Disturbances introduced in wall-bounded flows can grow and lead to transition from laminar to turbulent flow. In order to reduce losses or enhance mixing in energy systems, a fundamental understanding of the flow stability and transition mechanism is important. In the present thesis, the stability, transition mechanism and early turbulent evolution of wall-bounded flows are studied. The stability is investigated by means of linear stability equations and the transition mechanism and turbulence are studied using direct numerical simulations. Three base flows are considered, the Falkner-Skan boundary layer, boundary layers subjected to wall suction and the Blasius wall jet. The stability with respect to the exponential growth of waves and the algebraic growth of optimal streaks is studied for the Falkner-Skan boundary layer. For the algebraic growth, the optimal initial location, where the optimal disturbance is introduced in the boundary layer, is found to move downstream with decreased pressure gradient. A unified transition prediction method incorporating the influences of pressure gradient and free-stream turbulence is suggested. The algebraic growth of streaks in boundary layers subjected to wall suction is calculated. It is found that the spatial analysis gives larger optimal growth than temporal theory. Furthermore, it is found that the optimal growth is larger if the suction begins a distance downstream of the leading edge. Thresholds for transition of periodic and localized disturbances as well as the spreading of turbulent spots in the asymptotic suction boundary layer are investigated for Reynolds number Re=500, 800 and 1200 based on the displacement thickness and the free-stream velocity. It is found that the threshold amplitude scales like Re^-1.05 for transition initiated by streamwise vortices and random noise, like Re^-1.3 for oblique transition and like Re^-1.5 for the localized disturbance. The turbulent spot is found to take a bullet-shaped form that becomes more distinct and increases its spreading rate for higher Reynolds number. The Blasius wall jet is matched to the measured flow in an experimental wall-jet facility. Both the linear and nonlinear regime of introduced waves and streaks are investigated and compared to measurements. It is demonstrated that the streaks play an important role in the breakdown process where they suppress pairing and enhance breakdown to turbulence. Furthermore, statistics from the early turbulent regime are analyzed and reveal a reasonable self-similar behavior, which is most pronounced with inner scaling in the near-wall region. / QC 20101025

<p>Disturbances introduced in wall-bounded flows can grow and lead to transition from laminar to turbulent flow. In order to reduce losses or enhance mixing in energy systems, a fundamental understanding of the flow stability and transition mechanism is important. In the present thesis, the stability, transition mechanism and early turbulent evolution of wall-bounded flows are studied. The stability is investigated by means of linear stability equations and the transition mechanism and turbulence are studied using direct numerical simulations. Three base flows are considered, the Falkner-Skan boundary layer, boundary layers subjected to wall suction and the Blasius wall jet. The stability with respect to the exponential growth of waves and the algebraic growth of optimal streaks is studied for the Falkner-Skan boundary layer. For the algebraic growth, the optimal initial location, where the optimal disturbance is introduced in the boundary layer, is found to move downstream with decreased pressure gradient. A unified transition prediction method incorporating the influences of pressure gradient and free-stream turbulence is suggested. The algebraic growth of streaks in boundary layers subjected to wall suction is calculated. It is found that the spatial analysis gives larger optimal growth than temporal theory. Furthermore, it is found that the optimal growth is larger if the suction begins a distance downstream of the leading edge. Thresholds for transition of periodic and localized disturbances as well as the spreading of turbulent spots in the asymptotic suction boundary layer are investigated for Reynolds number Re=500, 800 and 1200 based on the displacement thickness and the free-stream velocity. It is found that the threshold amplitude scales like Re^-1.05 for transition initiated by streamwise vortices and random noise, like Re^-1.3 for oblique transition and like Re^-1.5 for the localized disturbance. The turbulent spot is found to take a bullet-shaped form that becomes more distinct and increases its spreading rate for higher Reynolds number. The Blasius wall jet is matched to the measured flow in an experimental wall-jet facility. Both the linear and nonlinear regime of introduced waves and streaks are investigated and compared to measurements. It is demonstrated that the streaks play an important role in the breakdown process where they suppress pairing and enhance breakdown to turbulence. Furthermore, statistics from the early turbulent regime are analyzed and reveal a reasonable self-similar behavior, which is most pronounced with inner scaling in the near-wall region.</p>

