The characterization of turbulence in high speed compressible and complex industrial flows

PhD member: Elissavet Boufidi

A rigorous characterization of flow turbulence (i.e. turbulence intensity, time and length scales, spectrum) is needed to better understand loss mechanisms and heat transfer phenomena in complex turbomachinery flows. Moreover, the increasing use of CFD, as both a design and an investigation tool, requires reliable experimental data for the validation of turbulence models and the definition of accurate boundary conditions. Nevertheless, experimental data on turbulence at engine representative conditions are very limited in literature and this can be attributed to the limitations of established experimental techniques.

The goal of this thesis is to address the issue of turbulence measurements in engine representative flow conditions, by developing a measurement methodology for turbulence parameters based on Fast Response Aerodynamic Pressure Probes (FRAPPs), to exploit their robustness and applicability. The Hot Wire Anemometry (HWA) technique is revisited and enhanced to serve as a reliable reference tool. The developed methodology will allow to acquire experimental information that is not yet available today and lead to a deeper understanding of complex flow phenomena.
 
(left) VKI colled fast-response pressure probe; (right) VKI triple hot-wire
(left) VKI colled fast-response pressure probe; (right) VKI triple hot-wire

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