From Disorder to Order August 2000

Recently the "turbulent sublayer" was explored using a shear flow idealization akin to L. N. Howard's study of turbulent thermal convection [ 2 ]. There, the growing diffusive layers were studied to determine when they became unstable. Here, that work is extended to the first transitions of Couette and Poiseuille parallel flow. The merging boundary layers of the presumed flows pose a linear nonautonomous problem of following the time dependent first Lyapunov vector. As in Blasius flow, the first results emerge from perturbation theory, with corrections for streamwise evolution of the velocity profiles. The estimated critical Reynolds numbers for [back] transition from disorder to the laminar state are within 15% of the observations.     

湍流边界层底层相干结构的一个理论模型*

本文采用非线性稳定性分析方法,研究了湍流边界层底层相干结干结构的成因.计算得到的增长最快的不稳定波的展向尺度与纵向尺度都与实验相符.这一分析的特点是采用了不同于湍流平均速度剖面的更合理的速度剖面作为稳定性分析的基础,并采用了新的非线性理论.文中结果有助于理解湍流边界层底层相干结构的拟有序现象.     

平行球面间轴对称层流边界层方程的新解法

本文给出了与Mangler变换类似的变换,它将平行球面间进口段内层流轴对称边界层流动转换成二维平面层流边界层流动,使问题得到简化.简化后的方程可以用已有的平面层流边界层理论和数值方法来求解,从而为求解平行球面间扩散层流进口段问题提供了一条新的途径.     

Direct numerical simulation of the laminar–turbulent transition at hypersonic flow speeds on a supercomputer

A method for direct numerical simulation of three-dimensional unsteady disturbances leading to a laminar–turbulent transition at hypersonic flow speeds is proposed. The simulation relies on solving the full three-dimensional unsteady Navier–Stokes equations. The computational technique is intended for multiprocessor supercomputers and is based on a fully implicit monotone approximation scheme and the Newton–Raphson method for solving systems of nonlinear difference equations. This approach is used to study the development of three-dimensional unstable disturbances in a flat-plate and compression-corner boundary layers in early laminar–turbulent transition stages at the free-stream Mach number M = 5.37. The three-dimensional disturbance field is visualized in order to reveal and discuss features of the instability development at the linear and nonlinear stages. The distribution of the skin friction coefficient is used to detect laminar and transient flow regimes and determine the onset of the laminar–turbulent transition.     

A method for optimal control in boundary-layer flow

A methodology for active flow control which couples unsteady flow fields and controls is described. Active-control methods are used to maintain laminar flow in a region in which the natural instabilities lead to turbulent flow. The simplest form of control which might achieve this objective is the wave-cancellation approach. The case of boundary layer instability suppression is considered as the initial validation and test case. Control is effected through the injection or suction of fluid through a single orifice on the boundary. The optimal control theory provides an approach which does not require a priori knowledge of the flow. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Boundary layer for 3D nonlinear parallel pipe flow of nonhomogeneous incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations

In this paper, we justify the mathematical validity of the Prandtl boundary layer theory for a class of nonlinear parallel pipe flow of nonhomogeneous incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations. The convergence for velocity is shown under various Sobolev norms. In addition, the higher‐order asymptotic expansions are also considered. And the mathematical validity of the Prandtl boundary layer theory for nonlinear parallel pipe flow is generalized to the nonhomogeneous case.     

Bifurcation to Mean Flows in Convection

Convection with a strip plate in the middle is studied in this paper. Simultaneous instability of two convection modes of different vertical structures with a same horizontal wave number is possible in this system. It is found that the interaction of these two modes generates mean flows similar to those observed by Krishnamurti and Howard [9] in a turbulent convection experiment. Coupled nonlinear equations are derived for the amplitudes of the two modes. Traveling wave solutions and more complicated time-dependent solutions are also found near the onset of convection.     

Influence of Finite Amplitude Disturbances on the Nonstationary Modes of a Compressible Boundary Layer Flow

A weakly nonlinear stability analysis is performed to search for the effects of compressibility on a mode of instability of the three-dimensional boundary layer flow due to a rotating disk. The motivation is to extend the stationary work of [ 1 ] (hereafter referred to as S90) to incorporate into the nonstationary mode so that it will be investigated whether the finite amplitude destabilization of the boundary layer is owing to this mode or the mode of S90. Therefore, the basic compressible flow obtained in the large Reynolds number limit is perturbed by disturbances that are nonlinear and also time dependent. In this connection, the effects of nonlinearity are explored allowing the finite amplitude growth of a disturbance close to the neutral location and thus, a finite amplitude equation governing the evolution of the nonlinear lower branch modes is obtained. The coefficients of this evolution equation clearly demonstrate that the nonlinearity is destabilizing for all the modes, the effect of which is higher for the nonstationary waves as compared to the stationary waves. Some modes particularly having positive frequency, regardless of the adiabatic or wall heating/cooling conditions, are always found to be unstable, which are apparently more important than those stationary modes determined in S90. The solution of the asymptotic amplitude equation reveals that compressibility as the local Mach number increases, has the influence of stabilization by requiring smaller initial amplitude of the disturbance for the laminar rotating disk boundary layer flow to become unstable. Apart from the already unstable positive frequency waves, perturbations with positive frequency are always seen to compete to lead the solution to unstable state before the negative frequency waves do. Also, cooling the surface of the disk will be apparently ineffective to suppress the instability mechanisms operating in this boundary layer flow.     

