Occurrence of Tolman-Schlichting waves in the boundary layer under the effect of external perturbations

Under small external perturbations, the initial stage of the laminar into turbulent flow transition process in boundary layers is the development of natural oscillations, Tolman-Schlichting waves, which are described by the linear theory of hydrodynamic stability. Subsequent nonlinear processes start to appear in a sufficiently narrow band of relative values of the perturbation amplitudes (1–2% of the external flow velocity) and progress quite stormily. Hence, the initial linear stage of relatively slow development of perturbations is governing, in a known sense, in the complete transition process. In particular, the location of the transition point depends, to a large extent, on the spectrum composition and intensity of the perturbations in the boundary layer, which start to develop according to linear theory laws, resulting in the long run in destruction of the laminar flow mode. In its turn, the initial intensity and spectrum composition of the Tolman-Schlichting waves evidently depend on the corresponding characteristics of the different external perturbations generating these waves. The significant discrepancy in the data of different authors on the transition Reynolds number in the boundary layer on a flat plate [1–4] is probably explained by the difference in the composition of the small perturbing factors (which have not, unfortunately, been fully checked out by far). Moreover, it is impossible to expect that all kinds of external perturbations will be transformed identically into the natural boundary-layer oscillations. The relative role of external perturbations of different nature is apparently not identical in the Tolman-Schlichting wave generation process. However, how the boundary layer reacts to small external perturbations, under what conditions and in what way do external perturbations excite Tolman-Schlichting waves in the boundary layer have practically not been investigated. The importance of these questions in the solution of the problem of the passage to turbulence and in practical applications has been emphasized repeatedly recently [5, 6], Only the first steps towards their solution have been taken at this time [4, 7–10], Out of all the small perturbing factors under the real conditions of the majority of experiments to investigate the flow stability and transition in the case of smooth polished walls, three are apparently most essential, viz.: the turbulence of the external flow, acoustic perturbations, and model vibrations. In principle, all possible mechanisms for converting the energy of these perturbations into Tolman-Schlichting waves can be subdivided into two classes (excluding the nonlinear interactions which are not examined here): 1) distributed wave generation in the boundary layer; and 2) localized wave generation at the leading edge of the streamlined model. Among the first class is both the possibility of the direct transformation of the external flow perturbations into Tolman-Schlichting waves through the boundary-layer boundary, and wave excitation because of the active vibrations of the model wall. Among the second class are all possible mechanisms for the conversion of acoustic or vortical perturbations, as well as the vibrations of the streamlined surface, into Tolman-Schlichting waves, which occurs in the area of the model leading edge.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR. Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 85–94, September–October, 1978.     

Stability of convective motion caused by inhomogeneously distributed internal heat sources

The stability of steady convective plane-parallel flow in a vertical layer of viscous incompressible liquid of thickness h is investigated. The motion is caused by heat sources distributed in the liquid with volume density Q = Q₀exp (^–x) (the x axis is taken perpendicular to the boundary layer). The region of instability is determined for various values of the Prandtl number and the parameter N = h characterizing the inhomogeneity of the internal sources. It is shown that with increase in N there is qualitative rearrangement of the stability limit for perturbations of hydrodynamic type and incremental thermal waves.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 140–144, May–June, 1977.     

Stability of a nonisothermal boundary layer in the presence of periodic perturbations of the exterior flow velocity

The stability of a laminar boundary layer in the presence of high-frequency time-periodic perturbations of the exterior flow velocity, in particular, acoustic vibrations, is investigated in a series of papers which are reviewed in detail in monograph [1]. The mechanisms by which such perturbations influence the stability and transition to the turbulent flow regime can vary. For example, they can lead to the deformation of the averaged field of the basic flow. However, there was good reason not to discuss the effect of this type of perturbation earlier, as it was considered that the change in the basic flow was very small even for perturbations of great amplitude. The aim of the present paper is to demonstrate how perturbations or pulsations in the exterior flow velocity can, by changing the basic flow, have a strong influence on the stability of the laminar boundary layer of a gas under appreciably nonisothermal conditions. Examples of calculations that support this assertion are given.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 183–186, September–October, 1984.The authors wish to thank A. A. Maslov for his help with the calculations.     

Small perturbation spectrum for plane-parallel flows of viscoelastic fluids

The investigation of the occurrence of a transition from the laminar to the turbulent flow regime in weak polymer solutions is of great practical interest. Experimental data indicate both an increase in flow stability and an occurrence of early turbulence [1]. Paper [2] explains the discrepancy in the experimental data for the numerical investigation of the first-mode symmetric perturbations, which are unstable for a Newtonian fluid. Paper [3] shows that other modes also become unstable in the case of the flow of a viscoelastic Maxwellian fluid in a channel. These features of the hydrodynamic stability of viscoelastic fluids indicate a significant rearrangement of the small perturbation spectrum. In the present paper, the perturbation spectrum for plane-parallel flows of viscoelastic Oldroyd and Maxwellian fluids is investigated at small Reynolds numbers, and at large and small wave numbers.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 164–167, November–December, 1984.     

