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Numerical and experimental investigations of oblique boundary layer transition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 August 1999

STELLAN BERLIN
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanics, KTH, S-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
MARKUS WIEGEL
Affiliation:
Institut für Strömungsmechanik, Bunsenstraße 10, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany
DAN S. HENNINGSON
Affiliation:
FFA, Box 11021, S-16111 Bromma, Sweden

Abstract

A transition scenario initiated by two oblique waves is studied in an incompressible boundary layer. Hot-wire measurements and flow visualizations from the first boundary layer experiment on this scenario are reported. The experimental results are compared with spatial direct numerical simulations and good qualitative agreement is found. Also, quantitative agreement is found when the experimental device for disturbance generation is closely modelled in the simulations and pressure gradient effects taken into account. The oblique waves are found to interact nonlinearly to force streamwise vortices. The vortices in turn produce growing streamwise streaks by non-modal linear growth mechanisms. This has previously been observed in channel flows and calculations of both compressible and incompressible boundary layers. The flow structures observed at the late stage of oblique transition have many similarities to the corresponding ones of K- and H-type transition, for which two-dimensional Tollmien–Schlichting waves are the starting point. However, two-dimensional Tollmien–Schlichting waves are usually not initiated or observed in oblique transition and consequently the similarities are due to the oblique waves and streamwise streaks appearing in all three scenarios.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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