Turbulent Boundary Layer Interaction Research Articles

Extremely high wall pressure events in shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interactions using DNS data

This study investigates high-amplitude Extreme Wall Pressure fluctuation Events (EWPEs) in Shock wave/Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions (STBLIs) through the conditional sampling of direct numerical simulation databases. The aim is to evaluate the effect of STBLIs and their strength on the statistical properties and associated turbulent structures of EWPEs using the conditional-averaging and clustering method. The temporal statistical results show that the occurrence probability and contribution ratio of EWPEs decrease downstream of strong STBLI, but their duration and interval time increase. Regarding two-dimensional wall pressure structures, the large population of small-scale structures becomes more elongated, but strong interactions induce a greater number of large-scale structures. The pairing of wall pressure events with a higher occurrence probability is verified by the joint probability density functions. Conditional analysis reveals that, as the interaction strength increases, the ejection motion associated with positive events occurs farther downstream and the spanwise vortex core locating above negative events is lifted up along the wall-normal direction. Moreover, analysis associates the paired wall pressure events with the sweep, ejection, and swirl motions in STBLIs, where hairpin eddies play an important role in the formation of positive–negative paired wall pressure structures.

A deep learning super-resolution model for turbulent image upscaling and its application to shock wave–boundary layer interaction

Upscaling flow features from coarse-grained data is paramount for extensively utilizing computational physics methods across complex flow, acoustics, and aeroelastic environments where direct numerical simulations are computationally expensive. This study presents a deep learning flow image model for upscaling turbulent flow images from coarse-grained simulation data of supersonic shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interaction. It is shown for the first time that super-resolution can be achieved using only the coarsest-grained data as long as the deep learning training is performed using hundreds of fine-grained data. The unsteady pressure data are used in training due to their importance in aeroelasticity and acoustic fatigue occurring on aerospace structures. The effect on the number of images and their resolution features used in training, validation, and prediction is investigated regarding the model accuracy obtained. It is shown that the deep learning super-resolution model provides accurate spectra results, thus confirming the approach's effectiveness.

Effects of herringbone riblets on shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interactions

In the experiment reported in this paper, a spanwise array of herringbone riblets strips is applied upstream of the interaction region between an impinging shockwave and a turbulent boundary layer developing along a flat plate boundary layer at a freestream Mach number of 1.85. High-speed schlieren photography, surface oil flow visualization and PSP are used to examine the effect of herringbone riblets on the characteristics of the shockwave-boundary layer interactions. It shows that despite that the height of the riblets is less than 2 % of the local thickness of the undisturbed boundary layer, a profound modification to the shockwave-boundary layer interaction zone is observed, and the overall size of the separation bubble is decreased. The observed control effects are attributed to the large-scale secondary flow structures produced by the directional riblets. To the best knowledge of the author, this is the first study evaluating the control effect of herringbone riblets on shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interactions in supersonic flow using the experimental method.

TURBULENCE MODELING OF SHOCK BOUNDARY LAYER INTERACTION IN HYPERSONIC FLOW

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of shockwave turbulent boundary layer interactions using different turbulence modeling including Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) with different closures (Menter's <i>k</i>-ω-SST, and Spalart-Allmaras) have been investigated. The objective of the study is to assess the capability of current CFD codes, Ansys Fluent and STARCCM, to model hypersonic flow over a large hollow cylinder flare for Mach 6 with Re<sub>∞</sub> = 5.33 × 10<sup>7</sup> The results of heat transfer and pressure data over the surface are presented for two-dimensional, axisymmetric, and three-dimensional RANS models using experimental data of LENS II high Reynolds number shock/Ludweig tunnel at the CUBRC center. Effects of properties of real gas, perfect gas, and different types of mesh have been considered for the assessment.