Inflow Treatment for the Simulation of Subsonic Jets with Turbulent Nozzle Boundary Layers

The state of the boundary layer at the nozzle exit of a circular nozzle-jet configuration has an important influence on the development of the shear layer and the emitted sound. Of special interest is the acoustic near-field obtained when the nozzle exit boundary layer is fully turbulent. The turbulent inflow generation and the inflow boundary treatment are important issues to be addressed. We use the Synthetic Eddy Method (SEM) to generate a turbulent inflow which reproduces mean flow and Reynolds stress profiles of specified reference data. The spatially and temporally varying synthetic fluctuations are imposed in the simulation by a forcing term added to the governing equations which is active in a small region downstream of the inflow boundary. This forcing in combination with characteristic boundary conditions allows for passing of upstream-propagating acoustic waves and avoids an uncontrolled drift of mean-flow quantities. We employ this inflow boundary treatment for a subsonic nozzle-jet flow simulation at a Reynolds number of ∼ 9500 and Mach number of 0.9. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Direct numerical simulation of laminar–turbulent flow over a flat plate at hypersonic flow speeds

A method for direct numerical simulation of a laminar–turbulent flow around bodies at hypersonic flow speeds is proposed. The simulation is performed by solving the full three-dimensional unsteady Navier–Stokes equations. The method of calculation is oriented to application of supercomputers and is based on implicit monotonic approximation schemes and a modified Newton–Raphson method for solving nonlinear difference equations. By this method, the development of three-dimensional perturbations in the boundary layer over a flat plate and in a near-wall flow in a compression corner is studied at the Mach numbers of the free-stream of M = 5.37. In addition to pulsation characteristic, distributions of the mean coefficients of the viscous flow in the transient section of the streamlined surface are obtained, which enables one to determine the beginning of the laminar–turbulent transition and estimate the characteristics of the turbulent flow in the boundary layer.     

Well-posedness of thermal boundary layer equation in two-dimensional incompressible heat conducting flow with analytic datum

In this paper, we study the well-posedness of the thermal boundary layer equation in two-dimensional incompressible heat conducting flow. The thermal boundary layer equation describes the behavior of thermal layer and viscous layer for the two-dimensional incompressible viscous flow with heat conduction in the small viscosity and heat conductivity limit. When the initial datum are analytic, with respect to the tangential variable of the boundary, and without the monotonicity condition of the tangential velocity, by using the Littlewood-Paley theory, we obtain the local-in-time existence and uniqueness of solution to this thermal boundary layer problem.     

Instability in Parallel Flows Revisited

An example of an unstable inviscid plane parallel shear flow with classical boundary conditions is presented. The complete unstable spectrum is exhibited using techniques of continued fractions for the shear flow with profile U ( y )=cos  m y . For such flows spectral instability implies nonlinear instability. A three-dimensional generalization is discussed.     

Finite-amplitude Rotational Waves in Viscous Shear Flows

Growing finite-amplitude initially spanwise-independent two-dimensional rotational waves and their nonlinear interaction with unidirectional viscous shear flows of various strengths are considered. Both primary and secondary instabilities are studied, but only secondary instabilities are permitted to vary in the spanwise direction. A generalized Lagrangian-mean formulation is employed to describe wave-mean interactions, and a separate theory is constructed to account for the back effect of the developing mean flow on the wave field. Viscosity is seen to significantly complicate calculation of the back effect. The primary instability is seen to act as a platform for, and catalyst to, secondary instabilities. The analysis leads to an eigenvalue problem for the initial growth of the secondary instability, this being a generalization of the eigenvalue problem constructed by Craik for inviscid neutral waves. Two inviscid secondary instability mechanisms to longitudinal vortex form are observed: the first has as its basis the Craik–Leibovich type 2 mechanism. The second, which is as yet unproven, requires that both the wave and flow field distort in concert at all levels of shear. Both mechanisms excite exponential growth on a convective rather than diffusive scale in the presence of neutral waves, but growing waves alter that growth rate.     

