An investigation of channel flow with a smooth air-water interface

Abstract

Experiments and numerical simulation are used to investigate fully developed laminar and turbulent channel flow with an air-water interface as the lower boundary condition. Laser Doppler velocimetry measurements of streamwise and wall-normal velocity components are made over a range of Reynolds number based upon channel height and bulk velocity from 1100 to 4300, which encompasses the laminar, transitional and low Reynolds numbers turbulent regimes. The results show that the airflow statistics near the stationary wall are not significantly altered by the air-water moving interface, and reflect those found in channel flows. The mean statistics on the water interface side largely exhibit resul..