Hot-wire Data Research Articles

Active wake-flow control for a notchback Ahmed body driven by a genetically inspired optimization

This paper explores active wake-flow control on a notchback Ahmed body using genetically inspired optimization. Hotwire and particle image velocimetry measurements record velocity data and flow structures in the wake. Pulsed jets at four actuation slots (two at the roof trailing edge, two at the side trailing edges) dynamically control the wake to minimize aerodynamic drag. The study achieves up to 9.2 % (without consideration of energy consumption) drag reduction, primarily by manipulating vortices from the roof rear end. The paper elucidates the underlying flow mechanism and evaluates various actuation strategies, highlighting how optimal control leads to reattachment of wake separation at the rear slant, diminishing the slant bubble and promoting downstream reattachment for enhanced drag reduction.

POD Analysis of the Wake of Two Tandem Square Cylinders

This study aims to investigate the wake of two tandem square cylinders based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) analyses of the PIV and hotwire data. The cylinder centre-to-centre spacing ratio L/w examined is from 1.2 to 4.2, covering the four flow regimes, i.e., extended body, reattachment, transition and co-shedding. The Reynolds number examined was 1.3 × 104. A novel Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) technique (hereafter referred to as PODHW) is developed to analyse data from single point hotwire measurements, offering a new perspective compared to the conventional POD analysis (PODPIV) based on Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data. A key finding is the identification of two distinct states, reattachment and co-shedding, within the transition flow regime at L/w = 2.8, which PODPIV fails to capture due to the limited duration of the PIV data obtained. This study confirms, for the first time, the existence of these states as proposed by Zhou et al. (2024), highlighting the advantage of using PODHW for capturing intermittent flow phenomena. Furthermore, the analysis reveals how the predominant coherent structures contribute to the total fluctuating velocity energy in each individual regime. Other aspects of the flow are also discussed, including the Strouhal numbers, the contribution to the total fluctuating energy of the flow from the first four POD modes, and a comparison between different regimes.

Insights into the transition of separation bubble over a rough surface at varying angles of attack

The evolution of a separated boundary layer on the rough surface in the vicinity of a leading edge of a model airfoil is documented at varying angles of attack. Particle image velocimetry and hotwire data are analyzed to elucidate the flow feature, depicting the manifestation of the shear layer, its rollup, growth of perturbations, spectral response, and intermittency. For a hydrodynamically smooth surface, a laminar separation bubble often appears near the leading edge, where the shear layer becomes inviscidly unstable. Wall roughness amplifies the near-wall perturbations, resulting in earlier transition and reattachment. This leads to a reduction in bubble length and laminar shear layer length compared to the smooth surface at the corresponding angle of attack. Notably, despite the amplification of selective frequency, the inviscid instability is bypassed on the rough surface for varying angles of attack. Moreover, the linear stability analysis proves inadequate in predicting the most amplified frequency and the growth of disturbances. Furthermore, the universal intermittency curve formulated for the bypass transition is valid for the separation-induced transition, illustrating the significance of viscous effect.

Features of laminar separation bubble subjected to varying adverse pressure gradients

This article describes the spatial development of a laminar separation bubble (LSB), its transition, and eventual breakdown under the influence of adverse pressure gradients (APGs) similar to those experienced by low-pressure turbine blades. The investigation combines a comprehensive experimental approach with a well-resolved large eddy simulation (LES). The streamwise pressure gradients were varied by manipulating the upper wall within the test section. The Reynolds number (Re), based on the plate length and inlet velocity, was 0.2 × 106 with a freestream turbulence intensity of 1.02%. The particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hotwire data were used to illustrate the vortex dynamics, growth of perturbations, and intermittency. The onset and end of transition progressively shift upstream, resulting in a reduction of the laminar shear layer length and bubble length with increasing APG. Interestingly, the flow features exhibit self-similarity in velocity profiles and the growth rate of velocity fluctuations when normalized against the bubble length. The formation of two-dimensional Kelvin–Helmholtz (K–H) rolls is apparent in the beginning, resulting in the selective amplification of frequency and exponential growth of fluctuations. Linear stability theory explains the most amplified frequency and phase speed of convective vortices, apart from the growth of disturbances. Analysis of LES data reveals intricate inviscid–viscous interactions that trigger shear layer breakdown. In brief, evolving perturbations within the braid region of vortices in the latter half interact with the advecting K–H rolls, culminating in the breakdown and the onset of turbulent flow downstream.

