The measurement of Reynolds stresses with a pulsed-wire anemometer

Abstract

An investigation of the errors arising in pulsed-wire anemometer measurements of the Reynolds stresses in turbulent flows is described. Attention is concentrated first on a theoretical approach, in which an idealized yaw response and an assumed form for the joint velocity probability-density distribution are used to determine the errors in measurements of, principally, ) become less dependent on the exact nature of the yaw response and invariably decrease with increasing intensity. They can, with care, be made as low as 15%. It is concluded that pulsed-wire measurements of the Reynolds stresses can be made with an accuracy similar to that of crossed-wire measurements in medium-intensity flows. Such measurements are certainly adequate for many practical purposes in high-intensity flows where hot-wire techniques are useless.