The control of boundary-layer transition using a wave-superposition principle

Abstract

An experimental study has been made of the concept of controlling boundary-layer transition by superimposing in the flow Tollmien–Schlichting waves that are of equal amplitude and antiphased to the disturbances that grow and lead to transition. The cases that have been considered are transition arising from a single-frequency two-dimensional disturbance and transition arising from a nonlinear interaction between two waves of different frequency. A feedback system for controlling transition has also been studied. In each case, both hot-wire surveys and flow visualization have shown that it is possible to delay transition but that the flow cannot be restored completely to its undisturbed state. This appears to be a consequence of interactions between the very weak three-dimensional background disturbances in the flow and the primary two-dimensional waves. The implications of these findings in an implementation of the concept are discussed.