Effect of unit Reynolds number on the laminar-turbulent transition on a swept wing in supersonic flow

Abstract

An experimental study of the influence of unit Reynolds number on the position of laminar-turbulent transition in swept-wing boundary layer at supersonic flow velocities was carried out. In the experiments, a swept-wing model with 3-% circular arc airfoil and 45-deg gliding angle of wing edges was used. The position of the transition was iden-tified using a hot-wire anemometer. It was found that at М = 2 and 2.5, an increase in the unit Reynolds number (Re1) leads to a transition delay. It was shown that an increase in freestream Mach number and in the level of flow pulsations in the wind-tunnel test section leads to a less pronounced influence of Re1 on the transition position. At a high noise level due to the growth of Mach number or due to the introduction of vortical disturbances, no effect due to unit Reyn-olds number on the transition position was observed.