On-wall and interior separation in a two-fluid boundary layer

Abstract

Abstract A two-fluid boundary layer is considered in the context of a high Reynolds number Poiseuille–Couette channel flow encountering an elongated shallow obstacle. The flow is laminar, steady and two-dimensional, with the boundary layer shown to have the pressure unknown in advance and a specified displacement (a condensed boundary layer). The focus is on the detail of the flow reversal triggered by the obstacle. The interface between the two fluids passes through the boundary layer which, in conjunction with the effects of gravity and distinct densities in the two fluids, leads to several possible topologies of the reversed flow, including a conventional on-wall separation, interior flow reversal above the interface, and several combinations of the two. The effect of upstream influence due to a transverse pressure variation under gravity is mentioned briefly.