Infrared thermography of hypersonic boundary layer transition induced by isolated roughness elements

Abstract

Roughness element induced hypersonic boundary layer transition on a flat plate is investigated using infrared thermography at Ma = 5 and 6 flow condition. Surface Stanton number is acquired to analyze the effect of roughness element shape and height on the transition process. The correlation between the vortex structure induced by roughness element and the wall heat streaks is established. The results indicate that higher roughness element would induce stronger streamwise heat flux streaks, lead to transition advance in streamwise centerline and increase the width of spanwise wake. Moreover, for low roughness element, the effect of the shape is not obvious, and the height plays a leading role in the transition; for tall roughness element, the effect on accelerating transition for the diamond roughness element is the best, the square is the worst, and the shape plays a leading role in the transition.