The Effect of Surface Roughness and Favorable Pressure Gradient on Turbulent Boundary Layers

Rough wall turbulent boundary layers subjected to pressure gradient have engineering interest for many fluid machinery applications. A number of investigations have been made to understand surface roughness and pressure gradient effects on turbulent boundary layer characteristics, but separately. In this paper, turbulent boundary layers over a flat plate with surface roughness and favorable pressure gradient (FPG) are experimentally investigated. Boundary layers in different streamwise locations were measured using boundary layer type hot-wire anemometry. Rough wall zero pressure gradient (ZPG) turbulent boundary layers were also measured to compare the result from the investigation. The surface roughness was applied by attaching sandpapers on the flat plate. The magnitude of surface roughness is representative of land-based gas turbine compressor blade. Pressure gradient was adjusted using movable endwall of the test section. Results from the measurement show characteristics of the turbulent boundary layer growth affected by both surface roughness and favorable pressure gradient.