Improved nonlinear parabolized stability equations approach for hypersonic boundary layers

The nonlinear parabolized stability equations(NPSEs)approach is widely used to study the evolution of disturbances in hypersonic boundary layers owing to its high computational efficiency.However,divergence of the NPSEs will occur when disturbances imposed at the inlet no longer play a leading role or when the nonlinear effect becomes very strong.Two major improvements are proposed here to deal with the divergence of the NPSEs.First,all disturbances are divided into two types:dominant waves and non-dominant waves.Disturbances imposed at the inlet or playing a leading role are defined as dominant waves,with all others being defined as non-dominant waves.Second,the streamwise wavenumbers of the non-dominant waves are obtained using the phase-locked method,while those of the dominant waves are obtained using an iterative method.Two reference wavenumbers are introduced in the phase-locked method,and methods for calculating them for different numbers of dominant waves are discussed.Direct numerical simulation(DNS)is performed to verify and validate the predictions of the improved NPSEs in a hypersonic boundary layer on an isothermal swept blunt plate.The results from the improved NPSEs approach are in good agreement with those of DNS,whereas the traditional NPSEs approach is subject to divergence,indicating that the improved NPSEs approach exhibits greater robustness.

Linear stability theory with the equivalent spanwise wavenumber correction in 3D boundary layers

The prediction on small disturbance propagation in complex three-dimensional(3D) boundary layers is of great significance in transition prediction methodology, especially in the aircraft design. In this paper, the linear stability theory(LST) with the equivalent spanwise wavenumber correction(ESWC) is proposed in order to accurately predict the linear evolution of a disturbance in a kind of boundary layer flow with a vital variation in the spanwise direction. The LST with the ESWC takes not only the scale of the mean flow with the significant variation but also the wavenumber evolution of the disturbance itself. Compared with the conventional LST, the results obtained by the new method are in excellent agreement with those of the numerical simulations. The LST with the ESWC is an effective method on the prediction of the disturbance evolution in 3D boundary layers, which improves the prediction of the LST in the applications to complex 3D boundary layers greatly.

On Nonlinear Evolution of C-type Instability in Nonparallel Boundary Layers

The process of evolution, especially that of nonlinear evolution, of C-type instability of laminar-turbulent flow transition in nonparallel boundary layers are studied by means of a newly developed method called parabolic stability equations （PSE）. Initial conditions, which are very important for the nonlinear problem, are investigated by computing initial solution of the harmonic waves, modifying the mean-flow-distortion, and giving initial value of TS wave and its subharmonic waves at initial station by solving linear PSE. A numerical method with high-order accuracy are developed in the text, the key normalization conditions in the PSE are satisfied, and nonlinear PSE are solved efficiently and implemented stably by the spatial marching. It has been shown that the computed process of nonlinear evolution of C-type instability in Blasius boundary layer is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Effect of local wall temperature on hypersonic boundary layer stability and transition

Wall temperature significantly affects stability and receptivity of the boundary layer. Changing the wall temperature locally may therefore be an effective laminar flow control technique. However, the situation is complicated when the wall temperature distribution is nonuniform, and researchers have experimentally found that local wall cooling may delay the onset of transition. We attempt to clarify the physical mechanisms whereby the local wall temperature affects the transition and the stability of a hypersonic boundary layer. A numerical investigation of the disturbance evolution in a Mach-6 sharp cone boundary layer with local wall heating or cooling is conducted. Direct numerical simulation(DNS) is performed for the single-frequency and broadband disturbance evolution caused by random forcing. We vary the local wall temperature and the location of heating/cooling, and then use the eNmethod to estimate the transition onset. Our results show that local wall cooling amplifies high-frequency unstable waves while stabilizing low-frequency unstable waves, with local heating amplifying all unstable waves locally. The disturbance amplitude and second-mode peak frequency obtained by DNS agree well with the previous experimental results. Local cooling/heating has a dual effect on the stability of the hypersonic boundary layer. For local cooling, while it effectively inhibits the growth of the low-frequency unstable waves that dominate the transition downstream, it also further destabilizes the downstream flow. In addition, while upstream cooling can delay the transition, excessive cooling may promote it;local heating always slightly promotes the transition.Finally, recommendations are given for practical engineering applications based on the present results.

