Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T09:23:29.715Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The characteristics of low-speed streaks in the near-wall region of a turbulent boundary layer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2006

C. R. Smith  and
S. P. Metzler
C. R. Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015
S. P. Metzler
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Employing a high-speed video system and hydrogen bubble-wire flow visualization, the characteristics of the low-speed streaks which occur in the near-wall region of turbulent boundary layers have been examined for a Reynolds-number range of 740 [les ] Reθ < 5830. The results indicate that the statistics of non-dimensional spanwise streak spacing are essentially invariant with Reynolds number, exhibiting consistent values of $\overline{\lambda^{+}} \approx 100$ and remarkably similar probability distributions conforming to lognormal behaviour. Further studies show that streak spacing increases with distance from the wall owing to a merging and intermittency process which occurs for y+ [simg ] 5. An additional observation is that, although low-speed streaks are not fixed in time and space, they demonstrate a tremendous persistence, often maintaining their integrity and reinforcing themselves for time periods up to an order of magnitude longer than the observed bursting times associated with wall region turbulence production. A mechanism for the formation of low-speed streaks is suggested which may explain both the observed merging behaviour and the streak persistence.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 129 , April 1983 , pp. 27 - 54
Copyright
© 1983 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Achia, B. U. & Thompson, D. W. 1976 J. Fluid Mech. 81, 439.
Aitchison, J. & Brown, J. A. C. 1957 The Lognormal Distribution. Cambridge University Press.
Bakewell, H. P. & Lumley, J. L. 1967 Phys. Fluids 10, 9.
Bippes, H. 1972 Experimentelle Untersuchung des laminar-turbulenten Umschlags an einer parallel angeströmten konkaven Wand Sitz. Heidelberger Akad. Wiss. Math.-naturwiss. Klasse 3, 103.Google Scholar
Blackwelder, R. F. & Eckelmann, H. 1979 J. Fluid Mech. 94, 577.
Corrsin, S. In Proc. 1st Symp. on Naval Hydrodyn. N.A.S.–N.R.C. Publ. 515, p. 373.
Ferrell, J. K., Richardson, F. M. & Beatty, K. O. 1955 Ind. Engng Chem. 47, 29.
Gupta, A. K., Laufer, J. & Kaplan, R. E. 1971 J. Fluid Mech. 50, 493.
Hama, F. R. & Nutant, J. 1963 In Proc. 1963 Heat Transfer and Fluid Mech. Inst., vol. 77. Stanford University Press.
Haritonidas, J. H. 1979 Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 24, 1142.
Hastings, N. I. J. & Peacock, J. B. 1975 Statistical Distributions, p. 84. Butterworth.
Head, M. R. & Bandyopadhyay, P. 1978 In Coherent Structure of Turbulent Boundary Layers (ed. C. R. Smith & D. E. Abbott), p. 98. AFOSR/Lehigh University Workshop, Dept Mech. Engng & Mech., Bethlehem, PA.
Head, M. R. & Bandyopadhay, P. 1981 J. Fluid Mech. 107, 297.
Hinze, J. O. 1975 Turbulence, p. 683. McGraw-Hill.
Kastrinakis, E. G., Wallace, J. M., Willmarth, W. W., Ghorashi, B. & Brodkey, R. S. 1978 In Structure and Mechanisms of Turbulence I (ed. H. Fiedler). Lecture Notes in Physics, vol. 75, p. 175.
Kim, H. T., Kline, S. J. & Reynolds, W. C. 1971 J. Fluid Mech. 50, 133.
Kline, S. J. 1967 In Fluid Mechanics of Internal Flow (ed. F. Sovran), p. 27. Elsevier.
Kline, S. J. 1978 In Coherent Structure of Turbulent Boundary Layers (ed. C. R. Smith & D. E. Abbott), p. 1. AFOSR/Lehigh University Workshop, Dept Mech. Engng & Mech., Bethlehem, PA.
Kline, S. J., Reynolds, W. C., Schraub, F. A. & Runstadler, P. W. 1967 J. Fluid Mech. 30, 741.
Kreplin, H. P. & Eckelmann, H. 1979 J. Fluid Mech. 95, 305.
Lee, M. K., Eckelman, L. D. & Hanratty, T. J. 1974 J. Fluid Mech. 66, 17.
Metzler, S. P. 1980 Processes in the wall region of a turbulent boundary layer. M.S. thesis, Dept of Mech. Engng & Mech., Lehigh University.
Nakagawa, H. & Nezu, I. 1981 J. Fluid Mech. 104, 1.
Offen, G. R. & Kline, S. J. 1975 J. Fluid Mech. 70, 209.
Oldaker, D. K. & Tiederman, W. G. 1977 Phys. Fluids Suppl. II 20, S133.
Perry, A. E., Lim, T. T. & Teh, E. W. 1981 J. Fluid Mech. 104, 387.
Runstadler, P. W., Kline, S. J. & Reynolds, W. C. 1963 Dept Mech. Engng, Stanford University, Rep. MD-8.
Saffman, P. C. & Baker, G. R. 1979 Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. 11, 95.
Schraub, F. A. & Kline, S. J. 1965 Dept Mech. Engng, Stanford University, Rep. MD-12.
Schwartz, S. P. 1981 Investigation of vortical motions in the inner region of a turbulent boundary layer. M.S. thesis, Dept Mech. Engng & Mech., Lehigh University.
Smith, C. R. 1978 In Coherent Structure of Turbulent Boundary Layers (ed. C. R. Smith & D. E. Abbott), p. 50. AFOSR/Lehigh University Workshop, Dept Mech. Engng & Mech., Bethlehem, PA.
Smith, C. R. & Metzler, S. P. 1982 In Developments in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, vol. XI (ed. T. J. Chung & G. R. Karr), p. 533. Dept Mech. Engng, University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Smith, C. R., Schwartz, S. P., Metzler, S. P. & Cerra, A. W. 1981 In Flow Visualization II (ed. W. Merzkirch), p. 605. Hemisphere.
Utami, T. & Ueno, T. 1979 In Flow Visualization (ed. T. Asanunra), p. 221. Hemisphere.
Utami, T., Ueno, T., Imamoto, H. & Ohtoshi, K. 1982 In Flow Visualization II (ed. W. Merzkirch), p. 476. Hemisphere.
Wallace, J. M. 1982 In Developments in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, vol. XI (ed. T. J. Chung & G. R. Karr), p. 509. Dept Mech. Engng, University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Willmarth, W. W. & Tu, B. J. 1967 Phys. Fluids Suppl. 10, S134.