Trailing edge actuation for a bluff body at moderate yaw optimized with a genetic algorithm

This experimental work is conducted to manipulate the wake to reduce aerodynamic drag using the actuations on the trailing edges of a bluff body at a yaw angle of 10°. Two loudspeakers are separately installed into the vertical trailing edges of the vertical base, creating a zero-net mass-flux jet through vertical slots. A maximum drag reduction of 2% and 1.5% is produced by the single actuation on the windward and leeward side, respectively. When the genetic algorithm is introduced to optimize the actuations on both sides, a drag reduction of 7% is obtained. Thus, the energy efficiency of the entire control system is greatly improved by 80% compared to the best single actuation. The underlying flow mechanism behind the effective parameters is proposed according to the analyses of the drag spectra and the hot-wire data measured with and without control. The genetic algorithm provides a promising optimization strategy for the better control performance of trailing edge actuation on a yawed bluff body. Furthermore, this strategy may have the engineering potential to reduce the drag of ground transport vehicles for a large range of operating conditions. Therefore, this research is expected to save energy consumption and improve traveling safety for the aerodynamic control of vehicles.

Excitation of a Separated Flow by a Series of Protuberances Near the Leading Edge of a Model Aerofoil

Abstract This article documents the manifestation of a shear layer under the excitation of a series of hemispherical protuberances near the leading edge of a constant-thickness airfoil. The experiments are performed at a Reynolds number of 1.6 × 105 based on the chord length and inlet velocity, where freestream turbulence is 1.2%. The hotwire and particle image velocimetry data are analyzed to appreciate the flow feature, illustrating the growth of perturbations, vortex dynamics, intermittency, and spectral response. A laminar separation bubble (LSB) appears near the leading edge for a smooth surface, and the shear layer is inviscidly unstable. The evolution of the shear layer significantly changes with a series of protuberances. The breakdown of the shear layer occurs almost immediately, triggering local turbulence resulting in a considerable reduction of the bubble length. However, a separation bubble of varying spanwise lengths is formed in this case. Although the power spectra of velocity fluctuations reveal the selective amplification of frequencies even with protuberances, the immediate augmentation of turbulence followed by faster decay suggests the transient growth of turbulence. The study has documented insight into features of a separation bubble subjected to leading-edge perturbations and might influence future studies on separation control over an airfoil.

Validation of Broadband Noise Prediction Methodology Based on Linearized Navier–Stokes Analyses

Abstract This article presents an integral validation of a synthetic turbulence broadband noise prediction methodology for fan/outlet-guide-vane (OGV) interaction. The test vehicle is the ACAT1 fan, a modern scaled-down fan, experimentally analyzed in 2018 within the TurboNoiseBB project. Three operating points, namely, Approach, Cutback, and Sideline, and two different rig configurations in terms of the axial gap between the fan and OGV are examined within this work. The methodology consists of using a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver to model the fan wake and the use of two-dimensional frequency domain linearized Navier–Stokes simulations to resolve the acoustics, including quasi-3D corrections to obtain representative results. The RANS results with no ad hoc tuning are compared in detail against hotwire data to determine the degree of uncertainty incurred by this kind of approach. The predicted broadband noise spectra and noise azimuthal decompositions are compared against the experimental data. The spectral levels are well predicted despite an average underprediction of around 3dB. The noise azimuthal decompositions feature a remarkable agreement with the experiment, denoting accurate modeling of the main physics governing the problem. The impact of increasing the fan/OGV axial gap is quantified numerically for the first time. It is concluded that increasing the gap is detrimental for the broadband noise footprint, unlike intuitively could be expected. Overall, the presented broadband noise methodology yields robust broadband noise predictions at an industrially feasible cost and enables a deeper understanding of the problem.