Linear spatial instability analysis in 3D boundary layers using plane-marching 3D-LPSE

It is widely accepted that a robust and efficient method to compute the linear spatial amplified rate ought to be developed in three-dimensional （3D） boundary layers to predict the transition with the e^N method, especially when the boundary layer varies significantly in the spanwise direction. The 3D-linear parabolized stability equation （3D- LPSE） approach, a 3D extension of the two-dimensional LPSE （2D-LPSE）, is developed with a plane-marching procedure for investigating the instability of a 3D boundary layer with a significant spanwise variation. The method is suitable for a full Mach number region, and is validated by computing the unstable modes in 2D and 3D boundary layers, in both global and local instability problems. The predictions are in better agreement with the ones of the direct numerical simulation （DNS） rather than a 2D-eigenvalue problem （EVP） procedure. These results suggest that the plane-marching 3D-LPSE approach is a robust, efficient, and accurate choice for the local and global instability analysis in 2D and 3D boundary layers for all free-stream Mach numbers.

Applications of EPSE method for predicting crossflow instability in swept-wing boundary layers

The nth-order expansion of the parabolized stability equation （EPSEn） is obtained from the Taylor expansion of the linear parabolized stability equation （LPSE） in the streamwise direction. The EPSE together with the homogeneous boundary conditions forms a local eigenvalue problem, in which the streamwise variations of the mean flow and the disturbance shape function are considered. The first-order EPSE （EPSE1） and the second-order EPSE （EPSE2） are used to study the crossflow instability in the swept NLF（2）-0415 wing boundary layer. The non-parallelism degree of the boundary layer is strong. Compared with the growth rates predicted by the linear stability theory （LST）, the results given by the EPSE1 and EPSE2 agree well with those given by the LPSE. In particular, the results given by the EPSE2 are almost the same as those given by the LPSE. The prediction of the EPSE1 is more accurate than the prediction of the LST, and is more efficient than the predictions of the EPSE2 and LPSE. Therefore, the EPSE1 is an efficient ey prediction tool for the crossflow instability in swept-wing boundary-layer flows.

Effect of wall-cooling on Mack-mode instability in high speed flat-plate boundary layers

The instability of the Mack mode is destabilized by wall-cooling in a high speed boundary layer. The aim of this paper is to study the mechanism of the wall cooling effect on the Mack mode instability by numerical methods. It is shown that the wall-cooling can destabilize the Mack mode instability, similar to the previous conclusions with the exception that the Mack mode instability can be stabilized by wall-cooling if the wall temperature is extremely low. The reversed wall temperature is related to a freestream condition. If the Mach number increases to a large enough value, e.g., about 7, the reversed wall temperature will tend to be zero. It seems that the Mack mode instability is determined by the region between the boundary layer edge and the critical layer. When the wall temperature decreases, this region becomes wider, and the boundary layer becomes more unstable. Additionally, a relative supersonic unstable mode can be observed when the velocity of the critical layer is less than 1 - liMa or is cancelled by the wall-cooling effect. These results provide a deeper understanding on the wall-cooling effect in high speed boundary layers.

NONPARALLEL BOUNDARY LAYER STABILITY IN HIGH SPEED FLOWS

The parabolized stability equations （PSEs） for high speed flows, especially supersonic and hypersonic flows, are derived and used to analyze the nonparallel boundary layer stability. The proposed numerical techniques for solving PSE include the following contents： introducing the efficiently normal transformation of the boundary layer, improving the computational accuracy by using a high-order differential scheme near the wall, employing the predictor-corrector and iterative approach to satisfy the important normalization condition, and implementing the stable spatial marching. Since the second mode dominates the growth of the disturbance in high Mach number flows, it is used in the computation. The evolution and characteristics of the boundary layer stability in the high speed flow are demonstrated in the examples. The effects of the nonparallelizm, the compressibility and the cooling wall on the stability are analyzed. And computational results are in good agreement with the relevant data.

STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMINAR BOUNDARY LAYERS OVER COMPLIANT WALLS

The stability characteristics of laminar boundary layers over compliant walls was studied by the linear theory.Unlike the previous authors,the coupled motion of the fluid and solid was required to sat- isfy the continuity conditions of both the velocity and stress at the interface.Results of calculations show that as the speed ratio or density ratio exceeds a certain threshold value,the two types of unstable waves will no longer be distinguishable,and the tangential component of the disturbance stress is no longer negligi- ble.So the neglect of it,as the previous authors did,is unjustified.