Numerical analysis of the branching of couette flow between concentric cylinders for various wave numbers

The character of stability loss of the circular Couette flow, when the Reynolds number R passes through the critical value R₀, is investigated within a broad range of variation of the wave numbers. The Lyapunov-Schmidt method is used [1, 2]; the boundary-value problems for ordinary differential equations arising in the case of its realization are solved numerically on a computer. It is shown that the branching character substantially depends on the wave number . For all a, excluding a certain interval (₁, ₂), the usual postcritical branching takes place: at a small supercriticality the circular flow loses stability and is softly excited into a secondary stationary flow — stable Taylor vortices. For wave numbers from the interval (₁,₂) a hard excitation of Taylor vortices takes place: at a small subcriticality R=R₀–² the secondary mode is unstable and merges with the Couette flow for 0; however, for a small supercriticality in the neighborhood of a circular flow there exist no stationary modes which are different.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 132–135, May–June, 1976.     

The Laminar Boundary Layer over a Permeable Wall

An analysis is given of the laminar boundary layer over a permeable/porous wall. The porous wall is passive in the sense that no suction or blowing velocity is imposed. To describe the flow inside and above the porous wall a continuum approach is employed based on the Volume-Averaging Method (S. Whitaker The method of volume averaging). With help of an order-of-magnitude analysis the boundary-layer equations are derived. The analysis is constrained by: (a) a low wall permeability; (b) a low Reynolds number for the flow inside the porous wall; (c) a sufficiently high Reynolds number for the freestream flow above the porous wall. Two boundary layers lying on top of each other can be distinguished: the Prandtl boundary layer above the porous wall, and the Brinkman boundary layer inside the porous wall. Based on the analytical solution for the Brinkman boundary layer in combination with the momentum transfer model of Ochoa-Tapia and Whitaker (Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 38 (1995) 2635). for the interface region, a closed set of equations is derived for the Prandtl boundary layer. For the stream function a power series expansion in the perturbation parameter is adopted, where is proportional to ratio of the Brinkman to the Prandtl boundary-layer thickness. A generalization of the Falkner–Skan equation for boundary-layer flow past a wedge is derived, in which wall permeability is incorporated. Numerical solutions of the Falkner–Skan equation for various wedge angles are presented. Up to the first order in wall permeability causes a positive streamwise velocity at the interface and inside the porous wall, but a wall-normal interface velocity is a second-order effect. Furthermore, wall permeability causes a decrease in the wall shear stress when the freestream flow accelerates, but an increase in the wall shear stress when the freestream flow decelerates. From the latter it follows that separation, as indicated by zero wall shear stress, is delayed to a larger positive pressure gradient.     

Experimental investigation of the stability of a supersonic boundary layer on a plate with blunting of the leading edge

In an aerodynamic tube, an experimental investigation of the development of small natural perturbations in a laminar boundary layer on a plate was made. The measurements were made using a thermoanemometric method with a Mach number M = 2 and a unit Reynolds number Re₁ = 3.1·10⁶ m^–1. An investigation of the effect of blunting of the leading edge of the plate on the development of the perturbations was made. It is shown that blunting decreases the range of unstable frequencies and the region of instability and increases the critical Reynolds number of the loss of stability. In the initial section of the plate there is a rise in the perturbations of all frequencies up to a maximal value, whose coordinate is inversely proportional to the frequency. The development of perturbations in this region is insensitive to the state of the boundary layer. The position of the maximum does not change with blunting of the leading edge.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 65–70, July–August, 1977.     

Development of perturbations in plane shock waves

Investigation of the stability of plane shock waves as regards nonuniform perturbations was first performed by D'yakov [1]. He obtained criteria for stability, and showed that perturbations grow exponentially with time in the case of instability. Iordanskii [2] has shown that in the case of stability, the perturbations are attenuated according to a power law. However, the stability criteria of [2] do not agree with the results of [1], Kontorovich [3] has explained the cause of the apparent discrepancies, and asserts the correctness of the criteria of [2]. A power law for the attenuation of perturbations has also been obtained in [4,5] under a somewhat different formulation of the boundary conditions.The Cauchy problem with perturbations is examined in §1 of this paper, results are obtained for cases of practical interest, and the asymptotic behavior is investigated.In §2 the effect of a low viscosity on the development of perturbations is examined. It is shown that when t the amplitude of perturbations is attenuated mainly as exp(-t), where >0 does not depend on the form of the boundary conditions at the shock wave front. The results of §2 were used in processing the experimental data of [6], which made it possible to determine the viscosity of a number of substances at high pressure.In conclusion, the author expresses his gratitude to A. D. Sakharov for valuable advice, and to A. G. Oleinik and V. N. Mincer for useful discussions. The author also thanks G. I. Barenblatt, L. A. Galin, and others who took part in a seminar at the Institute for Problems in Mechanics, for their interesting discussion and valuable comments.     