Numerical investigation of wall-pressure fluctuations for Mach 2 turbulent shock-wave boundary layer interactions

Implicit large-eddy simulations of Mach 2.05 turbulent boundary layer interactions with oblique impinging shock-waves were carried out for shock generator angles of 8° and 9°. Both the streamwise extent of the separated region and the intensity of the velocity fluctuations are augmented when the strength of the impinging oblique shock-wave is increased from 8° to 9°. Temporal Fourier transforms of the spanwise-averaged wall-pressure coefficient indicate low-frequency unsteadiness at separation and mid-frequency content downstream of reattachment. The wall-pressure fluctuations were analyzed with the proper orthogonal decomposition. The modal analysis reveals pronounced 3D low-frequency wall-pressure fluctuations for the stronger interaction. Overall, the present findings provide advanced perspectives on low-frequency wall-pressure fluctuations in turbulent shock-wave boundary layer interactions that may lead to spanwise non-uniformity of the separation and shedding with possible implications for the design of structural panels on high-speed vehicles.

High temperature non-equilibrium flow characteristics of impinging shock/flat-plate turbulent boundary layer interaction at Mach 8.42

There are fewer reports on the impinging shock/boundary layer interaction in the high Mach number and high-temperature flow than that in the supersonic flow. High-temperature flow characteristics of the impinging shock/flat-plate turbulent boundary layer interaction (IS/FTBLI) at Mach 8.42 are numerically investigated by solving two-dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations coupling with the thermal–chemical non-equilibrium model. An impinging shock is formed by the wedge with a 10° deflection angle. The inviscid flow parameters ahead of the cowl of a Mach 12 inlet are selected as the free-stream condition of this study. The primary emphasis of this study lies in understanding the thermal–chemical non-equilibrium effects in the IS/FTBLI. Moreover, the chemical non-equilibrium effects similar to previous reports from others are utilized for the comparative analysis. Our findings reveal that the vibrational or thermal non-equilibrium effects exhibit maximum prominence subsequent to the intersection of the impinging shock with separation shock, as well as in the convergence area of compression waves during the flow reattachment. On the other hand, the chemical non-equilibrium effects predominantly result from oxygen dissociation and atomic nitrogen production within the boundary layer; the chemical reactions are most intense within the separation zone. By comparing with a thermally perfect gas, a reduction in the flow separation is observed in the chemical non-equilibrium effects, but the flow separation is enhanced in the thermal–chemical non-equilibrium effects. The insights gained from our research are expected to contribute to the development of flow control technology in hypersonic IS/FTBLI scenarios and aid in configuring wave structures in the inner compression section of high Mach number scramjet inlets.

Wall pressure fluctuations in wall heated and cooled shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interactions

Wall pressure fluctuations in shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interactions on heated and cooled walls are investigated by performing direct numerical simulations. The objectives of this study are to identify flow dynamics causing low- and high-frequency wall pressure fluctuations and evaluate wall heating and cooling effects on the wall pressure fluctuations. The wall pressure spectra highlight two characteristic low-frequency spectral peaks at the separation point and below the expansion waves. Conditional analysis reveals that the two spectral peaks originate from the oscillations of the reflected shock and expansion waves, coupled with the expansion and contraction motions of the separated turbulent shear layer. Regarding wall temperature effects, wall cooling enhances the magnitude of the wall pressure fluctuations regardless of the low- and high-frequency components. Furthermore, influences of the expansion waves are also enhanced by wall cooling, which increases the wall pressure fluctuations locally after the separation.