NONLINEAR EVOLUTION ANALYSIS OF T-S DISTURBANCE WAVE AT FINITE AMPLITUDE IN NONPARALLEL BOUNDARY LAYERS

The nonlinear evolution problem in nonparallel boundary layer stability was studied. The relative parabolized stability equations of nonlinear nonparallel boundary layer were derived. The developed numerical method, which is very effective, was used to study the nonlinear evolution. of T-S disturbance wave at finite amplitudes. Solving nonlinear equations of different modes by using predictor-corrector and iterative approach, which is uncoupled between modes, improving computational accuracy by using high order compact differential scheme, satisfying normalization condition I determining tables of nonlinear terms at different modes, and implementing stably the spatial marching, were included in this method. With different initial amplitudes, the nonlinear evolution of T-S wave was studied. The nonlinear nonparallel results of examples compare with data of direct numerical simulations (DNS) using full Navier-Stokes equations.

EVOLUTION ANALYSIS OF TS WAVE AND HIGH-ORDER HARMONIC WAVES IN BOUNDARY LAYERS

Linear and nonlinear evolutions of TS wave and high-order harmonic waves in boundary layers are studied based on the parabolic stability equation （PSE）. Initial conditions are derived by the local method with the Landau expansion. The evolution process and characteristics of the disturbance amplitude and the velocity profile, etc. , especially stronger nonlinear effects, are computed by an efficient numerical method. Effects and regulations of different initial amplitudes, frequencies and pressure gradients on the evolution of disturbances are explored, which are directly relative to the stability and the transition in boundary layers. Simulation results are in good agreement with the data of the accuracy direct numerical simulation （DNS） using full Navier-Stokes equations.

Conservation relation of generalized growth rate in boundary layers

The elementary task is to calculate the growth rates of disturbances when the e;method in transition prediction is performed. However, there is no unified knowledge to determine the growth rates of disturbances in three-dimensional（3 D） flows. In this paper, we study the relation among the wave parameters of the disturbance in boundary layers in which the imaginary parts of wave parameters are far smaller than the real parts.The generalized growth rate（GGR） in the direction of group velocity is introduced, and the conservation relation of GGR is strictly deduced in theory. This conservation relation manifests that the GGR only depends on the real parts of wave parameters instead of the imaginary parts. Numerical validations for GGR conservation are also provided in the cases of first/second modes and crossflow modes. The application of GGR to the eN method in 3 D flows is discussed, and the puzzle of determining growth rates in 3 D flows is clarified. A convenient method is also proposed to calculate growth rates of disturbances in 3 D flows. Good agreement between this convenient method and existing methods is found except the condition that the angle between the group velocity direction and the x-direction is close to 90?which can be easily avoided in practical application.

On the hydrodynamic stability of a particle-laden flow in growing flat plate boundary layer

The parabolized stability equation (PSE) was derived to study the linear stability of particle-laden flow in growing Blasius boundary layer. The stability characteristics for various Stokes numbers and particle concentrations were analyzed after solving the equation numerically using the perturbation method and finite difference. The inclusion of the nonparallel terms produces a reduction in the values of the critical Reynolds number compared with the parallel flow. There is a critical value for the effect of Stokes number, and the critical Stokes number being about unit, and the most efficient instability suppression takes place when Stokes number is of order 10. But the presence of the nonparallel terms does not affect the role of the particles in gas. That is, the addition of fine particles (Stokes number is much smaller than 1) reduces the critical Reynolds number while the addition of coarse particles (Stokes number is much larger than 1) enhances it. Qualitatively the effect of nonparallel mean flow is the same as that for the case of plane parallel flows.

Improvement for expansion of parabolized stability equation method in boundary layer stability analysis

An improved expansion of the parabolized stability equation(iEPSE) method is proposed for the accurate linear instability prediction in boundary layers. It is a local eigenvalue problem, and the streamwise wavenumber α and its streamwise gradient dα/dx are unknown variables. This eigenvalue problem is solved for the eigenvalue dα/dx with an initial α, and the correction of α is performed with the conservation relation used in the PSE. The i EPSE is validated in several compressible and incompressible boundary layers. The computational results show that the prediction accuracy of the i EPSE is significantly higher than that of the ESPE, and it is in excellent agreement with the PSE which is regarded as the baseline for comparison. In addition, the unphysical multiple eigenmode problem in the EPSE is solved by using the i EPSE. As a local non-parallel stability analysis tool, the i EPSE has great potential application in the eNtransition prediction in general three-dimensional boundary layers.

