Tollmien-Schlichting wave growth over spanwise-periodic surface patterns

A novel type of surface roughness is deployed in a zero-pressure-gradient boundary layer with the goal of delaying the onset of laminar-to-turbulent transition for drag reduction purposes. This proof-of-concept experiment relies on forcing phase-triggered Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves across a range of initial amplitudes to produce amplified boundary-layer disturbances in a controlled and repeatable manner. Building on earlier work demonstrating attenuation of forced disturbances and delay of transition with spanwise arrays of discrete roughness and miniature vortex generators (MVGs), the present work seeks a roughness shape which might find success in a wider range of flows. Toward that end, streamwise-elongated humps are regularly spaced in the spanwise direction to form a wavy wall. By direct modulation of the mean flow, growth rates of the forced disturbances are increased or decreased, depending on the roughness configuration. Boundary-layer velocity measurements with hot-wire probes have been performed in a parametric study of the effects of roughness-field geometry and forcing amplitude on TS-wave growth and transition. The roughness field proves detrimental to passive flow control efforts in some configurations, while a reduction in the TS-wave amplitudes compared with the smooth-wall reference case is observed at other conditions. Substantial delays in the onset of transition are demonstrated when TS waves are forced with large amplitudes. © 2014 Cambridge University Press.