Numerical prediction of turbulent boundary layer development on a two-dimensional curved wall
Abstract
A finite difference method for calculating the flow and boundary layer development on a two-dimensional convex wall, i.e., a curved surface such as an airfoil, is presented. Governing partial differential equations are defined for a coordinate system with no lateral transfer of mass, and a solution is sought in terms of the momentum. Modification of the technique to account for turbulent flows by modelling the effective viscosity as a combination of the laminar and turbulent components is demonstrated. A tridiagonal matrix algorithm is employed to solve the implicit forms of the finite difference equations. The model predictions for the flow over a curved body are compared with wind tunnel data for a curved wood surface instrumented with pitot tubes. It is found that the procedure is valid in cases of adverse pressure gradients.
- Publication:
-
Numerical Methods in Laminar and Turbulent Flow
- Pub Date:
- 1981
- Bibcode:
- 1981nmlt.proc..531G
- Keywords:
-
- Airfoils;
- Computational Fluid Dynamics;
- Finite Difference Theory;
- Turbulent Boundary Layer;
- Wall Flow;
- Flow Measurement;
- Kinetic Energy;
- Laminar Flow;
- Partial Differential Equations;
- Pitot Tubes;
- Pressure Gradients;
- Viscosity;
- Wind Tunnel Tests;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer