A universal velocity transformation for boundary layers with pressure gradients

Abstract

The logarithmic law of the wall does not capture the mean flow when a boundary layer is subjected to a strong pressure gradient. In such a boundary layer, the mean flow is affected by the spatio-temporal history of the imposed pressure gradient; and accounting for history effects remains a challenge. This work aims to develop a universal mean flow scaling for boundary layers subjected to arbitrary adverse or/and favourable pressure gradients. We derive from the Navier–Stokes equation a velocity transformation that accounts for the history effects and maps the mean flow to the canonical law of the wall. The transformation is tested against channel flows with a suddenly imposed adverse or favourable pressure gradient, boundary layer flows subjected to an adverse pressure gradient, and Couette–Poiseuille flows with a streamwise pressure gradient. It is found that the transformed velocity profiles follow closely the equilibrium law of the wall.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Aug 25, 2023
Source ID
10.1017/jfm.2023.570

Entities

People

  • Kevin P. Griffin
  • Peng E. S. Chen
  • Wen Wu
  • X I A Yang
  • Yipeng Shi

Organizations

  • National Natural Science Foundation of China
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • National Science Foundation
  • Office of Naval Research
  • Office of Science

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.