Measurements of the Turbulence Structure in the Vicinity of a 3-D Separation

Abstract

The flow in the cross-flow separation region of a 6:1 prolate spheroid at 10 deg angle of attack, ReL = 4.20 × 106, was investigated using a novel, miniature, 3-D, fiber-optic Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV). The probe was used to measure three simultaneous, orthogonal velocity components from within the model, from approximately y+ = 7 out to the boundary layer edge. Velocity, Reynolds stress, and velocity triple product measurements are presented. These measurements are used to calculate the skin friction and to examine the convection, production, and diffusion of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) about the three-dimensional separation. Comparisons of the measured production and diffusion of TKE in the cross-flow separation region—as well as in nonseparated regions of the flow—to the production and diffusion predicted by several models for these terms are shown.