Viscid-Inviscid Interaction of Incompressible Separated Flows

Abstract

A flow model has been devised to deal with the viscid-inviscid interaction of a class of two-dimensional incompressible separated flow problems. It is suggested that the corresponding inviscid flow of these problems is described by the free streamline theory with few unspecified parameters and their values are, in turn, determined by the viscous flow considerations. The problem of a flow past a backward facing step is selected for study in detail. The viscous flow components of turbulent jet mixing, recompression, and reattachment are delineated and studied individually. When they are later combined, it is found that the point of reattachment behaves as a saddle-point-type singularity in the system of differential equations describing the viscous flow process. This feature is employed to the determination of the aforementioned free parameters and thus the establishment of the overall corresponding inviscid flow field. The resulting base pressure coefficient for the specific case agrees reasonably well with the available experimental data. Additional calculations are performed to demonstrate the influence of higher Reynolds numbers and the values of the similarity (or spread rate) parameter σ of the “constant pressure” turbulent jet mixing process. Further studies of redevelopment of the viscous flow after reattachment, the turbulent exchange within the recompression and redevelopment regions, and the effect of wind tunnel-wall interference on the overall flow patterns have been suggested and discussed.