Interaction of a moving shock wave with a turbulent boundary layer

In the present study, the influence of a uniformly moving impinging shock on the resulting shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interaction is numerically investigated. The relative Mach number of the shock front travelling above a flat-plate model varied between 0 and 2.3, while the quasi-steady inflow conditions remained constant with a Mach number of 3. To quantitatively evaluate the effect of shock travelling speed, a well-known scaling method for interaction length in quasi-steady flows was applied as a reference after significant improvements in modelling the effects of Reynolds number and wall temperature using new and existing data. Moreover, previously obtained experimental results for a limited range of travelling speeds were employed to validate the obtained numerical results. Three ranges of shock travelling speeds with distinctly different properties were extracted and quantitatively described using a developed correlation-based approach built on the extended quasi-stationary scaling law. In the first range, the scaled interaction length reaches its maximum for the given interaction strength and can be directly described by the scaling law obtained for quasi-stationary interactions. In the second travelling-speed range, the dependence of the interaction length on the interaction strength is explicitly influenced by the shock movement. With increasing shock travelling speed, the scaled interaction length here decreases significantly faster than in the quasi-stationary reference case. The end of this speed range is reached when the absolute shock front speed has caught up with the maximum speed of sound in the interaction zone, and thus the interaction length has fallen to zero. This travelling-speed limit signifies the transition to the third range, where upstream influence is no longer possible.

Microramp wake impinging on canonical shock/boundary-layer interaction

We analyze the influence of microramp vortex generators (mVGs) on a canonical oblique shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction (SBLI) in terms of mean flow field and unsteady dynamics. The flow configuration of our wall-resolved large-eddy simulations (LES) reproduces the experiment of Bo et al. [“Experimental investigation of the micro-ramp based shock wave and turbulent boundary-layer interaction control,” Phys. Fluids 24, 055110 (2012)]: a rake of microramps is inserted upstream of the SBLI, protruding by 0.476δ in a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) at free-stream Mach number M = 2.7 and corresponding to a Reynolds number based on the displacement thickness of Reθ=3600. The long integration time of 1672 Lsep/U∞ allows an accurate characterization of the low-frequency dynamics of the SBLI under the influence of the microramps. With respect to the reference SBLI without control devices, the mean flow field shows a new spatial organization of the recirculation bubble due to the mVGs' wake. The alternating high and low-speed zones in the near-wall region of the incoming TBL, induced by the counter-rotating streamwise vortices generated by the mVGs, trigger spanwise corrugations of the separation and reattachment lines and locally alter the reverse flow region. Tornado-like vortices are found in the vicinity of these zones, yielding a new fluid collection mechanism of the reverse flow region. These vortices redirect the fluid coming from regions outside of the wake in the incoming TBL to three key spanwise exit locations located in between the mVGs and at their centerline. Interestingly, power spectral densities of wall-pressure probes show a damping of the low-frequency dynamics of the reflected shock foot for spanwise stations aligned with the mVGs' wake, whereas this activity appears to be reinforced in the planes located in between the mVGs. However, we found no evidence of unsteady forcing linked to the high-frequency shedding of the coherent structures developing in the wake of the microramps. Dynamic mode decomposition highlights a significant change in the low-frequency dynamics, mostly affecting the mass budget of the recirculation bubble. The breathing of the recirculation zone that occurs at StL=0.1 for the SBLI without control devices (with StL=fLsep/U∞) appears to shift toward a lower frequency of StL=0.05. Remembering that the reflected shock foot motion is related to frequencies in the range StL=[0.03−0.05], the SBLI with upstream mVGs seems to highlight a synchronization of this motion with the breathing of the separation bubble.

Numerical Investigation of Asymmetric Mach 2.5 Turbulent Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction

