Numerical study of the natural transition of water boundary layers over heated/cooled flat plates

Abstract

The natural transition of water boundary layers on heated/cooled flat plates is investigated using numerical methods. The influences of wall temperature, oncoming flow velocity, and onco ming flow temperature on the transition are studied. Laminar basic flows are obtained by solving the Blasius equations, while water temperature is taken into consideration. Linear stability analyses of the basic flows are performed, and the transition positions are predicted using the eN method. The spectra of wall pressure fluctuations in the laminar region are also predicted. The results show that the heated wall produces a fuller velocity profile and a thinner boundary layer for the laminar flow and that a cooled wall causes the opposite effects. Consequently, the heated wall delays transition, while the cooled wall advances transition. As wall temperature increases, the effect of transition delay becomes stronger until the maximal delay effect occurs at an optimal wall temperature. Wall temperatures higher than the optimal value weaken the transition delay effect. This phenomenon of the heated wall is called transition reversal. A heated wall suppresses the wall pressure fluctuation, and a cooled wall has the opposite effect. The oncoming flow velocity has little influence on the non-dimensional transition position, while the oncoming flow temperature has a strong influence on it. At the same wall temperature, a higher oncoming flow temperature leads to a thicker boundary layer, stronger instability, and an earlier transition. A lower oncoming flow temperature leads to stronger sensitivity of the transition to the wall temperature.