Turbulent Boundary Layer Subjected to a Sudden Change in Surface Roughness and Temperature

Abstract

Abstract In present work, the dynamic and thermal behaviour of flows that develop over surfaces that simultaneously present a sudden change in surface roughness and temperature are discussed. In particular, the work is concerned with the physical validation of a newly proposed formulation for the near wall temperature profile. The theory uses the concept of the displacement in origin, together with some asymptotic arguments, to propose a new expression for the logarithmic region of the turbulent boundary layer. The new expressions are, therefore, of universal applicability, being independent of the type of rough surface considered. The present formulation may be used to give wall boundary conditions for two-equation differential models. The theoretical results are validated with experimental data obtained for flows that develop over flat surfaces with sudden changes in surface roughness and in temperature conditions. Measurements of mean velocity and of mean temperature are presented. A reduction of the data provides an estimate of the skin-friction coefficient, the Stanton number, the displacement in origin for both the velocity and the temperature profiles, and the thickness of the internal layers for the velocity and temperature profiles. The skin-friction co-efficient was calculated based on the chart method of Perry and Joubert (J.F.M., 17, 193–211, 1963) and on a balance of the integral momentum equation. The same chart method was used for the evaluation of the Stanton number and the displacement in origin.