Supersonic shock wave boundary layer interactions are common to inlet flows of supersonic and hypersonic vehicles. This paper reports on wall-resolved implicit large-eddy simulations of a canonical Mach 2.5 turbulent shock wave boundary layer interaction experiment at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The boundary layer upstream of the interaction was nominally axisymmetric and two-dimensional. A conical centerbody with a 16 deg half-angle and a maximum radius of 0.147D of the test section diameter was employed to generate a conical shock wave, where D is the test section diameter. Asymmetric (swept) interactions were obtained by displacing the shock generator away from the test section centerline. The present simulation is for a shock generator displacement of D/6. Results from the asymmetric simulation are compared with results from an earlier simulation of a corresponding axisymmetric interaction. The experimental Reynolds number based on test section diameter was ReD=4×106. For the simulations, the Reynolds number was lowered to ReD=4×105 to keep the computational expense of the simulations within limits. Compared to the axisymmetric interaction, the streamwise extent of the separation varies considerably in the azimuthal direction for the asymmetric interaction. The separation is strongest at the azimuthal location that is closest to the shock generator. The streamwise extent of the separated flow regions is noticeably reduced and substantial crossflow is observed between the locations that are closest and farthest from the shock generator. A Fourier analysis of the unsteady flow data indicates low-frequency content for the separated region that is closest to the shock generator. Away from this region, with increasing sweep angle and cross-flow, the low-frequency content is diminished. A proper orthogonal decomposition captures spanwise coherent structures for the more two-dimensional parts of the interaction.

Separation length scaling for dual-incident shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interactions with different shock wave distances

In this study, the length scaling for the boundary layer separation induced by two incident shock waves is experimentally and analytically investigated. The experiments are performed in a Mach 2.73 flow. A double-wedge shock generator with two deflection angles ( $\alpha _1$ and $\alpha _2$ ) is employed to generate two incident shock waves. Two deflection angle combinations with an identical total deflection angle are adopted: ( $\alpha _1 = 7^\circ$ , $\alpha _2 = 5^\circ$ ) and ( $\alpha _1 = 5^\circ$ , $\alpha _2 = 7^\circ$ ). For each deflection angle combination, the flow features of the dual-incident shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interactions (dual-ISWTBLIs) under five shock wave distance conditions are examined via schlieren photography, wall-pressure measurements and surface oil-flow visualisation. The experimental results show that the separation point moves downstream with increasing shock wave distance ( $d$ ). For the dual-ISWTBLIs exhibiting a coupling separation state, the upstream interaction length ( $L_{int}$ ) of the separation region approximately linearly decreases with increasing $d$ , and the decrease rate of $L_{int}$ with $d$ increases with the second deflection angle under the condition of an identical total deflection angle. Based on control volume analysis of mass and momentum conservations, the relation between $L_{int}$ and $d$ is analytically determined to be approximately linear for the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region, and the slope of the linear relation obtained analytically agrees well with that obtained experimentally. Furthermore, a prediction method for $L_{int}$ of the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region is proposed, and the relative error of the predicted $L_{int}$ in comparison with the experimental result is $\sim$ 10 %.

Flow and surface loading induced by a supersonic jet over an aft deck

Aircraft designs may include an engine that exhausts over the upper fuselage of the aircraft. This design has many benefits including reduced noise below the aircraft. However, the scrubbing of the high-speed turbulent jet flow over the fuselage has the potential to cause structural fatigue. This paper describes a joint experimental/computational study of the surface pressure fluctuations induced by the supersonic jet flow. The model configuration consists of a rectangular convergent-divergent nozzle that exhausts over a flat plate. The plate is a continuation of the lower lip of the nozzle. Pressure measurements are made at several locations on the plate surface. In addition, schlieren visualization is used to identify the jet's shock cell structure. Numerical simulations are performed using Large Eddy Simulation (LES). Results are compared between the simulations and the experiments. The importance of shock turbulent boundary layer interaction to the surface loading is identified.

Generalized Scaling Analysis of the Separation Zone Induced by Shock Wave–Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions

Generalized Scaling Analysis of the Separation Zone Induced by Shock Wave–Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions

Hypersonic shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interaction in a sharp cone/flare model

