Development of the turbulent near wake of a tapered thick flat plate

Abstract

The velocity field and turbulence structure in the near wake of a thick flat plate with a tapered trailing-edge geometry are examined using both hydrogen-bubble flow visualization and hot-film anemometry measurements. Tests were conducted for Re1 = 8.5 × 105 in the region 0 < x+ < 6400 behind the trailing edge. The probe and visualization results indicate a similarity between both (i) velocity and turbulence structure variations wih x+ in the near wake, and (ii) the corresponding changes in similar flow characteristics with y+ within a turbulent boundary layer. In particular, visualization data in the vicinity of the wake centreline reveal the existence of strong streamwise flow structures in the region close (x+ < 270) to the trailing edge. The streamwise orientation of the observed structures diminishes as x+ increases. From hot-film measurements, two separate regions along the wake centreline can be distinguished: (i) a linear growth region which extends over 0 < x+ < 100, wherein the centreline velocity varies linearly with x+; and (ii) a logarithmic growth region for x+ > 270, wherein the centreline velocity varies as log x+. The similarity in behaviour between these regions and the comparable wall region of a turbulent boundary layer suggests the existence of a common functionality. This similarity is demonstrated by a simple linear relationship of the form y+ = Kx+, which is shown to approximately collapse the velocity behaviour both across a turbulent boundary layer and along the wake centreline to a unified set of empirical relationships.