A new parameter for predicting crossflow instability

Abstract

Instability of boundary-layer over a concave wall and a rotating disk which were thought to be essentially different in instability sources, are compared in order to investigate whether or not a single crossflow parameter can be defined. Using a newly defined crossflow parameter, prediction was attempted on a yawed cylinder boundary-layer transition. By comparing the calculation with experiment, it was found out that this parameter can document fairly well the onset condition of the crossflow instability.