Investigation of intermittency measurement methods for transitional boundary layer flows

Three turbulent intermittency methods, namely the u , TERA (turbulent energy recognition algorithm), and M-TERA (modified turbulent energy recognition algorithm) methods, for identifying the intermittent flow characteristics associated with boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent were considered and compared. The data used were obtained from hot-wire measurements in transitional boundary layer flows on a concave surface with a 2-m radius of curvature and on a flat plate. Comparisons show that the u and TERA methods are more sensitive to the choice of threshold constants than the M-TERA method. In terms of the intermittency distribution across the boundary layer, the values obtained by the u and TERA methods are unrealistically high in the near-wall region, while those obtained by the M-TERA method are more realistic. In the outer boundary layer region and outside the boundary layer, the u and M-TERA methods give reasonable intermittency values, whereas the TERA method produces unrealistically high values in the region outside the boundary layer. In addition, the M-TERA method provides a sharper definition of theend of transition.