A theoretical approach for describing secondary instability featuresin three-dimensional boundary-layer flows

Author(s):  
T. FISCHER ◽  
S. HEIN ◽  
U. DALLMANN
1973 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Wheeler ◽  
J. P. Johnston

Predictions have been made for a variety of experimental three-dimensional boundary layer flows with a single finite difference method which was used with three different turbulent stress models: (i) an eddy viscosity model, (ii) the “Nash” model, and (iii) the “Bradshaw” model. For many purposes, even the simplest stress model (eddy viscosity) was adequate to predict the mean velocity field. On the other hand, the profile of shear stress direction was not correctly predicted in one case by any model tested. The high sensitivity of the predicted results to free stream pressure gradient in separating flow cases is demonstrated.


2002 ◽  
Vol 456 ◽  
pp. 49-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
PETER WASSERMANN ◽  
MARKUS KLOKER

Crossflow-vortex-induced laminar breakdown in a three-dimensional flat-plate boundary-layer flow is investigated in detail by means of spatial direct numerical simulations. The base flow is generic for an infinite swept wing, with decreasing favourable chordwise pressure gradient. First, the downstream growth and nonlinear saturation states initiated by a crossflow-vortex-mode packet as well as by single crossflow-vortex modes with various spanwise wavenumbers are simulated. Second, the secondary instability of the flow induced by the saturated crossflow vortices is scrutinized, clearly indicating the convective nature of the secondary instability and strengthening knowledge of the conditions for its onset. Emphasis is on the effect of crossflow-vortex-mode packets and of the spanwise vortex spacing on the secondary stability properties of the saturation states. Saturated uniform crossflow vortices initiated by single crossflow-vortex modes turn out to be less unstable than vortices initiated by a packet of vortex modes, and closely spaced saturated vortices are even stable. Third, we investigate the transition control strategy of upstream flow deformation by appropriate steady nonlinear vortex modes as applied in wind tunnel experiments at the Arizona State University. A significant transition delay is shown in the base flow considered here, and the underlying mechanisms are specified.


1999 ◽  
Vol 399 ◽  
pp. 85-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUJEEB R. MALIK ◽  
FEI LI ◽  
MEELAN M. CHOUDHARI ◽  
CHAU-LYAN CHANG

Crossflow instability of a three-dimensional boundary layer is a common cause of transition in swept-wing flows. The boundary-layer flow modified by the presence of finite-amplitude crossflow modes is susceptible to high-frequency secondary instabilities, which are believed to harbinger the onset of transition. The role of secondary instability in transition prediction is theoretically examined for the recent swept-wing experimental data by Reibert et al. (1996). Exploiting the experimental observation that the underlying three-dimensional boundary layer is convectively unstable, non-linear parabolized stability equations are used to compute a new basic state for the secondary instability analysis based on a two-dimensional eigenvalue approach. The predicted evolution of stationary crossflow vortices is in close agreement with the experimental data. The suppression of naturally dominant crossflow modes by artificial roughness distribution at a subcritical spacing is also confirmed. The analysis reveals a number of secondary instability modes belonging to two basic families which, in some sense, are akin to the ‘horseshoe’ and ‘sinuous’ modes of the Görtler vortex problem. The frequency range of the secondary instability is consistent with that measured in earlier experiments by Kohama et al. (1991), as is the overall growth of the secondary instability mode prior to the onset of transition (e.g. Kohama et al. 1996). Results indicate that the N-factor correlation based on secondary instability growth rates may yield a more robust criterion for transition onset prediction in comparison with an absolute amplitude criterion that is based on primary instability alone.


1994 ◽  
Vol 268 ◽  
pp. 1-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Malik ◽  
F. Li ◽  
C.-L. Chang

Nonlinear stability of a model swept-wing boundary layer, subject to crossflow instability, is investigated by numerically solving the governing partial differential equations. The three-dimensional boundary layer is unstable to both stationary and travelling crossflow disturbances. Nonlinear calculations have been carried out for stationary vortices and the computed wall vorticity pattern results in streamwise streaks which resemble quite well the surface oil-flow visualizations in swept-wing experiments. Other features of the stationary vortex development (half-mushroom structure, inflected velocity profiles, vortex doubling, etc.) are also captured in these calculations. Nonlinear interaction of the stationary and travelling waves is also studied. When initial amplitude of the stationary vortex is larger than the travelling mode, the stationary vortex dominates most of the downstream development. When the two modes have the same initial amplitude, the travelling mode dominates the downstream development owing to its higher growth rate. It is also found that, prior to laminar/turbulent transition, the three-dimensional boundary layer is subject to a high-frequency secondary instability, which is in agreement with the experiments of Poll (1985) and Kohama, Saric & Hoos (1991). The frequency of this secondary instability, which resides on top of the stationary crossflow vortex, is an order of magnitude higher than the frequency of the most-amplified travelling crossflow mode.


2009 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. 209-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
LARS-UVE SCHRADER ◽  
LUCA BRANDT ◽  
DAN S. HENNINGSON

Receptivity in three-dimensional boundary-layer flow to localized surface roughness and free-stream vorticity is studied. A boundary layer of Falkner–Skan–Cooke type with favourable pressure gradient is considered to model the flow slightly downstream of a swept-wing leading edge. In this region, stationary and travelling crossflow instability dominates over other instability types. Three scenarios are investigated: the presence of low-amplitude chordwise localized, spanwise periodic roughness elements on the plate, the impingement of a weak vortical free-stream mode on the boundary layer and the combination of both disturbance sources. Three receptivity mechanisms are identified: steady receptivity to roughness, unsteady receptivity to free-stream vorticity and unsteady receptivity to vortical modes scattered at the roughness. Both roughness and vortical modes provide efficient direct receptivity mechanisms for stationary and travelling crossflow instabilities. We find that stationary crossflow modes dominate for free-stream turbulence below a level of about 0.5%, whereas higher turbulence levels will promote the unsteady receptivity mechanism. Under the assumption of small amplitudes of the roughness and the free-stream disturbance, the unsteady receptivity process due to scattering of free-stream vorticity at the roughness has been found to give small initial disturbance amplitudes in comparison to the direct mechanism for free-stream modes. However, in many environments free-stream vorticity and roughness may excite interacting unstable stationary and travelling crossflow waves. This nonlinear process may rapidly lead to large disturbance amplitudes and promote transition to turbulence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia S. Brennan ◽  
Jitesh S. B. Gajjar ◽  
Richard E. Hewitt

AbstractTwo-dimensional boundary layer flows in quiet disturbance environments are known to become unstable to Tollmien–Schlichting waves. The experimental work of Liepmann et al. (J Fluid Mech 118:187–200, 1982), Liepmann and Nosenchuck (J Fluid Mech 118:201–204, 1982) showed how it is possible to control and reduce unstable Tollmien–Schlichting wave amplitudes using unsteady surface heating. We consider the problem of an oncoming planar compressible subsonic boundary layer flow with a three-dimensional vibrator mounted on a flat plate, and with surface heating present. It is shown using asymptotic methods based on triple-deck theory that it is possible to choose an unsteady surface heating distribution to cancel out the response due to the vibrator. An approximation based on the exact formula is used successfully in numerical computations to confirm the findings. The results presented here are a generalisation of the analogous results for the two-dimensional problem in Brennan et al. (J Fluid Mech 909:A16-1, 2020).


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