Localized Coherent Structures in the Boundary Layer

A Blasius laminar boundary layer and a steady turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate in an incompressible fluid are considered. The spectral characteristics of the Tollmien—Schlichting (TS) and Squire waves are numerically determined in a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Based on the spectral characteristics, relations determining the three–wave resonance of TS waves are studied. It is shown that the three–wave resonance is responsible for the appearance of a continuous low–frequency spectrum in the laminar region of the boundary layer. The spectral characteristics allow one to obtain quantities that enter the equations of dynamics of localized perturbations. By analogy with the laminar boundary layer, the three–wave resonance of TS waves in a turbulent boundary layer is considered.     

Stability of stationary traveling waves on the surface of a vertical film of viscous fluid

The stability of stationary traveling waves of the first and second families with respect to infinitesimal perturbations of arbitrary wavelength is subjected to a detailed numerical investigation. The existence of a unique region of stability of the first family is established for wave numbers (₁, ₁) corresponding to the optimal wave regime. There are several regions of stability of the second family ( _k , _k),k=2,3,..., lying close to the local flow rate maxima. In the regions of instability the growth rates of perturbations of the first family are several times greater than for the second family. This difference increases with increase in the Reynolds number. The calculations make it possible to explain a number of experimental observations.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 33–41, May–June, 1989.The authors are grateful to V. Ya. Shkadov for his constant interest, and to A. G. Kulikovskii, A. A. Barmin and their seminar participants for useful discussions and suggestions.     

Determination of the parameters of the boundary layer on rotating axisymmetric cones

A method is proposed for solving the three-dimensional equations of laminar and turbulent boundary layers on a pointed rotating axisym-metric cone flying at an angle of attack . New properties of the obtained solutions are found, and a comparison is made with the results of other authors.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 34–39, May–June, 1984.     

Attractors for the Two-Dimensional Navier–Stokes-α Model: An α-Dependence Study

The two-dimensional Navier–Stokes- model is considered on the torus and on the sphere. Upper and lower bounds for the dimension of the global attractors are given. The dependence of the dimension of the global attractors on is studied. Special attention is given for the limiting cases when 0, that is, when the Navier–Stokes- model tends to the Navier–Stokes equations, and to the case when .     

Change in the parameters of a supersonic flow in the presence of transverse blowing

A study has been made of the flow formed in a supersonic nozzle when gas is blown in a transverse jet into an expanding supersonic flow. Measurements were made of the total and static pressures of the flow at several sections of the nozzle. It was established that, depending on the relative flow rate = m_j/(m_j+ m₀) of the blown gas (m_jand m₀ are the flow rates of the blown gas and the main flow, respectively), there exist two flow regimes with different dependences of the Mach number of the flow. At small , the experimental flow parameters correspond satisfactorily to the parameters calculated in a one-dimensional model with a narrow mixing layer near the blowing section. Agreement was observed at flow rates less than a certain ^*, this critical value being determined in the model as the flow rate at which the flow after mixing becomes sonic. In the experiments at large flow rates of the blown gas, ^* < < 1, the value of M for the flow hardly depends on and corresponds to the calculated value of M for a supersonic flow having the velocity of sound near the blowing section. A scheme is proposed for calculating the flow in a nozzle with transverse blowing in the supersonic part; it describes satisfactorily the experimental results in the complete range of blown-gas-main-flow flow rate ratios (0 1) over the complete length of the nozzle.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 188–192, May–June, 1984.     

Effect of formation conditions on the motion of a cloud rising upward under the action of the force of buoyancy

The present article gives the results of an experimental investigation of the dependence of the angle of expansion of an ascending cloud on the conditions of its formation. When the cloud starts from a state of rest, 0.18. The greatest expansion corresponds to the presence of perturbations at the surface of the cloud. In this case, when the cloud has an initial velocity, the angle of expansion decreases with a rise in the value of the initial modified Froude number. Starting from Fr₀=1.5, at the initial moment of time the starting substance breaks away from the surface of the cloud. An experimental investigation was also made of the mechanism of the capture of the surrounding medium by the cloud.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 148–150, September–October, 1976.     

