Characteristic Regimes of Transitional Separation Bubbles in Unsteady Flow |
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Authors: | Metin Talan Jean Hourmouziadis |
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Institution: | (1) Aerospace Institute, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Berlin;(2) University of Technology, Marchstr. 14, 10587 Berlin, Germany |
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Abstract: | This experimental investigation deals with transition phenomena of a separated boundary layer under unsteady inlet flow conditions.
The main purpose of this investigation is to understand the influence of the rotor-stator interaction in turbomachinery on
the subsequent, highly loaded boundary layer. The research project is divided into two phases. In the first phase, which has
been completed recently, only the variation of mean velocity caused by upstream blades was simulated in the experiments while
the free-stream turbulence intensity was retained at a constant low level. The experiments are carried out in an Eifel-type
wind tunnel to investigate the laminar separated boundary layer of a flat plate under oscillating inlet conditions. The adverse
pressure gradient, similar to that of turbomachines, is generated by the contoured upper wall. The unsteadiness is produced
by a rotating flap located downstream of the test section. The reduced frequency, the amplitude and the mean Reynolds number
are varied to simulate the conditions prevailing in turbomachines. In addition to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability of the
separated shear layer, a lower frequency instability was observed. This is frequently referred to as `free shear layer flapping'
and results in two distinctly different ways of re-attachment, depending primarily on the Reynolds number. For low momentum
thickness Reynolds numbers at the separation point, large-scale vortices locked to the frequency of the unsteady main flow
are identified. They originate nearly at the top of the separation bubble and are ejected downstream. A fully turbulent boundary
layer develops after these vortices mix out. For higher Reynolds numbers, transition is completed within a short length of
the free shear layer and there-attachment region. The characteristic momentum thickness Reynolds number separating these two
regimes in unsteady flow is about 125. The Strouhal number (reduced frequency) does not appear to have any significant effect.
Based on the experimental results, this behaviour is discussed in some detail.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | instability laminar separation transition turbomachinery unsteady flow vortex |
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