A new approach for the calculation of transitional flows

Abstract

In spite of many attempts at modeling natural transition, it has not been possible to predict the streamwise intensities. A procedure is developed which incorporates some results of linear stability theory into one-equation and stress model formulations. The stresses resulting from fluctuations in the transitional region have turbulent, laminar (nonturbulent) and large eddy components. Comparison with Schubauer and Klebanoff's experiments have shown that the nonturbulent and large eddy components have a large influence on the streamwise intensities and little influence on the shear stress. Finally, predictions of the one-equation model were as good as those obtained by the stress model.