A direct numerical simulation of hypersonic Shock wave and Turbulent Boundary Layer Interaction(STBLI) at Mach 6.0 on a sharp 7° half-angle circular cone/flare configuration at zero angle of attack is performed. The flare angle is 34° and the momentum thickness Reynolds number based on the incoming turbulent boundary layer on the sharp circular cone is Reθ = 2506. It is found that the mean flow is separated and the separation bubble occurring near the corner exhibits unsteadiness. The Reynolds analogy factor changes dramatically across the interaction, and varies between 1.06 and 1.27 in the downstream region, while the QP85 scaling factor has a nearly constant value of 0.5 across the interaction. The evolution of the reattached boundary layer is characterized in terms of the mean profiles, the Reynolds stress components, the anisotropy tensor and the turbulence kinetic energy. It is argued that the recovery is incomplete and the near-wall asymptotic behavior does not occur for the hypersonic interaction. In addition, mean skin friction decomposition in an axisymmetric turbulent boundary layer is carried out for the first time. Downstream of the interaction, the contributions of transverse curvature and body divergence are negligible, whereas the positive contribution associated with the turbulence kinetic energy production and the negative spatial-growth contribution are dominant. Based on scale decomposition, the positive contribution is further divided into terms with different spanwise length scales. The negative contribution is analyzed by comparing the convective term, the streamwise-heterogeneity term and the pressure gradient term.

Compressibility effect on interaction of shock wave and turbulent boundary layer

The compressibility effect when an oblique shock wave impinges on a turbulent boundary layer was analyzed with a direct numerical simulation using Helmholtz decomposition. The turbulent intensity near the impinging region is significantly enhanced by the interaction of the shock wave and boundary layer. In particular, the interaction behavior can enhance the dilatational components of the Reynolds stress and velocity fluctuations. This also enhances the negative correlation between the dilatational components of streamwise and normal velocity fluctuations. The dilatation fluctuation in the impinging region increases significantly. Moreover, in the impinging region, the dilatational components of the production term and transport term contribute to the production and transport terms of the kinetic energy equation mainly in the vicinity of the interface. This simulation shows that the interaction behavior of an oblique shock wave and turbulent boundary layer can enhance flow compressibility significantly. In the interaction region, the turbulent intensity of the flow field is stronger than those upstream and downstream. This study provides a theoretical basis for the improvement of other simulation methods and turbulence modeling for the interaction of an oblique shock wave and turbulent boundary layer.

Effects of Jet-to-Jet Spacing of Air-Jet Vortex Generators in Shock-Induced Flow-Separation Control

Experiments were carried out to assess the influence of spanwise spacing between adjacent orifices of an air-jet vortex-generator (AJVG) array on their separation-control effectiveness. The array was applied to a 24° compression-ramp-induced shock-wave / turbulent boundary-layer interaction at M_{infty } = 2.52 and Re_{theta } = 8225. Three spanwise oriented AJVG arrays of small, intermediate, and large jet spacings were studied. Their influence on the mean-flow organisation and turbulence quantities was assessed using flow visualisations and planar particle image velocimetry across multiple measurement planes. The streamwise vortices induced by the AJVGs incited different control effects depending on the degree of interaction between adjacent vortices. The array with intermediate spacing achieved the most favourable effects with reductions in separation length and area of about 25% and 52%, respectively. This reduction was brought about by the formation of stable, interacting streamwise-elongated coherent vortices downstream of jet injection and the associated entrainment of high-momentum fluid. The smallest jet spacing incites vortex interactions to adverse strength, breaking up the coherent structures and even increasing separation. The AJVGs with the largest spacing display characteristics similar to single jets in crossflow, with only a local modification of the separation region. Turbulent quantities are amplified both by the jets and the separation-inducing shock; AJVG control reduces the amplification across the shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction and the intermediate jet spacing is most effective also here.

Numerical investigation of unswept and swept turbulent shock-wave boundary layer interactions

Hybrid turbulence model and large-eddy simulations of turbulent shock-wave boundary layer interactions at a freestream Mach number of 2.3 were carried out for sweep angles of 0 and 40 deg. The simulations for the unswept interaction reveal the shedding of spanwise coherent structures as well as intermittent spanwise deformations of the separation line. The frequencies associated with the spanwise deformations are in the low- to mid-frequency band. By adding a cross-flow component to the approach flow, a comparable turbulent interaction with 40 deg sweep was obtained. For the swept interaction, the overall level of the pressure fluctuations is higher than for the unswept case but the spanwise structures are absent. Instead, traveling oblique structures are observed downstream of the interaction.

