Theoretical and Experimental Study of Development of Two-Dimensional Steady and Unsteady Wakes Within Curved Channels

Abstract

Development of steady and periodic unsteady wake flows downstream of stationary and rotating cylindrical rods within a curved channel under zero longitudinal pressure gradient is theoretically and experimentally investigated. Wake quantities such as the mean velocity and turbulent fluctuations in longitudinal and lateral directions, as well as the turbulent shear stress, are measured. For the nondimensionalized velocity defect, affine profiles are observed throughout the flow regime. Based on these observations and using the transformed equations of motion and continuity, a theoretical frame work is established that generally describes the two-dimensional curvilinear wake flow. To confirm the theory, development of steady and periodic unsteady wakes in the above curved channel are experimentally investigated. The detailed comparison between the measurement and the theory indicates that the complex steady and unsteady wake flows are very well predicted.