Residual dynamic mode decomposition: robust and verified Koopmanism

Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) describes complex dynamic processes through a hierarchy of simpler coherent features. DMD is regularly used to understand the fundamental characteristics of turbulence and is closely related to Koopman operators. However, verifying the decomposition, equivalently the computed spectral features of Koopman operators, remains a significant challenge due to the infinite-dimensional nature of Koopman operators. Challenges include spurious (unphysical) modes and dealing with continuous spectra, which both occur regularly in turbulent flows. Residual dynamic mode decomposition (ResDMD), introduced by Colbrook & Townsend (Rigorous data-driven computation of spectral properties of Koopman operators for dynamical systems. 2021. arXiv:2111.14889), overcomes such challenges through the data-driven computation of residuals associated with the full infinite-dimensional Koopman operator. ResDMD computes spectra and pseudospectra of general Koopman operators with error control and computes smoothed approximations of spectral measures (including continuous spectra) with explicit high-order convergence theorems. ResDMD thus provides robust and verified Koopmanism. We implement ResDMD and demonstrate its application in various fluid dynamic situations at varying Reynolds numbers from both numerical and experimental data. Examples include vortex shedding behind a cylinder, hot-wire data acquired in a turbulent boundary layer, particle image velocimetry data focusing on a wall-jet flow and laser-induced plasma acoustic pressure signals. We present some advantages of ResDMD: the ability to resolve nonlinear and transient modes verifiably; the verification of learnt dictionaries; the verification of Koopman mode decompositions; and spectral calculations with reduced broadening effects. We also discuss how a new ordering of modes via residuals enables greater accuracy than the traditional modulus ordering (e.g. when forecasting) with a smaller dictionary. This result paves the way for more significant dynamic compression of large datasets without sacrificing accuracy.

Analysis of Large Eddy Simulations and 1D Hot-Wire Data to Determine Actively Generated Main Flow Turbulence in a Film Cooling Test Rig

Abstract Active turbulence generators were incorporated into a wind tunnel to investigate more realistic inflow conditions for a film cooling test rig. The flow field signals are sampled numerically by probes in large eddy simulations (LES) and experimentally using 1D hot-wire measurements to determine turbulence quantities. The LES shows that the turbulence is anisotropic which cannot be detected by the 1D hot-wire. Furthermore, the integral length scale which shall provide insight into the sizes of the turbulent eddies is determined using two approaches. The first uses the one probe at two times correlation method and could be evaluated from the numerical and experimental probes. The second correlation method exploits the spatial resolution in the LES domain using the two probes at one time approach. Both methods show combustor-like turbulence length scales downstream of the active turbulence generators if the triple decomposition is applied onto the velocity signal.

Development of a curled wake of a yawed wind turbine under turbulent and sheared inflow

Abstract. Redirecting the wake from an upstream wind turbine by yawing its rotor can reduce the negative impact of the wake on a downstream turbine. The present research investigated wind turbine wake behaviour for three yaw angles [-30,0,30∘] at different inflow turbulence levels and shear profiles under controlled conditions. Experiments were conducted using a model wind turbine with 0.6 m diameter (D) in a large wind tunnel. A short-range lidar WindScanner was used to map the wake with high spatial and temporal resolution in vertical, cross-stream planes at different downstream locations and in a horizontal plane at hub height. The lidar WindScanner enabled fast measurements at multiple locations in comparison to the standard hot-wire measurements. The flow structures and the energy dissipation rate of the wake were measured from 1 up to 10 D, and for one inflow case up to 16 D, downstream of the turbine rotor. A strong dependency of the wake characteristics on both the yaw angle and the inflow conditions was observed. In addition, the curled wake that develops under yaw misalignment due to the counter-rotating vortex pair was more pronounced with a boundary layer (sheared) inflow condition than for uniform inflow with different turbulence levels. Furthermore, the lidar velocity data and calculated quantities such as the energy dissipation rate compared favourably with hot-wire data from previous experiments with a similar inflow condition and wind turbine model in the same facility, lending credibility to the measurement technique and methodology used here. The results of this measurement campaign provided a deeper understanding of the development of the wake for different yaw angles and inflow conditions which can help improve wake models.

