Mean-flow measurements in the three-dimensional boundary layer over a body of revolution at incidence

Abstract

An experimental study of the three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer on a body of revolution is reported. The data correspond to axisymmetric flow as well as the flow at an angle of incidence of 15°, and include surface pressure distributions and the distribution of the magnitude and orientation of the velocity vector in the boundary layer. The results clearly exhibit most of the complexities encountered in practical three-dimensional boundary-layer flows, such as viscid-inviscid interaction, reversal of cross-flow, open separation and onset of longitudinal vortices. Major implications of these results on the development of computation procedures are discussed.