Published 4 issues per year
ISSN Print: 1065-3090
ISSN Online: 1940-4336
Indexed in
DIGITAL VISUALIZATION OF THE BEHAVIOR OF PERIODIC UNSTEADY BOUNDARY LAYER TRANSITION ALONG A CURVED PLATE AT ZERO LONGITUDINAL PRESSURE GRADIENT
ABSTRACT
Digital visualization of complex boundary layer transition along the concave side of a curved plate under a periodic unsteady flow condition and zero longitudinal pressure gradient is presented in this report. The concave side simulates the pressure surface of a turbine blade with zero degree of reaction. Experimental investigations were carried out on an unsteady flow research facility using a rotating cascade of rods positioned upstream of the curved plate with a zero longitudinal pressure gradient. A specially designed traversing system and hot-wire probe enabled detailed boundary layer measurements that were analyzed by the ensemble-averaging technique. The results presented in the temporal-spatial domain allow clear visualization of the transition phenomenon and further development of the boundary layer, specifically the ensemble-averaged velocity and turbulence intensity. Furthermore, they contribute to better understanding the transition phenomenon, which is essential for development of a comprehensive boundary layer transition model.