<p>Disturbances introduced in wall-bounded .ows can grow andlead to transition from laminar to turbulent .ow. In order toreduce losses or enhance mixing in energy systems, afundamental understanding of the .ow stability is important. Inlow disturbance environments, the typical path to transition isan exponential growth of modal waves. On the other hand, inlarge disturbance environments, such as in the presence of highlevels of free-stream turbulence or surface roughness,algebraic growth of non-modal streaks can lead to transition.In the present work, the stability of wall-bounded .ows isinvestigated by means of linear stability equations valid bothfor the exponential and algebraic growth scenario. Anadjoint-based optimization technique is used to optimize thealgebraic growth of streaks. The exponential growth of waves ismaximized in the sense that the envelope of the most ampli.edeigenmode is calculated. Two wall-bounded .ows areinvestigated, the Falkner–Skan boundary layer subject tofavorable, adverse and zero pressure gradients and the Blasiuswall jet. For the Falkner–Skan boundary layer, theoptimization is carried out over the initial streamwiselocation as well as the spanwise wave number and the angularfrequency. Furthermore, a uni.ed transition-prediction methodbased on available experimental data is suggested. The Blasiuswall jet is matched to the measured .ow in an experimentalwall-jet facility. Linear stability analysis with respect tothe growth of two-dimensional waves and streamwise streaks areperformed and compared to the experiments. The nonlinearinteraction of introduced waves and streaks and the .owstructures preceding the .ow breakdown are investigated bymeans of direct numerical simulations.</p><p>Descriptors: Boundary layer, wall jet, algebraic growth,exponential growth, lift-up e.ect, streamwise streaks,Tollmien-Schlichting waves, free-stream turbulence, roughnesselement, transition prediction, Parabolized StabilityEquations, Direct Numerical Simulation.</p>

Disturbances introduced in wall-bounded .ows can grow andlead to transition from laminar to turbulent .ow. In order toreduce losses or enhance mixing in energy systems, afundamental understanding of the .ow stability is important. Inlow disturbance environments, the typical path to transition isan exponential growth of modal waves. On the other hand, inlarge disturbance environments, such as in the presence of highlevels of free-stream turbulence or surface roughness,algebraic growth of non-modal streaks can lead to transition.In the present work, the stability of wall-bounded .ows isinvestigated by means of linear stability equations valid bothfor the exponential and algebraic growth scenario. Anadjoint-based optimization technique is used to optimize thealgebraic growth of streaks. The exponential growth of waves ismaximized in the sense that the envelope of the most ampli.edeigenmode is calculated. Two wall-bounded .ows areinvestigated, the Falkner–Skan boundary layer subject tofavorable, adverse and zero pressure gradients and the Blasiuswall jet. For the Falkner–Skan boundary layer, theoptimization is carried out over the initial streamwiselocation as well as the spanwise wave number and the angularfrequency. Furthermore, a uni.ed transition-prediction methodbased on available experimental data is suggested. The Blasiuswall jet is matched to the measured .ow in an experimentalwall-jet facility. Linear stability analysis with respect tothe growth of two-dimensional waves and streamwise streaks areperformed and compared to the experiments. The nonlinearinteraction of introduced waves and streaks and the .owstructures preceding the .ow breakdown are investigated bymeans of direct numerical simulations. Descriptors: Boundary layer, wall jet, algebraic growth,exponential growth, lift-up e.ect, streamwise streaks,Tollmien-Schlichting waves, free-stream turbulence, roughnesselement, transition prediction, Parabolized StabilityEquations, Direct Numerical Simulation. / NR 20140805