Discovering the Transition Mechanisms in Fundamental Canonical Flows and in Idealized Propulsion Component Systems

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The processes of flow transitioning from a deterministic laminar state to a stochastic turbulent one are both intellectually challenging and technologically important, noting that the levels of skin-friction, surface heat transfer and sound emission are all markedly different before, during and after the transition. Our research program centers on the unifying theme of discovering laminar-to-turbulent transition mechanisms in fundamental canonical flows as well as in applied aeronautical engineering systems. Canonical transitional flows include the Blasius boundary layer’s natural and bypass transition (mostly understood), and the century-old unresolved Osborne Reynolds pipe transition, whereas applied aeronautical transitional flows can be found in a turbomachinery stator-rotor stage, which forms the building block of jet engine propulsion system. We aspire to building a highly innovative and impactful research program by focusing on two aspects: identify major cutting-edge, unresolved problems that are of general and profound interest to the international fluids research community; develop and use highly accurate, thoroughly validated, state-of-the-art investigative approach, namely, very-large-scale, physically-realistic, spatially-developing direct numerical simulation (DNS).