Delaying transition induced by a strip of distributed roughness using additional fine grit roughness

Abstract

Distributed roughness occurs on aerodynamic surfaces like wind/gas turbine blades and aircraft wings causing early boundary layer transition resulting in a reduction of the lift-to-drag ratio/power production. Despite being a recurring theme in engineering scenarios, the mechanism of boundary layer transition caused by distributed roughness is not well understood, and consequently, methods for mitigating its effects are scarce. In this work, we present a passive method for delaying boundary layer transition caused by distributed roughness (sandpaper strip) using a combination of secondary fine roughness strips placed immediately upstream and downstream of the distributed roughness. Hot-wire and PIV measurements are used to characterize the flow features and quantify transition delay. A combination of secondary roughness strips placed both upstream and downstream is shown to be most effective in delaying transition caused by the primary distributed roughness. Results suggest that the upstream roughness lifts the boundary layer reducing the effective Reynolds number of the primary roughness, while the downstream roughness reduces the strength of vortices shed from the primary roughness. A parametric study on the length and type of secondary roughness shows that smooth strips can also delay the transition and there is likely an optimal length of the secondary roughness beyond which increasing the extent of the downstream roughness has marginal effects on transition delay. Finally, after the onset of transition, there are no specific signatures in the flow corresponding to the secondary roughness which suggests that the secondary roughness can delay transition without substantially altering the transitional flow features. The results point to an adaptable and practical method for increasing the life cycle and efficiency of aerodynamic surfaces with distributed roughness.