On automodel numerical and asymptotic solutions of boundary-layer equations for high rates of injection

Automodel solutions of the equations of a laminar, multicomponent, isothermal boundary layer are considered for high rates of injection. The asymptotic velocity profiles and the thickness of the boundary layer are given for various negative pressure gradients (>0), A numerical solution is presented for the boundary-layer equations when injection involves the flow of a gas mixture comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide around the surface. The asymptotic solution is compared with the numerical solution, and its ranges of applicability are established.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 49–52, May–June, 1971.     

Instability of axially symmetric MHD flows

The problem of linear stability of axially symmetric steady-state flows of an ideal incompressible fluid in a magnetic field is studied. A necessary and sufficient condition of stability of these flows with respect to perturbations of the same symmetry type is obtained by the direct Lyapunov method. This condition represents a generalization of the well-known Rayleigh criterion [3, 4] of centrifugal stability of rotating streams to the magnetohydrodynamic case. Two-sided exponential estimates of the perturbation growth are derived. A class of the most rapidly growing perturbations is identified and exact formulas for determining their growth rate are obtained. The corresponding exponents are calculated using the steady flow parameters and initial data for the perturbation field. From the mathematical point of view, the results of the present paper are preliminary in character, since the theorems of existence of the solutions of the problem in question have not been proved.Novosibirsk. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 19–25, November–December, 1995.     

Instability of a hypersonic flow over a wedge in the Newtonian approximation

At the present time, there are a number of works in the literature that treat unsteady hypersonic flows in the Newtonian approximation [1–4]. Since the angle of incidence of the shock wave _s coincides in the zero-order approximation with the angle of inclination of the bodys [1], the latter is usually used in the boundary conditions on the shock. However, in the zero-order approximation _b can be used with the same justification. Both approaches are equally justified and give similar results for a steady flow. For unsteady flows the results can differ radically. It will be shown below that for an investigation of a flow over a fixed wedge with constant conditions in the free stream a steady-state pattern is obtained in the first case and a solution growing in time, in the second case.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 158–160, July–August, 1976.     

Nonaxisymmetric equilibrium shapes of a drop on a plane

A nonuniform temperature distribution, the presence of surface-active substances and impurities, and also other factors lead to a change in the wetting angle along a plane. A study is made of the influence of a small perturbation of the equilibrium contact angle on the shape of the free surface of the liquid. Two cases are considered: a surface of small slope in a gravity field and a nearly spherical shape under conditions of weightlessness. The equilibrium shapes of a liquid drop on an inclined plane under conditions of hysteresis of the wetting are also obtained.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 164–167, July–August, 1983.I thank I. E. Tarapov and I, I, Ievlev for constant interest in the work and valuable comments.     

Experimental and Numerical Study of a Hypersonic Separated Flow in the Vicinity of a Cone‐Flare Model

An axisymmetric laminar separated flow in the vicinity of a coneflare model is studied experimentally and numerically for a Mach number M = 6. The distributions of pressure and Stanton numbers along the model surface and velocity profiles in the region of shock wave–boundary layer interaction are measured and compared with the calculated data. The influence of the laminar–turbulent transition on flow parameters is studied numerically.     

Stabilization of bubble-liquid processes by an electric field

The stability of bubble-liquid and sedimentation processes in the presence of an electric field is investigated. To describe such processes in the case of polarizable particles or bubbles in a dielectric liquid in the presence of an electric field, the multivelocity model of a multiphase mixture interacting with an electric field [1] has been used. Gogosov, Naletova, and Shaposhnikova [2] have shown that a transition can take place to a regime of uniform ascent or sinking of the particles in the field of a planar capacitor. In the present paper, a criterion of stability of such a regime in an electric field is derived. It is shown that if the electric field is sufficiently strong (stronger than a certain critical E_cr) the regime is stable. The stability arises because in a mixture of polarizable phases in the presence of an electric field the difference between the permittivities results in a force F which acts on the disperse phase. In the one-dimensional case, under certain conditions, this force is proportional to the gradient of the volume concentration of the particles and has the opposite direction (F = -² ). Thus, this force, like the pressure gradient in a gas, tends to smooth perturbations of the density, velocity, and other parameters. It is found that if the electric field is absent or sufficiently weak the processes of uniform ascent and sinking are unstable with respect to small perturbations. A formula is derived for calculating the thickness of a liquid layer in which weak perturbations do not succeed in increasing their amplitude appreciably (the case when the flow parameters are such that the motion is unstable with respect to small perturbations). The thicknesses of this layer for different mixtures are given. It is shown that a magnetic field has a stabilizing influence on the considered processes in a magnetic liquid or in magnetizable particles in an ordinary liquid.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 5–12, July–August, 1982.