Strong vortex/boundary layer interactions

This is the second of two papers on the interaction between a longitudinal vortex pair, produced by a delta-wing at angle of attack, and a turbulent boundary layer developing on a flat plate. In the first paper only the outer parts of the vortices entered the boundary layer whereas in this paper the vortices merge with it. In the resultant interaction, the boundary layer between the vortices is kept thin by lateral divergence and a three-dimensional separation line is formed outboard of each vortex. Turbulent, momentum-deficient fluid containing longitudinal vorticity is entrained from the boundary layer along these lines and wrapped around the vortices. As a consequence, the turbulent region of the vortices increases in size and the circulation slowly decreases. It is shown that the flow near the separation line and in the vortices is complicated, and this interaction is expected to be more difficult to calculate than the first. Detailed mean flow and turbulence measurements are reported.     

Three dimensional shock wave/boundary layer interactions

An investigation into a three-dimensional, curved shock wave interacting with a three-dimensional, curved boundary layer on a slender body is presented. Three different nose profiles mounted on a cylindrical body were tested in a supersonic wind tunnel and numerically simulated by solving the Navier–Stokes equations. The conical and hemispherical nose profiles tested were found to generate shock waves of sufficient strength to separate the boundary layer on the cylinder, while the shock wave generated by the ogival profile did not separate the boundary layer. For the separated flow, separation was found to occur predominantly on the windward side of the cylinder with the lee-side remaining shielded from the direct impact of the incident shock wave. A thickening of the boundary layer on the lee-side of all the profiles was observed, and in the conical and hemispherical cases this leads to the re-formation of the incident shock wave some distance away from the surface of the cylinder. A complex reflection pattern off the shock wave/boundary layer interaction (SWBLI) was also identified for the separated flow cases. For comparative purposes, an inviscid simulation was performed using the hemispherical profile. Significant differences between the viscous and inviscid results were noted including the absence of a boundary layer leading to a simplified shock wave reflection pattern forming. The behaviour of the incident shock wave on the lee-side of the cylinder was also affected with the shock wave amalgamating on the surface of the cylinder instead of away from the surface as per the viscous case. Test data from the wind tunnel identified two separation lines present on the cylindrical surface of the hemispherical SWBLI generator. The pair of lines were not explicitly evident in the original CFD simulations run, but were later identified in a high-resolution simulation.     

Digital particle velocimetry technique for free-surface boundary layer measurements: Application to vortex pair interactions

A variation of the digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) technique was developed for the measurement of velocity at a free surface for low Froude number flows. The two-step process involves first determining the location of the free surface in the digital images of the seeded flow using the fast Fourier transform-based method of surface elevation mapping (SEM), which takes advantage of total internal reflection at the interface. The boundary-fitted DPIV code positions the interrogation windows below the computed location of the interface to allow for extrapolation of interfacial velocities. This technique was designed specifically to handle large surface-parallel vorticity which can occur when the Reynolds number is large and surface-active materials are present. The SEM technique was verified on capillary-gravity waves and the full boundary-fitted DPIV technique was applied to the interaction of vortex pairs with a free surface covered by an insoluble monolayer. The local rise and fall of the free surface as well as the passage and return of a contamination front was clearly observed in the DPIV data. Received: 20 June 1999/Accepted: 27 November 2000     

The axisymmetric boundary layer beneath a Rankine-like vortex

 An experimental investigation of the three-dimensional boundary layer induced by a Rankine-like vortex with its axis normal to a stationary disk is described. The velocity field through the boundary layer was measured for Reynolds number Re (based on the tangential velocity and radius at the disk edge) ranging from 10 000 to 25 000 at various radial distances by means of a 4-beam, 2-component Laser Doppler Anemometer. Our results show that the nature of the boundary layer is affected by two factors: an inflexional instability caused by the crossflow velocity profile and a stability factor caused by the favorable pressure gradient. At lower Reynolds number, the radial pressure gradient has a very strong stabilizing effect on the boundary layer and acts to revert it to its laminar state upstream of the effusing core. At higher Re the inflexional instability caused by the crossflow velocity dominates while the stabilizing influence of the favorable pressure gradient recedes. As such, laminar reversion likely occurs closer to the effusion core. Thus, the point of laminar reversion moves closer to the effusion core as the Reynolds number is increased. Received 23 May 1996 / Accepted 29 July 1996     

Bound vortex boundary layer control with application to V/STOL airplanes

Effectiveness of the bound vortex boundary layer control is assessed with reference to airfoils modified with a leading edge rotating cylinder. Results of the test program and the numerical models suggest the following:

• The surface singularity method in conjunction with the boundary layer correction scheme is capable of predicting useful information concerning bound vortex boundary layer control. The predicted pressure distributions are in good agreement with experiment almost up to the point of complete separation from the the airfoil surface except near the trailing edge where more accurate results of the flow field would require the modelling of the separated flow region using the full Navier-Stokes equations.

