Experimental and theoretical studies of the strong interaction of viscous wall layers in a turbomachine

The asymmetrical viscous flow in the regions before and after the mixing point of two viscous wall layers between smooth plane walls is investigated experimentally in a low-velocity wind tunnel; the results are analyzed in detail and used to develop a semiempirical model of the strong interaction of viscous wall layers in turbomachines. Photographs and drawings of the experimental setup are provided, and the results are presented in extensive graphs and tables. The data reveal an affinity between the velocity profiles before and after mixing and permit the construction of an analytical expression based on the wake law. The interaction-dependence of the central-region flow is modeled using an integral method, introducing empirical correlations for a given viscous reference flow. Good agreement between the model predictions and the experimental data is demonstrated.