Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 112-121).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-243).

Thesis supervisors: Frederick Stern, Joseph Longo. Includes bibliographic references (p. 157-159).

Flat plate turbulent boundary layers disturbed by periodic moving wakes have been observed in an experimental rig mounted in a low speed wind tunnel. The wakes are produced periodically by cylinders traversing in front of the leading edge of a flat plate on which the boundary layers are measured. This is to simulate the unsteady flow pattern generated by upstream blades on the downstream blade boundary layer in an axial flow turbomachine. Both the time-averaged and ensemble-averaged data are taken from the free stream and boundary layer at different flow conditions. Free stream steady and unsteady wakes are compared and found to be similar to each other. The wake disturbance in the free stream is a function of time and distance from the cylinder. The periodic disturbance in the inner half of the boundary layer lags behind that in the free stream. This phase lag is due to the lower convection velocity near the solid surface. Similar to a steady wake, the velocity defect of an unsteady wake is higher in boundary layer than in free stream. This results in the maximum velocity defect amplitude in the inner half of the boundary layer. Phase lag and amplitude ratio profiles of the boundary layers are plotted and found to be similar to data obtained from axial flow turbomachines. Phase-averaged velocity and turbulence intensity profiles at different phase angles between two successive wakes are shown in a series of transparencies. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mechanical Engineering, Department of / Graduate

In recent decades, greater interest in the effect of rotational wakes on gas turbine film cooling applications has produced increasing numbers of studies on these unsteady phenomena. Wakes are primarily shed from upstream components such as transition duct walls, stator vanes, and rotors. Studies have shown that in areas of unsteady flow, the best performing parameters in conventional steady investigations may not be the best for unsteady applications. One common method of modeling the unsteady wake interaction in subsonic flows is the use of spoke wheel type wake generators using cylindrical rods to produce the velocity detriment and local increase in turbulence intensity. Though the impact of wakes have been studied for decades on airfoil losses and boundary layer transition, only recently has the film cooling and wake interaction been investigated. The existing work is primarily on leading edge models and airfoil cascades. The primary parameter characterizing the unsteady wakes is the dimensionless or reduced frequency known as the Strouhal number. The film cooling jet itself has dominant frequencies resulting from the shear and the jet trailing wake shedding, depending on the injectant flow rate. There exist great deficiencies in the fundamental understanding of the interaction of these two frequencies. Heat transfer considerations are also relatively recent being studied only since the early 1990's. Heat transfer coefficients and film cooling effectiveness have been reported for leading edge and linear airfoil cascades. In the case of the linear cascade, no data can be taken near the endwall region due to the varying tangential velocity of wake generating rod. The current work expands on this initiative incorporating a sector annular duct as the test setting for the rotating wakes focusing on this endwall region.; Studies in to the effect of the rods in this alternate orientation include film cooling effectiveness using temperature sensitive paint, impact of wake rod to film cooling hole diameter ratio, and time accurate numerical predictions and comparisons with experimental work. Data are shown for a range of momentum flux ratios and Strouhal numbers. The result of this work sets the stage for the complete understanding of the unsteady wake and inclined jet interaction.

This investigation analyzes the effect of vortex wakes on the Lagrangian displacement of particles induced by the passage of an obstacle in a two-dimensional incompressible, inviscid fluid such that the flow is potential and time-independent in a suitable frame of reference. In addition to the trajectories of individual particles, we also study their drift and the corresponding total drift areas in the Föppl and Kirchhoff potential flow models. Our findings, which are obtained numerically and in some regimes are also supported by asymptotic analysis, are compared to the wakeless potential flow which serves as a reference. We show that in the presence of the Föppl vortex wake some of the particles follow more complicated trajectories featuring a second loop. The appearance of an additional stagnation point in the Föppl flow is identified as a source of this effect. It is also demonstrated that, while the total drift area increases with the size of the wake for large vortex strengths, it is actually decreased for small circulation values. On the other hand, the Kirchhoff flow model is shown to have an unbounded total drift area. By providing a systematic account of the wake effects on the drift, the results of this study will allow for more accurate modeling of hydrodynamic stirring. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