Drag Estimation in the Near Wake of the NREL's Airfoils Based on Hot-Wire Data

This paper presents the results of the drag coefficient estimations for different types of NREL airfoils based on the experimental data. Namely, it was S803, S807, S813, and S817 profiles with the same chord length. The investigations were conducted at three angles of attack α=0°, α=±5°, different chord-based Reynolds numbers 0.6×105, 1.3×105 and 2.6×105. While, measuring cross-sections were placed behind the trailing edge at x∙c−1≈0.2, 0.4 and 1.0. Experimental data were collected using a hot-wire split fiber probe 55R55, which allowed us to estimate the characteristics of turbulent flow in stream-wise and crosswise directions. According to the obtained results, the highest and lowest Cd values correspond to profiles S817 and S803, respectively. Moreover, the results show that more asymmetric profiles S803 and S807 have the lowest resistance at zero angles of attack. Research background: Application of Antonia and Rajagopalan methodology to drag assessment of various stream bodies. Purpose of the article: Comparative evaluation of the drag coefficients of the NREL airfoils based on instantaneous velocity distribution behind. Methods: Hot-wire anemometry with split fiber probe 55R55. Findings & Value added: The highest drag coefficient corresponds to the S817 profile. The asymmetry of the airfoil shape has a significant impact on its drag characteristics.

Comparison of hot-wire and particle image velocimetry measurements in the zone of interaction of a shock wave with a boundary layer at Mach number of 1.43

The interaction of a shock wave with a laminar boundary layer was studied at the low supersonic Mach number M = 1.43. The measurements were carried out by particle image velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry. The wide range of Mach numbers in the shear layer occurring in the interaction zone made the analysis of hot-wire anemometer data much more difficult. The paper proposes the method of processing of the hot-wire anemometer data involving the simplified sensor calibration and the data obtained by the particle image velocimetry measurements. Good agreement of the results obtained by two experimental techniques is demonstrated. The data gathered in this work permit simplifying essentially the usage of the hot-wire anemometer technique applied for the study of transonic shear flows.

Comparison of Techniques for the Estimation of Flow Parameters of Fan Inflow Turbulence from Noisy Hot-Wire Data

Turbulence parameters, in particular integral length scale (ILS) and turbulence intensity (Tu), are key input parameters for various applications in aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. The estimation of these parameters is typically performed using data obtained via hot-wire measurements. On the one hand, hot-wire measurements are affected by external disturbances resulting in increased measurement noise. On the other hand, commonly applied turbulence parameter estimators lack in robustness. If not addressed correctly, both issues may impede the accuracy of the turbulence parameter estimation. In this article, a procedure consisting of several signal processing steps is presented to filter non-turbulence related disturbances from the unsteady velocity data. The signal processing techniques comprise time- and frequency-domain approaches. For the turbulence parameter estimation, two different models of the turbulence spectra—the von Kármán model and the Bullen model—are fitted to match the spectrum of the measured data. The results of several parameter estimation techniques are compared. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data are used to validate the estimation techniques and also to assess the influence of the variation in window size on the estimated parameters. Additionally, hot-wire data from a high-speed fan rig are analyzed. ILS and Tu are assessed at several radial positions for two fan speeds. It is found that most techniques yield similar values for ILS and Tu. The comparison of the fitted spectra with the spectra of the measured data shows a good agreement in most cases provided that a sufficiently fine frequency resolution is applied. The ratio of ILS and Tu of the velocity components in longitudinal and transverse direction allows the assessment of flow-isotropy. Results indicate that the turbulence is anisotropic for the investigated flow fields.