• The concept of bound vortex boundary layer control appears to be quite promising. With cylinder rotation. the flow never separated completely from the upper surface. The higher rates of rotation promoted reattachment of the partially separated flow giving a significant improvement in the maximum lift and stall characteristics.     

Stability and modal analysis of shock/boundary layer interactions

The dynamics of oblique shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions is analyzed by mining a large-eddy simulation (LES) database for various strengths of the incoming shock. The flow dynamics is first analyzed by means of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), which highlights the simultaneous occurrence of two types of flow modes, namely a low-frequency type associated with breathing motion of the separation bubble, accompanied by flapping motion of the reflected shock, and a high-frequency type associated with the propagation of instability waves past the interaction zone. Global linear stability analysis performed on the mean LES flow fields yields a single unstable zero-frequency mode, plus a variety of marginally stable low-frequency modes whose stability margin decreases with the strength of the interaction. The least stable linear modes are grouped into two classes, one of which bears striking resemblance to the breathing mode recovered from DMD and another class associated with revolving motion within the separation bubble. The results of the modal and linear stability analysis support the notion that low-frequency dynamics is intrinsic to the interaction zone, but some continuous forcing from the upstream boundary layer may be required to keep the system near a limit cycle. This can be modeled as a weakly damped oscillator with forcing, as in the early empirical model by Plotkin (AIAA J 13:1036–1040, 1975).     

Aerodynamics of end-wall boundary layer in a vortex chamber

The need for the inclusion of end-wall boundary layers in the study of the aerodynamics of vortex chambers has been frequently mentioned in the literature. However, owing to limited experimental data [1–3] with reliable information on the wall layers, the existing computational methods for end-wall boundary layers are not well-founded. The question of which parameters determine the formation of end-wall flow remains debatable. In some studies [4, 5], the vortex chambers are conditionally divided into short and long chambers. However, there is no unique opinion on the role of end-wall flows in vortex chambers of different lengths. It has also not been established for what geometric and flow parameters the chamber could be considered long or short. In the present study, as in [1, 5–8], solution is obtained for the end-wall boundary-layer equations using integral methods, considering the boundary layer in the radial direction in the form of a submerged wall jet. Such an approach made it possible to use the laws for the development of wall jets [9], and obtain fairly simple relations for integral parameters, skin friction, mass flow in the boundary layer, and other characteristics. Results are compared with available experimental data and computations of others authors; turbulent flow is considered; results for laminar boundary layer are given in [10].Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 5, pp. 117–126, September–October, 1986.     

Receptivity of the inclined-cylinder attachment-line boundary layer to vortex perturbations

The receptivity of the boundary layer in the neighborhood of the attachment line of a cylinder inclined to the flow with respect to periodic vortex perturbations frozen into the stream is investigated. The problem considered simulates the interaction between external turbulence and the leading-edge swept wing boundary layer. It is shown that if the direction of the external perturbation vector is almost parallel to the leading edge, then the external perturbations are considerably strengthened at the outer boundary layer edge. This effect can cause laminar-turbulent transition on the attachment line at subcritical Reynolds numbers.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Academii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, 2004, pp. 72–85. Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Ustinov.     

Nonlinear interaction of a large vortex with a boundary layer

The nonlinear problem of boundary layer instability under the influence of a plane vortex is investigated for high Reynolds numbers. The vortex occupies the entire thickness of the boundary layer and has a longitudinal dimension of the order of the Tollmien-Schlichting wavelength. The initial vortex is rapidly swept away by the flow, inducing a Stokes layer near the surface of the plate. Expanding, this layer reaches the dimensions of the viscous sublayer of free interaction theory, where wave packet generation takes place. In the case in question a feature of the nonlinear stage of development of the disturbances is the formation of a concentrated vortex, which arises in the Stokes layer and grows rapidly, whereas the wave packet propagated ahead of it remains linear. From the calculations there emerges a tendency for the new vortex to be formed above the wail, whereas the maximum vorticity of the vortex generated in the Stokes layer corresponds to the wall itself.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.1, pp. 70–77, January–February, 1993.The authors are grateful to V. V. Kozlov for his interest in their work.     

Interaction of an oscillating vortex with a turbulent boundary layer

An oscillating vortex embedded within a turbulent boundary layer was generated experimentally by forcing a periodic lateral translation of a half-delta wing vortex generator. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the possibility that a natural oscillation, or meander, might be responsible for flattened vortex cores observed in previous work, which could also have contaminated previous turbulence measurements. The effect of this forced oscillation was characterized by comparison of measurements of the mean velocities and Reynolds stresses at two streamwise stations, for cases with and without forcing. The Reynolds stresses, especially w, were affected significantly by the forced oscillation, mainly through contributions from the individual production terms, provided the vortex was not too diffuse.List of Symbols a amplitude of forced vortex motion - f frequency of forced vortex generator motion - l vortex generator root chord - L flow length scale - R _Y , R _Z vortex core radial dimensions in vertical and spanwise directions, respectively - R_r vortex circulation Reynolds number R = / - u, v, w instantaneous velocity components in X, Y, Z directions - U, V, W mean velocities; shorthand notation for u, , w - X, Y, Z right-hand Cartesian streamwise, vertical, and spanwise coordinate directions - boundary-layer thickness - overall circulation - air kinematic viscosity - _x streamwise vorticity, _X = W/Y–V/d+t6Z - ( )₀ reference value (measured at X = 10 cm) - ( )c refers to vortex center - ( ) _max maximum value for a particular crossflow plane - ( ) (overbar) time average - ( ) (prime) fluctuating component, e.g., u=U+u     

