Structure of a high-Reynolds-number turbulent wake in supersonic flow

Abstract

An experimental study of a high-Reynolds-number turbulent wake in supersonic flow is performed using space and space–time correlation measurements by means of hot-wire anemometry. The correlations for the streamwise component of the mass-flux fluctuations are given for six stations starting from the trailing edge down to the asymptotic part. The validity of the Taylor's hypothesis is tested, the convection velocities are determined and the downstream evolution of the optimum space–time correlation is given; the frequency spectra are discussed and the integral lengths are analysed. Finally, the three-dimensional isocorrelation surfaces are given at the six test stations and discussed in relation to classical incompressible-flow results. The downstream evolution of the correlations shows that the two sides of the wake are statistically independent near the trailing edge, and a statistical link is gradually established during the wake development. A three-zonal description of wakes generated by fully developed turbulent boundary layers applies as well for mean quantities (velocity, width) as for turbulence correlations. In the near-wake region the overall structure of the isocorrelation curves is close to that observed in turbulent boundary layers in incompressible flows; some low-frequency phenomena are observed in this region. In the latest part of the wake, an asymptotic state is reached for all the correlation characteristics; the final state reached is not explained by the double-roller-eddy model established for lower-Reynolds-number wakes; it appears that wakes generated by fully turbulent boundary layers behave quite differently from initially laminar wakes, and new turbulent structure models for high-Reynolds-number wakes are to be devised.