Three-dimensional features of the turbulent flow through a planar sudden expansion

An experimental investigation of the turbulent flow downstream of a planar sudden expansion has been performed by means of a 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. Flow fields at the Reynolds number of 10(4) have been measured in several mutually perpendicular planes of a channel having an expansion ratio of 3 and an aspect ratio of 10. As usual for large expansion ratios, the separated flow exhibits a strong asymmetry about the expansion axis and, consequently, very different reattachment lengths on the two side walls of the channel. The mean flow turns out to be substantially symmetric about the midspan plane and strong three-dimensional effects are observed in wide portions of the separation bubbles adjacent to the upper and lower walls. The reattachment lengths exhibit significant spanwise variations that are particularly pronounced in the longer reattachment line. Measurements performed in a single flow plane at Re=4.10(4) show that the influence of the Reynolds number on the mean flow is not completely negligible in the considered variation range. Based on a careful analysis of the PIV data, a model of the three-dimensional mean flow structure in the separation bubbles has been conjectured and it is provided in the paper. The present investigation contributes to clarifying the controversial three-dimensional character of the turbulent flow in a planar sudden expansion and provides accurate and detailed reference data for numerical simulations. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.