Self-consistent parabolized stability equation(PSE) method for compressible boundary layer

The parabolized stability equation （PSE） method has been proven to be a useful and convenient tool for the investigation of the stability and transition problems of boundary layers. However, in its original formulation, for nonlinear problems, the complex wave number of each Fourier mode is determined by the so-called phase-locked rule, which results in non-self-consistency in the wave numbers. In this paper, a modification is proposed to make it self-consistent. The main idea is that, instead of allowing wave numbers to be complex, all wave numbers are kept real, and the growth or decay of each mode is simply manifested in the growth or decay of the modulus of its shape function. The validity of the new formulation is illustrated by comparing the results with those from the corresponding direct numerical simulation （DNS） as applied to a problem of compressible boundary layer with Mach number 6.

Studies of stability of blade cascade suction surface boundary layer

Compressible boundary layers stability on blade cascade suction surface was discussed by wind tunnel experiment and numerical solution. Three dimensional disturbance wave Parabolized Stability Equations (PSE) of orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates in compressible flow was deducted. The surface pressure of blade in wind tunnel experiment was measured. The Falkner-Skan equation was solved under the boundary conditions of experiment result, and velocity, pressure and temperature of average flow were obtained. Substituted this result for discretization of the PSE Eigenvalue Problem, the stability problem can be solved.

Physical implication of two problems in transition prediction of boundary layers based on linear stability theory

Up to now,the most widely used method for transition prediction is the one based on linear stability theory.When it is applied to three-dimensional boundary layers,one has to choose the direction,or path,along which the growth rate of the disturbance is to be integrated.The direction given by using saddle point method in the theory of complex variable function is seen as mathematically most reasonable.However,unlike the saddle point method applied to water waves,here its physical meaning is not so obvious,as the frequency and wave number may be complex.And on some occasions,in advancing the integration of the growth rate of the disturbance,up to a certain location,one may not be able to continue the integration,because the condition for specifying the direction set by the saddle point method can no longer be satisfied on the basis of continuously varying wave number.In this paper,these two problems are discussed,and suggestions for how to do transition prediction under the latter condition are provided.

The effects of variable specific heat on the stability of hypersonic boundary layer on a flat plate

The gas temperature within hypersonic boundary layer flow is so high that the specific heat of gas is no longer a constant but relates to temperature. How variable specific heat influences on boundary layer flow stability is worth researching. The effect of the variable specific heat on the stability of hypersonic boundary layer flows is studied and compared with the case of constant specific heat based on the linear stability theory. It is found that the variable specific heat indeed has some effects on the neutral curves of both the first-mode and the second-mode waves and on the maximum rate of growth also. Therefore, the relationship between specific heat and temperature should be considered in the study of the stability of the boundary layer.

Changes of Urban Boundary Layer Thermodynamic Stability Induced by Heat Island Effect and Their Influences on Precipitation

[Objective] The aim was to study the characteristics of the changes of the urban boundary layer thermodynamic stability induced by heat island effect and their influences on precipitation.[Method] Proceeding from the thermodynamic equation,the changes of urban boundary layer thermodynamic stability caused by the urban heat disturbance and the mean state of heat island effect were discussed.The influence of the changes of urban boundary layer thermodynamic stability on the precipitation was expounded.Combining with case study of precipitation in Xi’an,the test was verified.[Result] Under interaction between the disturbed temperature and disturbed airflow,the boundary thermal disturbed stability(θ’z) was positive in the urban zone,as well as in the upstream and downstream areas of the city.But the stability in the urban zone was weaker than the suburbs,which favored for the short-time convective precipitation.For the boundary layer mean thermal stability(θ-0-0z) under the interaction between the mean airflow and mean environmental temperature,if the city zone was in the front of the warm ridge,the stability in the upstream of the city weakened which increased the instability of the boundary layer,while it increased in the downstream of the city.It was contrary if the city zone was in the font of the cold trough.For the mean airflow(prevailing wind) and the mean horizontal disturbed temperature,if it was upward motion in the boundary layer,the boundary layer mean thermal disturbed stability(θ’-0z) was negative in the downstream and positive in the upstream.Strong precipitation occured in the upstream of the city.It was contrary if it was descending air in the boundary layer.[Conclusion] The above results served some references for the fine city forecast.

RESEARCH ON THE FLOW STABILITY IN A CYLINDRICAL PARTICLE TWO-PHASE BOUNDARY LAYER

Based on the momentum and constitutive equations, the modified Orr_Sommerfeld equation describing the flow stability in a cylindrical particle two_phase flow was derived.For a cylindrical particle two_phase boundary layer, the neutral stability curves and critical Reynolds number were given with numerical simulation. The results show that the cylindrical particles have a suppression effect on the flow instability, the larger the particle volume fraction and the particle aspect_ratio are, the more obvious the suppression effect is.