EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF FLOW RESPONSE TO STATIONARY DISTURBANCE IN ROTATING-DISK FLOW

Three-dimensional boundary-layer flow is well known for its abrupt and sharp transition from laminar to turbulent regime. The presented study is a first attempt to achieve the target of delaying the natural transition to turbulence. The behaviour of two different shaped and sized stationary disturbances (in the laboratory frame) on the rotating-disk boundary layer flow is investigated. These disturbances are placed at dimensionless radial location (Rf = 340) which lies within the convectively unstable zone over a rotating-disk. Mean velocity profiles were measured using constant-temperature hot-wire anemometry. By careful analysis of experimental data, the instability of these disturbance wakes and its estimated orientation within the boundary-layer were investigated.