Some properties of sink-flow turbulent boundary layers

Abstract

An experimental study of asymptotic sink-flow turbulent boundary layers is reported. Three levels of acceleration corresponding to values of the acceleration parameter K of 1·5 × 10−6, 2·5 × 10×6 and 3·0 × 10×6 have been examined. In addition to mean velocity profiles, measurements have been obtained of the profiles of longitudinal turbulence intensity, and, for the lowest value of K, of the lateral and transverse components as well. Measurements at selected positions in the boundary layer of the power spectral density indicate that none of the boundary layers exhibit an inertial subrange; for the steepest acceleration, in particular, throughout the boundary layer the spectrum shapes are similar in form to those reported within the viscous sublayer of a high Reynolds number turbulent flow.