Influence of Freestream Turbulence Intensity on Bypass Transition Parameters in a Boundary Layer

Abstract

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the turbulent flow behind passive grids in a subsonic wind tunnel. The enhanced level of turbulence was generated by five wicker metal grids with square meshes and different parameters (diameter of the grid rod d = 0.3 to 3 mm and the grid mesh size M = 1 to 30 mm). The velocity of the flow was measured by means of a one-dimensional hot-wire probe. For this purpose, skewness, kurtosis, and transverse variation of the velocity fluctuations were determined, obtaining knowledge of the degree of turbulence isotropy and homogeneity in the flow behind grids of variable geometry, for different incoming velocities U = 4, 6, 10, 15, 20 m/s. Approximately, the isotropic and homogeneous turbulence was obtained for x/M > 30. Next, several correlations for turbulence degeneration law were tested. Finally, as the main goal of the study, impact of turbulence intensity on bypass laminar–turbulent transition parameters (transition inception, shape parameter, and the length of the transition region) on a flat plate was investigated. Parameter ITum was created as an integral taken from the leading edge of the plate to the transition inception, divided by the distance from the leading edge to the transition inception, expressing in this way the averaged value of turbulence intensity.