On the dynamics in a transitional boundary layer

IntroductionIll 1883 Professor Osborne Reynolds published in Philosopl1ical Transactions of the RoyalSociety the outcomes of his flow visua1ization at Manchester. These had shown that whetherthe flow in a pipe was direct to sinuous (or, as nowadays we would say, laminar to turbulent)depended on its Reynolds number. Transition from Iaminar to turbuIent flow becomes animportant probIem i1l fluid mechanics, which has attracted the interest of investigators fOrmore than l00 years. The partic…     

Mixing in simple models for turbulent diffusion

Simple turbulent diffusive models are proposed as conceptual tools for exploring scenarios involving mixing of stratified flows. Applications include the dynamics of the ocean's top mixed layer, shear instability, breaking internal waves, and turbulent stirring of sharp interfaces. A novel measure of mixing is developed, based on arguments from statistical physics. It is shown that, under turbulent diffusion, this measure grows, and that there are strong indications that, under stirring, flows tend to settle down at a maximum of this measure, subject to global dynamical constraints. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On the similarity solutions of magnetohydrodynamic flows of power-law fluids over a stretching sheet

A rigorous mathematical analysis is given for a magnetohydrodynamics boundary layer problem, which arises in the two-dimensional steady laminar boundary layer flow for an incompressible electrically conducting power-law fluid along a stretching flat sheet in the presence of an exterior magnetic field orthogonal to the flow. In the self-similar case, the problem is transformed into a third-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with certain boundary conditions, which is proved to be equivalent to a singular initial value problem for an integro-differential equation of first order. With the aid of the singular initial value problem, the uniqueness and existence results for (generalized) normal solutions are established and some properties of these solutions are explored.     

The development of a bedform disturbance in an alluvial river or channel

The evolution of a localized disturbance imposed upon an otherwise uniform alluvial flow is considered. For small disturbances a linearized theory is developed which shows that the initial disturbance splits into two modes. One mode is stationary and purely diffusive while the other mode propagates. The propagating mode may exhibit diffusion or, for sufficiently high Froude numbers instability of the roll-wave type. The theory provides the relevant diffusion, propagation and instability time scales associates with the two modes.For finite amplitude disturbances, a weakly nonlinear theory is considered. Again the disturbance separates into two modes. The stationary mode remains as a solution of the diffusion equation, but the propagating mode is now governed by a Burger's equation.     

On the Generation of Mean Flows by the Interaction of Görtler Vortices and Tollmien-Schlichting Waves in Curved Channel Flows

There are many fluid flows where the onset of transition can be caused by different instability mechanisms which compete in the nonlinear regime. Here the interaction of a centrifugal instability mechanism with the viscous mechanism which causes Tollmien-Schlichting waves is discussed. The interaction between these modes can be strong enough to drive the mean state; here the interaction is investigated in the context of curved channel flows so as to avoid difficulties associated with boundary layer growth. Essentially it is found that the mean state adjusts itself so that any modes present are neutrally stable even at finite amplitude. In the first instance the mean state driven by a vortex of short wavelength in the absence of a Tollmien-Schlichting wave is considered. It is shown that for a given channel curvature and vortex wavelength there is an upper limit to the mass flow rate which the channel can support as the pressure gradient is increased. When Tollmien-Schlichting waves are present then the nonlinear differential equation to determine the mean state is modified. At sufficiently high Tollmien-Schlichting amplitudes it is found that the vortex flows are destroyed, but there is a range of amplitudes where a fully nonlinear mixed vortex-wave state exists and indeed drives a mean state having little similarity with the flow which occurs without the instability modes. The vortex and Tollmien-Schlichting wave structure in the nonlinear regime has viscous wall layers and internal shear layers; the thickness of the internal layers is found to be a function of the Tollmien-Schlichting wave amplitude.     

Boundary layers for stress diffusive perturbation in viscoelastic fluids

In this paper, we study a stress diffusive perturbation of the system describing a viscoelastic flow. We analyse the boundary layer which arises near the boundary and we observe in particular that there is no boundary layer on the velocity at the first order.     

Investigation of secondary flow and the related instability on an infinite yawed cylinder with Schubauer’s ellipse as section

This paper presents the principal results of a theoretical investigation of the secondary flow and the related instability performed in the laminar incompressible boundary layer on an infinite uniform yawed solid cylinder with Schubauer’s ellipse of axial ratio 2·96:1 as the section normal to the leading edge. The secondary flow profiles and the value of the instability criterion are obtained at different points of the wing section and for various angles of sweepback. It is found that in favourable pressure gradients and at pressure minimum, the secondary flow profiles have negative values. In regions of adverse pressure gradients after the pressure minimum the secondary flow changes sign from negative to positive values and have points of inflexion. The change of sign starts from the surface and extends to the edge of the boundary layer downstream. At some points in adverse pressure gradients the secondary flow profiles have double points of inflexion and values of both signs simultaneously. It is found that an adverse pressure gradient produces more powerful secondary flow than a favourable pressure gradient of the same strength. It is also found that the values of the instability criterion increase with the increasing sweepback whether the pressure gradient is favourable or adverse. At every point of the wing section, there are two values of the criterion for a given sweepback. The effect of adverse pressure gradient on the variation of the criterion is much more pronounced than that of a favourable pressure gradient. It is also seen that the flow is intermittently laminar and turbulent for low values of the chordwise free stream Reynolds number and for low values of sweepback and consists of an irregular sequence of laminar and turbulent regions.