Re-Developing Turbulent Boundary Layers Behind Yawed Separation Bubbles

Abstract

SummaryMeasurements are presented of the mean flow properties of some three-dimensional turbulent boundary layers re-developing after reattachment behind short separation bubbles yawed at 26.5° to the main stream. For these measurements, Rθ11varied from about 550 to 1450. It was found that, where the pressure gradient parameter (ν/ρu3τ1)∂p/∂s was not greater than about 0.05, the flow in the local external streamline direction conformed well with empirical laws for fully-attached two-dimensional layers with regard to the mean velocity profiles, shape parameter relationships and skin friction laws, giving support to the usual assumption that these two-dimensional relationships may be applied to the streamwise flow in three-dimensional layers, subject to the limitation on the pressure gradient parameter. The cross-flow profiles, on the other hand, were not generally fitted well by the often-used representations of Mager and Johnston. The variations of the kinetic energy dissipation coefficient and the entrainment rate were deduced for one of the layers, both quantities being found to be higher than those predicted by empirical relationships for conventionally-developing two-dimensional layers. However, the energy dissipation is in fair agreement with that in a similarly re-developing two-dimensional flow.