Measurement of the Reynolds stresses and the mean-flow field in a three-dimensional pressure-driven boundary layer

Abstract

An experimental study of a steady, incompressible, three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer approaching separation is reported. The flow field external to the boundary layer was deflected laterally by turning vanes so that streamwise flow deceleration occurred simultaneous with cross-flow acceleration. At 21 stations profiles of the mean-velocity components and of the six Reynolds stresses were measured with single- and X-hot-wire probes, which were rotatable around their longitudinal axes. The calibration of the hot wires with respect to magnitude and direction of the velocity vector as well as the method of evaluating the Reynolds stresses from the measured data are described in a separate paper (Müller 1982, hereinafter referred to as II). At each measuring station the wall shear stress was inferred from a Preston-tube measurement as well as from a Clauser chart. With the measured profiles of the mean velocities and of the Reynolds stresses several assumptions used for turbulence modelling were checked for their validity in this flow. For example, eddy viscosities for both tangential directions and the corresponding mixing lengths as well as the ratio of resultant turbulent shear stress to turbulent kinetic energy were derived from the data.