Oscillating viscous boundary layer at high Reynolds number: Experiments and numerical calculations

Transition to turbulence for an acoustically oscillating flow (without any mean motion) in a resonant wave guide is considered. Departure from the laminar behaviour of the Stokes boundary layer formed in the near wall region is studied both experimentally and numerically for increasing acoustic levels. Laser Doppler Velocimetry is used to measure velocity profiles at different phases along the acoustic period and the experimental profile distortion is interpreted as the consequence of the development of a turbulent boundary layer. On the other hand, the oscillating flow is investigated numerically with a high order resolution one dimensional scheme for comparison with experimental results. The effective viscosity that models transition to turbulence is included and the velocity profile is integrated along the radial coordinate. Results from experiments and from numerical calculation are in very good agreement.