Validation of Multi-Frame PIV Image Interrogation Algorithms in the Spectral Domain

Multi-frame correlation algorithms for time-resolved PIV have been shown in previous studies to reduce noise and error levels in comparison with conventional two-frame correlations. However, none of these prior efforts tested the accuracy of the algorithms in spectral space. Even should a multi-frame algorithm reduce the error of vector computations summed over an entire data set, this does not imply that these improvements are observed at all frequencies. The present study examines the accuracy of velocity spectra in comparison with simultaneous hot-wire data. Results indicate that the high-frequency content of the spectrum is very sensitive to choice of the interrogation algorithm and may not return an accurate response. A top-hat-weighted sliding sum-of-correlation is contaminated by high-frequency ringing whereas Gaussian weighting is indistinguishable from a low-pass filtering effect. Some evidence suggests the pyramid correlation modestly increases bandwidth of the measurement at high frequencies. The apparent benefits of multi-frame interrogation algorithms may be limited in their ability to reveal additional spectral content of the flow.

Spatial and temporal resolution of a fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe in grid-generated turbulence

The spatial and temporal resolution of a fast-response aerodynamic pressure probe (FRAP) is investigated in a benchmark flow of grid-generated turbulence. A grid with a mesh size of M=6.4 mm is tested for two different free-stream velocities, hence, resulting in Reynolds numbers of Re_M= {4300,12800}. A thorough analysis of the applicability of the underlying assumptions with regard to turbulence isotropy and homogeneity is carried out. Taylor’s frozen turbulence hypothesis is assumed for the calculation of deducible flow quantities, like the turbulent kinetic energy or the dissipation rate. Furthermore, besides the examination of statistical quantities, velocity spectra of measurements downstream of the grid are quantified. Results of a small fast-response five-hole pressure probe equipped with piezo-resistive differential pressure sensors are compared to single-wire hot-wire constant temperature anemometry data for two different wire lengths. Estimates of temporal and spatial turbulent scales (e.g., Taylor micro scale and Kolmogorov length scale) show good agreement to data in the literature but are affected by filtering effects. Especially in the energy spectra, very high bandwidth content cannot be resolved by the FRAP, which is mainly due to bandwidth limits in the temporal calibration of the FRAP and the minimal resolution of the integrated sensors.Graphic abstract

Whittle maximum likelihood estimate of spectral properties of Rayleigh-Taylor interfacial mixing using hot-wire anemometry experimental data.

Investigating the power density spectrum of fluctuations in Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) interfacial mixing is a means of studying characteristic length, timescales, anisotropies, and anomalous processes. Guided by group theory, analyzing the invariance-based properties of the fluctuations, our paper examines raw time series from hot-wire anemometry measurements in the experiment by Akula etal. [J. Fluid Mech. 816, 619 (2017)JFLSA70022-112010.1017/jfm.2017.95]. The results suggest that the power density spectrum can be modeled as a compound function presented as the product of a power law and an exponential. The data analysis is based on Whittle's approximation of the power density spectrum for independent zero-mean near-Gaussian signals to construct a maximum likelihood estimator of the parameters. Those that maximize the log-likelihood are computed numerically through Newton-Raphson iteration. The Hessian of the log-likelihood is used to evaluate the Fisher information matrix and provide an estimate of the statistical error on the obtained parameters. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is applied to analyze the goodness of fit, by verifying the hypothesis that the ratio between the observed periodogram and the estimated power density spectrum follows a χ^{2} probability distribution. The dependence of the parameters of the compound function is investigated on the range of mode numbers over which the fit is performed. In the domain where the relative errors of the power-law exponent and the exponential decay rate are small and the goodness of fit is excellent, the parameters of the compound function are clearly defined, in agreement with the theory developed in the paper. The study of the power-law spectra in RT mixing data suggests that rigorous physics-based statistical methods can help researchers to see beyond visual inspection.

