DNS Study on Physics of Late Boundary Layer Transition

Abstract

This paper serves as a review of our recent new DNS study on physics of late boundary layer transition. This includes mechanism of the large coherent vortex structure formation, small length scale generation and flow randomization. The widely spread concept vortex breakdown to turbulence,which was considered as the last stage of flow transition, is not observed and is found theoretically incorrect. The classical theory on boundary layer transition is challenged and we proposed a new theory with five steps, i.e. receptivity, linear instability, large vortex formation, small length scale generation, loss of symmetry and randomization to turbulence. We have also proposed a new theory about turbulence generation. The new theory shows that all small length scales (turbulence) are generated by shear layer instability which is produced by large vortex structure with multiple level vortex rings, multiple level sweeps and ejections, and multiple level negative and positive spikes near the laminar sub-layers.Therefore, turbulence is not generated by vortex breakdown but rather positive and negative spikes and consequent high shear layers. Shear layer instability is considered as the mother of turbulence. This new theory may give a universal mechanism for turbulence generation and sustenance which shows that the energy is brought by large vortex structure through multiple level sweeps.