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Transition in the Infinite Swept Attachment Line Boundary Layer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2016

D.I.A. Poll
D.I.A. Poll*
Affiliation:
College of Aeronautics, Cranfield Institute of Technology
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Summary

The transition behaviour of the boundary layer which is formed along an infinite swept attachment line has been studied experimentally. Circular trip wires and turbulent flat plate boundary layers have been used as sources of disturbance and the range of parameters covered has been such that the results are directly applicable to full scale flight conditions. Simple criteria have been deduced which allow the state of the boundary layer to be determined for given geometric and free stream properties. Sample calculations for typical swept wing configurations suggest that the majority of civil aircraft will have turbulent attachment lines in the cruise and that subsequent relaminarisation in regions of favourable pressure gradient is unlikely.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Aeronautical Quarterly , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , November 1979, pp. 607 - 629
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society. 1979

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References

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