Aerodynamic Performance Improvement of a Wing Model Using an Array of Slotted Synthetic Jets

Abstract This work deals with the improvement in aerodynamic performance of a NACA0025 wing model using an array of slotted synthetic jets (SJs). A novel SJ actuator was designed and located at 30% of the chord from the leading edge (LE). Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV), force balance, static pressure distribution, and hotwire measurements were carried out in a subsonic wind tunnel to assess the performance enhancement due to the slotted SJ array. Initially, the SJ velocity was measured in quiescent flow condition at different actuation frequencies and amplifier voltages. Actuation at 1000 Hz and 200 V resulted in the highest blowing velocity of 10.5 m/s. Experiments were performed at various actuation frequencies, namely, 200, 600, and 1000 Hz. It was observed that actuation at 1000 Hz led to the highest increase in lift coefficient by 35.6% and reduction in average drag coefficient by 33%. TR-PIV measurements showed flow separation with flow reversal in the baseline case. After switching on the SJ array at 1000 Hz, the flow separation was completely eliminated. The momentum transfer from the highenergy primary flow to the retarding boundarylayer flow and actuation of SJ in a particular frequency range was observed to be the mechanisms for the flow separation control. Subsequently, fast Fourier transform (FFT) power spectra of hotwire data were computed from 40% to 80% of the chord. The FFT power spectra showed the successful stabilization of the flow field at the actuation of 1000 Hz.

Qualitative and quantitative schlieren optical measurement of the human thermal plume.

A new large-field, high-sensitivity, single-mirror coincident schlieren optical instrument has been installed at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar for the purpose of indoor air research. Its performance is assessed by the non-intrusive measurement of the thermal plume of a heated manikin. The schlieren system produces excellent qualitative images of the manikin's thermal plume and also quantitative data, especially schlieren velocimetry of the plume's velocity field that is derived from the digital cross-correlation analysis of a large time sequence of schlieren images. The quantitative results are compared with thermistor and hot-wire anemometer data obtained at discrete points in the plume. Good agreement is obtained, once the differences between path-averaged schlieren data and planar anemometry data are reconciled.

Comparison of Different Driving Modes for the Wind Turbine Wake in Wind Tunnels

The wake of upstream wind turbine is known to affect the operation of downstream turbines and the overall efficiency of the wind farm. Wind tunnel experiments provide relevant information for understanding and modeling the wake and its dependency on the turbine operating conditions. There are always two main driving modes to operate turbines in a wake experiment: (1) the turbine rotor is driven and controlled by a motor, defined active driving mode; (2) the rotor is driven by the incoming wind and subject to a drag torque, defined passive driving mode. The effect of the varying driving mode on the turbine wake is explored in this study. The mean wake velocities, turbulence intensities, skewness and kurtosis of the velocity time-series estimated from hot-wire anemometry data, were obtained at various downstream locations, in a uniform incoming flow wind tunnel and in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. The results show that there is not a significant difference in the mean wake velocity between these two driving modes. An acceptable agreement is observed in the comparison of wake turbulence intensity and higher-order statistics in the two wind tunnels.

Simultaneous Stereo PIV and MPS3 Wall-Shear Stress Measurements in Turbulent Channel Flow

An extended experimental method is presented in which the micro-pillar shear-stress sensor (MPS 3 ) and high-speed stereo particle-image velocimetry measurements are simultaneously performed in turbulent channel flow to conduct concurrent time-resolved measurements of the two-dimensional wall-shear stress (WSS) distribution and the velocity field in the outer flow. The extended experimental setup, which involves a modified MPS 3 measurement setup and data evaluation compared to the standard method, is presented and used to investigate the footprint of the outer, large-scale motions (LSM) onto the near-wall small-scale motions. The measurements were performed in a fully developed, turbulent channel flow at a friction Reynolds number R e τ = 969 . A separation between large and small scales of the velocity fluctuations and the WSS fluctuations was performed by two-dimensional empirical mode decomposition. A subsequent cross-correlation analysis between the large-scale velocity fluctuations and the large-scale WSS fluctuations shows that the streamwise inclination angle between the LSM in the outer layer and the large-scale footprint imposed onto the near-wall dynamics has a mean value of Θ ¯ x = 16.53 ∘ , which is consistent with the literature relying on direct numerical simulations and hot-wire anemometry data. When also considering the spatial shift in the spanwise direction, the mean inclination angle reduces to Θ ¯ x z = 13.92 ∘ .