The Molecular Origin of Turbulence in a Flowing Gas
Abstract
Following the analytical approach of James Clerk Maxwell in his Kinetic Theory of Gases derivation of mu, the coefficient of viscosity of a gas, the author treats with the growth of an aerodynamic boundary-layer (1) over an infinite flat plate with time, assuming a step-function of air velocity, and (2) over a semi-infinite flat plate (sharp leading edge) with time and downstream-distance, x, assuming a step function of air velocity. Using LaPlace-transform techniques, a path is found to the solution of both cases, after recognizing the similarity of the format of the equations in the s-plane to those appearing in the s-plane for Servomechanism Theory. Solutions for Case 1 and for Case 2 take the form of multi- loop Growth-Mechanism diagrams, similar to Servo-mechanism Loop diagrams, and give a pictorial view of how these two Boundary-Layer growth cases behave molecularly. Work in progress aims at solving for the Turbulence Transition point in terms of molecular parameters, and the strength and spacing of the vortex kernels downstream of the transition point. END
- Publication:
-
APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- November 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003APS..DFD.MB006D