Experimental and computational studies of turbulent separating internal flows

Abstract: The separating turbulent flow in a plane asymmetric diffuser with 8.5 degrees opening angle is investigated experimentally and computationally. The considered flow case is suitable for fundamental studies of separation, separation control and turbulence modelling. The flow case has been studied in a specially designed wind-tunnel under well controlled conditions. The average velocity and fluctuation fields have been mapped out with stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV). Knowledge of all velocity components allows the study of several quantities of interest in turbulence modelling such as the turbulence kinetic energy, the turbulence anisotropy tensor and the turbulence production rate tensor. Pressures are measured through the diffuser. The measured data will form a reference database which can be used for evaluation of turbulence models and other computational investigations. Time-resolved stereoscopic PIV is used in an investigation of turbulence structures in the flow and their temporal evolution. A comparative study is made where the measured turbulence data are used to evaluate an explicit algebraic Reynolds stress turbulence model (EARSM). A discussion regarding the underlying reasons for the discrepancies found between the experimental and the model results is made. A model for investigations of separation suppression by means of vortex generating devices is presented together with results from the model in the plane asymmetric diffuser geometry. A short article on the importance of negative production-rates of turbulent kinetic energy for the reverse flow region in separated flows is presented. A detailed description of the experimental setup and PIV measurement procedures is given in a technical report.