A set of second-moment closure turbulence models are implemented for the study of wake evolution in an oceanic environment. The effects of density stratification are considered, and the models are validated against laboratory experiments mimicking the stratified ocean environment, and against previous experimental study of wakes subjected to a density stratification. The turbulence models are found to reproduce a number of important behaviors which differentiate stratified wakes from those in a homogeneous environment, including the appropriate decay rates in turbulence quantities, buoyant suppression of turbulence length scales, and canonical stages in wake evolution. The existence of background turbulence is considered both through the introduction of production terms to the turbulence model equations and the replication of scale-resolved simulations of wakes embedded in turbulence. It is found that the freestream turbulence causes accelerated wake growth and faster decay of wake momentum. Wakes are then simulated at a variety of Re and Fr representative of full-scale vehicles operating in an ocean environment, to downstream distances several orders of magnitude greater than existing RANS studies. The models are used to make some general predictions concerning the dependence of late-wake behavior on these parameters, and specific insights into expected behavior are gained. The wake turbulence is classified using "fossil turbulence" and stratification strength criteria from the literature. In keeping with experimentally observed behavior, the stratification is predicted to increase wake persistence. It is also predicted that, regardless of initial Re or F r, the wake turbulence quickly becomes a mixture of overturning eddies and internal waves. It is found that the high Re wakes eventually become strongly affected by the stratification, and enter the strongly-stratified or LAST regime. Additional model improvements are proposed based on the predicted late wake behavior. / Doctor of Philosophy / A set of advanced turbulence models are implemented and used to study ship wakes in an oceanic environment. The flows in the ocean are subject to a density stratification due to changes in temperature and salinity; the associated effects are included in the turbulence models. The models are validated against laboratory experiments mimicking the stratified ocean environment, and against previous experimental study of wakes subjected to a density stratification. The turbulence models are found to reproduce a number of important behaviors expected under such conditions based on experimental study. Additional modifications are made to the models to include the effect of pre-existing freestream turbulence. Wakes are then simulated under conditions representative of full-scale vehicles operating in an ocean environment. The models are used to make some general predictions concerning late-wake behavior. Specific insights into expected behavior are gained. The wake turbulence is classified using ``fossil turbulence'' and stratification strength criteria from the literature. In keeping with experimentally observed behavior, the stratification is predicted to increase wake persistence. Additional model improvements are proposed based on the predicted late wake behavior.

An experimental study of the turbulent wake produced by a stern-propellor-driven body moving in a temperature-stratified fluid is presented. The velocity and thermal boundary layers on the body upstream of the propellor are also examined. Mean flow velocities, static pressure, flow angularity and mean temperature distributions are reported at five downstream stations, Z/0 = 0.33, 1 .0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0. Turbulence data, including temperature fluctuations are reported at Z/D = 0.33 and Z/D = 4.0. The measurements were taken using thermocouples and pitot tubes of various size, a yawhead probe, a cross-wire hot-wire, and a straight-wire hot-wire as appropriate. For measuring the temperature fluctuations, the straight hot-wire probe was operated in the low-overheat mode to maximize temperature sensitivity. The testing was conducted in the Virginia Tech 6’ X 6’ subsonic wind tunnel at free-stream Re_D = 2.04 X 10⁵. The temperature variation provides a means of tracing the wake development in the near-body region. The principal effect of the propellor is to induce a more or less rigid rotation immediately downstream of the body. The fluid is apparently mixed much less than was anticipated. Temperature fluctuation is mild across the wake except in the vicinity of the propellor tips where it becomes relatively large. The high temperature fluctuation often occurred in regions of low mean temperature gradients which indicates that current modeling techniques should be re-examined. / Ph. D.

A coordinated computational undertaken to investigate the and experimental study was behavior of the vortices trailing from low aspect ratio lifting surfaces. Vortex formation in the near-wake was measured in a wind tunnel with yaw-head and hot-wire probes at three different Reynolds numbers, the highest of which was greater than most previous studies. These near-wake measurements provided initial conditions for the far-field computation with the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations written in terms of vorticity and stream function. Turbulent transport was modeled through the turbulent kinetic energy and the Prandtl-Kolmogorov hypothesis to give an eddy viscosity. The experimental results showed that the effects of Reynolds number are significant for vortex formation in the nearwake, and the computation adequately effects. However, the decay trend in the far-field is essentially unaffected by the Reynolds number, and the predicted decay for maximum tangential velocity agreed very well with Iversen's correlation. / Ph. D.