Numerical simulation of quasi-streamwise hairpin-like vortex generation in turbulent boundary layer

A mechanism for generation of near wall quasi-streamwise hairpin-like vortex （QHV） and secondary quasi-streamwise vortices （SQV） is presented. The conceptual model of resonant triad in the theory of hydrodynamic instability and direct numerical simulation of a turbulent boundary layer were applied to reveal the formation of QHV and SQV. The generation procedures and the characteristics of the vortex structures are obtained, which share some similarities with previous numerical simulations. The research using resonant triad conceptual model and numerical simulation provides a possibility for investigating and controling the vortex structures, which play a dominant role in the evolution of coherent structures in the near-wall region.     

The boundary layer on the free surface of a hollow vortex

Several problems are known which are associated with the circular motion of a viscous incompressible fluid with a rotating cylinder[l, 2]. In the present paper we consider the case of unsteady circular motion of a viscous fluid with a cavity in the fluid.     

A Newton/upwind method and numerical study of shock wave/boundary layer interactions

The objective of the paper is twofold. First we describe an upwind/central differencing method for solving the steady Navier–Stokes equations. The symmetric line relaxation method is used to solve the resulting algebraic system to achieve high computational efficiency. The grid spacings used in the calculations are determined from the triple-deck theory, in terms of Mach and Reynolds numbers and other flow parameters. Thus the accuracy of the numerical solutions is improved by comparing them with experimental, analytical and other computational results. Secondly we proceed to study numerically the shock wave/boundary layer interactions in detail, with special attention given to the flow separation. The concept of free interaction is confirmed. Although the separated region varies with Mach and Reynolds numbers, we find that the transverse velocity component behind the incident shock, which has not been identified heretofore, is also an important parameter. A small change of this quantity is sufficient to eliminate the flow separation entirely.     

Evolution of vortex structure in boundary layer transition induced by roughness elements

The particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hydrogen-bubble visualization technique are used to investigate the flat-plate boundary layer transition induced by an array of roughness elements. The streamwise evolutions of the mean and fluctuation velocity are analyzed, and the critical Reynolds number Re _k,c is determined between 339 and 443 under current experimental setup. The hairpin vortices shed from supercritical roughness elements are visualized by swirling strength, in which two pairs of counter-rotating vortices can be observed: one vortex pair is the manifestation of the neck of the hairpin vortices shed from the top of the roughness; the other vortex pair, which originates from the lower part of the roughness, comes from the streamwise vortices that are constantly perturbed by the hairpin vortex shedding.     

Effect of the Ekman boundary layer on the evolution of vortex formations

In numerical calculations of vortex evolution the effect of nonlinear terms related with the parametrization of the Ekman bottom boundary layer in the barotropic vortex equation is demonstrated. It is shown that taking these terms into account can lead to the coalescence of mesovortices formed as a result of the barotropic-instability-induced breakdown of an annular vortex, as distinct from the conventional parametrization of the bottom friction by a linear term, when a symmetric system of mesovortices, or the so-named vortex crystal, is formed.     

Structure of a bathtub vortex: importance of the bottom boundary layer

A bathtub vortex in a cylindrical tank rotating at a constant angular velocity Ω is studied by means of a laboratory experiment, a numerical experiment and a boundary layer theory. The laboratory and numerical experiments show that two regimes of vortices in the steady-state can occur depending on Ω and the volume flux Q through the drain hole: when Q is large and Ω is small, a potential vortex is formed in which angular momentum outside the vortex core is constant in the non-rotating frame. However, when Q is small or Ω is large, a vortex is generated in which the angular momentum decreases with decreasing radius. Boundary layer theory shows that the vortex regimes strongly depend on the theoretical radial volume flux through the bottom boundary layer under a potential vortex : when the ratio of Q to the theoretical boundary-layer radial volume flux Q _b (scaled by ${2\pi R^2 ( \Omega \nu )^\frac{1}{2}}$ ) at the outer rim of the vortex core is larger than a critical value (of order 1), the radial flow in the interior exists at all radii and Regime I is realized, where R is the inner radius of the tank and ν the kinematic viscosity. When the ratio is less than the critical value, the radial flow in the interior nearly vanishes inside a critical radius and almost all of the radial volume flux occurs only in the boundary layer, resulting in Regime II in which the angular momentum is not constant with radius. This criterion is found to explain the results of the laboratory and numerical experiments very well.