Asymptotic theory of turbulent bluff-body separation: A novel shear layer scaling deduced from an investigation of the unsteady motion

A rational treatment of time-mean separation of a nominally steady turbulent boundary layer from a smooth surface in the limit Re → ∞ , where Re denotes the globally defined Reynolds number, is presented. As a starting point, it is outlined why the “classical” concept of a small streamwise velocity deficit in the main portion of the oncoming boundary layer does not provide an appropriate basis for constructing an asymptotic theory of separation. Amongst others, the suggestion that the separation points on a two-dimensional blunt body is shifted to the rear stagnation point of the impressed potential bulk flow as Re → ∞ —which is expressed in a previous related study—is found to be incompatible with a self-consistent flow description. In order to achieve such a description, a novel scaling of the flow is introduced, which satisfies the necessary requirements for formulating a self-consistent theory of the separation process that distinctly contrasts former investigations of this problem. As a rather fundamental finding, it is demonstrated how the underlying asymptotic splitting of the time-mean flow can be traced back to a minimum of physical assumptions and, to a remarkably large extent, be derived rigorously from the unsteady equations of motion. Furthermore, first analytical and numerical results displaying some essential properties of the local rotational/irrotational interaction process of the separating shear layer with the external inviscid bulk flow are presented.