CARPENTER

A numerical study has been undertaken of the influence of a compliant boundary on absolute instability. In a certain parameter range absolute instability occurs in the boundary layer on a rotating disc, thereby instigating rapid transition to turbulence. The conventional use of wall compliance as a laminar-flow control technique has been to lower growth rates of convective instabilities. This has the effect of reducing amplification of disturbances as they propagate downstream. For absolute instability, however, only the suppression of its onset would be a significant gain. This paper addresses the question of whether passive wall compliance can be advantageous when absolute instability exists in a boundary layer.A theoretical model of a single-layer viscoelastic compliant wall was used in conjunction with the sixth-order system of differential equations which govern the stability of the boundary-layer flow over a rotating disc. The absolute/convective nature of the flow was ascertained by using a spatio-temporal analysis. Pinch-point singularities of the dispersion relation and a point of zero group velocity identify the presence of absolute instability. It was found that only a low level of wall compliance was enough to delay the appearance of absolute instability to higher Reynolds numbers. Beyond a critical level of wall compliance results suggest that complete suppression of absolute instability is possible. This would then remove a major route to transition in the rotating-disc boundary layer.

2019 ◽  
Vol XVI (2) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ehtisham Siddiqui

Three-dimensional boundary-layer flow is well known for its abrupt and sharp transition from laminar to turbulent regime. The presented study is a first attempt to achieve the target of delaying the natural transition to turbulence. The behaviour of two different shaped and sized stationary disturbances (in the laboratory frame) on the rotating-disk boundary layer flow is investigated. These disturbances are placed at dimensionless radial location (Rf = 340) which lies within the convectively unstable zone over a rotating-disk. Mean velocity profiles were measured using constant-temperature hot-wire anemometry. By careful analysis of experimental data, the instability of these disturbance wakes and its estimated orientation within the boundary-layer were investigated.


1988 ◽  
Vol 196 ◽  
pp. 359-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Yeo

In this paper, we are concerned with the linear stability of zero pressure-gradient laminar boundary-layer flow over compliant walls which are composed of one or more layers of isotropic viscoelastic materials and backed by a rigid base. Wall compliance supports a whole host of new instabilities in addition to the Tollmien-Schlichting mode of instability, which originally exists even when the wall is rigid. The perturbations in the flow and the compliant wall are coupled at their common interface through the kinematic condition of velocity continuity and the dynamical condition of stress continuity. The disturbance modes in the flow are governed by the Orr-Sommerfeld equation using the locally-parallel flow assumption, and the response of the compliant layers is described using a displacement-stress formalism. The theoretical treatment provides a unified formulation of the stability eigenvalue problem that is applicable to compliant walls having any finite number of uniform layers; inclusive of viscous sublayer. The formulation is well suited to systematic numerical implementation. Results for single- and multi-layer walls are presented. Analyses of the eigenfunctions give an insight into some of the physics involved. Multi-layering gives a measure of control over the stability characteristics of compliant walls not available to single-layer walls. The present study provides evidence which suggests that substantial suppression of disturbance growth may be possible for suitably tailored compliant walls.


2014 ◽  
Vol 755 ◽  
pp. 274-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Hussain ◽  
S. J. Garrett ◽  
S. O. Stephen

AbstractExisting experimental and theoretical studies are discussed which lead to the clear hypothesis of a hitherto unidentified convective instability mode that dominates within the boundary-layer flow over slender rotating cones. The mode manifests as Görtler-type counter-rotating spiral vortices, indicative of a centrifugal mechanism. Although a formulation consistent with the classic rotating-disk problem has been successful in predicting the stability characteristics over broad cones, it is unable to identify such a centrifugal mode as the half-angle is reduced. An alternative formulation is developed and the governing equations solved using both short-wavelength asymptotic and numerical approaches to independently identify the centrifugal mode.


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