Boundary layer

In this study, a laminar flow hull shape is implemented on an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), with boundary layer suction at the aft end of the hull to prevent separation. The hull shape has the largest diameter of the vehicle near the aft end of the hull resulting in an accelerating flow over the majority of the hull's surface. The problem of axially symmetrical flow around the AUV is solved using a potential flow analysis. A finite difference algorithm evaluates the stream function, leading to the computation of fluid velocity and pressure fields. The boundary layer characteristics are analyzed to predict the risk of separation. The numerical results are compared with laboratory measurements of the flow using a Particle Image Velocimetry system. Fuzzy Logic Sliding Mode Controllers are implemented to control the vectored thruster vehicle, and are simulated using a six-degree of freedom dynamic model of the vehicle.

When a boundary-layer flow, either laminar or turbulent, encounters a hemispherical body extending from a surface, a horseshoe-shaped vortex forms at the juncture. In this thesis, we study the evolution of this vortex using a numerical inviscid model and laboratory experiments. The numerical model is based on determining the evolution of the filament using the cut-off method. The assumption is that although the generation of the vortex depends on viscous effects, the dynamic evolution is well described by inviscid equations of motion. It is found that the vortex filament is fairly steady on the upstream side but on the downstream side, travelling waves appear on it which cannot be suppressed through evolution. For a range of Reynolds number, steady horseshoe-shaped vortex was obtained in the experiments, revealing the shape past the hemisphere. This is compared with the numerical results.

This thesis addresses the issue of flow development near the boundary of a work table within a clean room. The flow is subjected to periodic external disturbance, either through the pulsation of a source of mass at fixed location, or a moving vortex. The global system consists of a flat table in a parallel oncoming laminar flow. The source of the disturbance is located in the vicinity of the boundary layer. The strength of disturbance is limited in order to apply the quasi-steady boundary layer theory. Based on a quasi-steady assumption, a Thwaytes type integration was performed in order to evaluate the displacement thickness and the shear stress on the wall. A parametric study based upon the change of the pulsation, the location and the strength of the disturbance was included in the study. Thwaytes's deviation applied to unsteady cases proved to be successful, and worth being used in further developments.