Some observations of the subcritical transition in plane Poiseuille flow

Abstract

The subcritical transition in plane Poiseuille flow (generated in a long wind channel of rectangular cross-section) was studied experimentally. Cylinder-generated vortical disturbances were introduced into the parabolic flow (in the test section) or the inlet flow. The parabolic flow was also disturbed by a controlled periodic jet from a wall orifice. On the basis of the three kinds of observations, we come to the conclusion that the minimum transition Reynolds number is about 1000 and the related threshold intensity (of the external disturbance triggering the transition) is comparable to the maximum intensity of u-fluctuations in fully turbulent channel flows.