Hi I am rather new to cfd. I want to determine the location of boudary layer transition from laminar to turbulent, on a flat plate in a flow. Is it possible to determine this using a package like FLUENT without great difficulty. Or is it that when a turbulent model is specified ( like k-e) , it is assumed that flow is turbulent everywhere.

Please comment.

Yes,It's possible to locate the transition point (laminar to turbulent conversion point)in CFX

Hi

Look up some refs on Reynolds No. (Local Reynolds No.) and transition.

A good starting reference is:

"Boundary-layer Theory", by H. Schlichting, K. Gersten, E. Krause, H. Oertel Jr, C. Mayes. Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG; ISBN: 3540662707

This is truely a bible of boundary layer theory.

Regards James

I would be very interested to see if anyone could predict transition! As far as I'm aware, this is not possible, people do not know much about transition nor what causes the onset. So I would be very wary of anyone who claims that they can predict transition. Look for literature or papers on 'Tollmien-Schlichting' waves or instability, and/or 'Taylor-Goertler' vortices. This may shed some light.