Evaluation of the SU2 Open-Source Code for a Hypersonic Flow at Mach Number 5

This paper presents the evaluation of the Stanford University Unstructured (SU2) open-source computational software package for a high Mach number 5 flow. The test case selected is an impinging shock wave turbulent boundary layer interaction (SWTBLI) on a flat plate where the experimental data of Sch¨ulein et al. [27] is used for validation purposes. Two turbulence models, the Spalart–Allmaras (SA) and the k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) within the SU2 code are evaluated in this study. Flow parameters, such as skin friction, wall pressure distribution and boundary layer profiles are compared with experimental values. The results demonstrate the performance of the SU2 code at a high Mach number flow and highlight its limitations in predicting fluid flow physics. At higher shock generator angles, the discrepancy between experimental and CFD data is more significant. Within the interaction and flow separation zones, a smaller separation bubble and delayed separation are predicted by the SA model while the k-ω SST model predicts early separation. Both models are able to predict wall pressure distribution correctly within the experimental values. However, discrepancies were observed in the prediction of skin friction due to the inability of the models to capture the boundary layer recovery after shock impingement.

Numerical Investigation of Sweep Effect on Turbulent Shock-Wave Boundary-Layer Interaction

Implicit large-eddy simulations of reflecting shock-wave turbulent boundary-layer interactions at a freestream Mach number of 2.05 were carried out for sweep angles of 0, 20, and 40 deg. The simulation for the unswept interaction reveals the shedding of spanwise coherent structures as well as a low-frequency unsteadiness at separation. Intermittent spanwise deformations of the separation line, also referred to as rippling, are observed with a frequency similar to that of the low-frequency unsteadiness. Interactions with 20 and 40 deg sweep are generated by adding a spanwise approach flow component. Because the inviscid shock system is not affected by the spanwise velocity component, the pressure rise across the impinging shock is the same as for the unswept interaction, and the resulting mean flowfields are similar. This approach, which enforces spanwise periodicity, can be understood as a model for interactions with perfect cylindrical similarity. For the swept interactions, the separated flow regions are enlarged, and the overall level of the pressure fluctuations is increased, although the relative increase of the pressure fluctuations over the interaction is reduced. For the swept cases, the low-frequency unsteadiness is shifted to higher frequencies, and the low-frequency amplitude is reduced compared to the unswept case. For 40 deg sweep, the rippling of the separation line is diminished, and oblique structures are observed downstream of the interaction.

Characteristics of reattached boundary layer in shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interaction

The reattached boundary layer in the interaction of an oblique shock wave with a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer at Mach number 2.25 is studied by means of Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). The numerical results are carefully compared with available experimental and DNS data in terms of turbulence statistics, wall pressure and skin friction. The coherent vortex structures are significantly enhanced due to the shock interaction, and the reattached boundary layer is characterized by large-scale structures in the outer region. The space-time correlation of fluctuating wall shear stress and streamwise velocity fluctuation reveals that the structural inclination angle exhibits a gradual decrease during the recovery process. The scale interactions are analyzed by using a two-point amplitude modulation correlation. A possible mechanism is proposed to account for the strong amplitude modulation in the downstream region. Moreover, the mean skin-friction is decomposed to understand the physically informed contributions. Unlike the upstream Turbulent Boundary Layer (TBL), the contribution associated with the Turbulence Kinetic Energy (TKE) production is greatly amplified, while the spatial growth contribution induced by the pressure gradient largely inhibits skin-friction generation. Based on bidimensional empirical mode decomposition, the turbulence kinetic energy production contribution is further split into different terms with specific spanwise length scales.