Separation Prediction for Conical Diffusers

Abstract

A method of incompressible turbulent boundary-layer analysis based on the D parameter introduced by D. Ross is applied to conical-diffuser flow. The separation conditions are shown to depend on the initial momentum-thickness Reynolds number and a distance parameter involving the initial momentum thickness, the initial radius, and the diffuser length. Comparison with experimental information on diffuser separation indicates that the predictions are reliable, but conservative.