Research Question : How does varying surface

temperature affect the critical Reynolds number for the

onset of turbulence in the boundary layer over a flat plate?
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................
Methodology.....................................................................................................................................................
1. Geometry Overview:.................................................................................................................................
2. Fluid Properties:.......................................................................................................................................
3. Boundary Conditions:...............................................................................................................................
4. Turbulence Model and Solver Settings:....................................................................................................
5. Initialization and Calculation:....................................................................................................................
6. Post-Processing and Data Analysis:........................................................................................................
Results...............................................................................................................................................................
1.Effect of Surface Temperature on Critical Reynolds Number...................................................................
2.Skin Friction Coefficient (Cf) Along the Flat Plate.....................................................................................
3.Turbulence Intensity Contour for 400 K.....................................................................................................
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................
Introduction
The boundary between laminar and turbulent flow in fluid dynamics is
governed by the delicate balance of forces described by the Navier-
Stokes equations. The transition from order to chaos, particularly within
the boundary layer, is influenced by minute disturbances such as surface
temperature variations, which affect the laminar sublayer stability and
can significantly alter the transition Reynolds number, a key parameter in
predicting the onset of turbulence. Imagine the smooth glide of air over
an aircraft wing which will suddenly encounter an invisible force that
disrupts its path (which we call Turbulence). This shift is not just a
spectacle of nature, but it is a puzzle that has fascinated Physicists for
years. This shift is indeed very delicate, even a small change can have a
big impact and lead to some unexpected outcomes. Imagine if the
temperature of the surface beneath a flowing fluid could control the exact
moment when the smooth, orderly flow turns into chaotic turbulence.
This study sets out to explore that very idea. It is going to explore how
changes in surface temperature might influence the critical point at which
laminar flow begins to break down into turbulence over a flat plate. By
understanding this, we aim to uncover the deeper relationship between
temperature and fluid behavior.
The boundary layer is a thin, almost invisible region of fluid that clings
closely to a solid surface where the fluid’s speed changes rapidly from a
standstill at the surface to full speed just a short distance away. In this
delicate layer, the fluid starts out flowing smoothly like uniform and
parallel sheets of water gliding over one another, but as the flow
continues downstream, the calm and orderly movement can suddenly
break down giving rise to the chaotic motion of turbulence.

A crucial factor in predicting this transition from smooth laminar flow to

turbulent flow is the Reynolds number. The Reynolds number is a
dimensionless quantity in fluid dynamics that helps predict the flow
pattern of a fluid. It is used to determine whether the flow will be laminar
or turbulent .

The Reynolds number is given by the formula:

ρ⋅V ⋅ L
ℜ=
μ
where ρ is the fluid density
V is the flow velocity

L is the characteristic length

μ is the dynamic viscosity

The point at which the flow becomes turbulent is marked by the critical
Reynolds number. It depends on various factors like how fast the fluid is
moving, the size and shape of the surface, and the fluid’s properties, but
this transition can also be influenced by external conditions. One of the
most significant and often overlooked ones is the temperature of the
surface over which the fluid flows.
Temperature plays a key role in fluid dynamics because it changes both
fluid’s viscosity as well as its density. When a surface heats up, it can
make the fluid less viscous, potentially making the smooth laminar flow
more unstable and hastening the onset of turbulence. On the other
hand, a cooler surface might increase viscosity, helping to maintain the
orderly flow for longer. In general, it is understood that temperature
affects these properties of fluids; however, the effects of the surface
temperature on critical Reynolds number and in the transition has not
been well elucidated.

This research aims to address this gap by precisely investigating the

question:“How does varying surface temperature affect the critical
Reynolds number for the onset of turbulence in the boundary layer
over a flat plate?” This question is particularly focused on
understanding how incremental changes in surface temperature can shift
the critical Reynolds number which changes the point at which laminar
flow turns into turbulence. By systematically varying the surface
temperature in a controlled simulation environment, this study will
quantify the relationship between temperature and turbulence onset,
providing valuable insights that are critical for both theoretical fluid
dynamics and practical applications.

In the context of aerospace engineering, where controlling boundary

layer behavior is essential for optimizing aircraft performance and fuel
efficiency, understanding this relationship could lead to the development
of surfaces that better manage flow transitions. In HVAC systems, fine
tuning temperature to control turbulence can enhance energy efficiency,
reducing operational costs and environmental impact. Moreover, in
environmental modeling, accurately predicting how temperature
gradients influence atmospheric turbulence can improve weather
forecasting and climate predictions.

Methodology
This study utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in ANSYS
Fluent to investigate how varying surface temperature affects the critical
Reynolds number for the onset of turbulence in the boundary layer over
a flat plate. The simulation involves solving the governing equations of
fluid flow and heat transfer to model the laminar to turbulent transition.

1. Geometry Overview
A 2D flat plate geometry is created to represent the physical setup, with
a length of 1.0 m and a surrounding fluid domain extending 0.2 m in
height. This simplified geometry allows for effective boundary layer
simulation without unnecessary complexity.

2. Fluid Properties
Fluid: Air is used as the working fluid.

Density: Set to either constant or modeled using Ideal Gas (for

temperature dependent variations).
Viscosity: Viscosity is modeled as temperature-dependent using
Sutherland’s law, a standard approach for simulating the viscosity
variation of gasses as a function of temperature. The simulation employs
the k-ω SST turbulence model, known for its precision in capturing
transitional flows and boundary layer behavior. The SIMPLE algorithm is
used within the pressure-based solver to achieve stability and accurate
convergence when solving the discretized Navier-Stokes equations
governing the flow and thermal interactions.

3. Boundary Conditions
Inlet: A Velocity Inlet condition is applied where the flow velocity is
calculated to match specific Reynolds numbers (based on the flat plate
length and air properties).

Flat Plate (Wall): A No-Slip Condition is applied to the wall and surface
temperature is systematically varied between cases (e.g., 300 K, 350 K,
400 K) to study its impact on the onset of turbulence.

Outlet: A Pressure Outlet is used with gauge pressure set to 0 Pa,

simulating atmospheric conditions.

Top Boundary: A Symmetry Condition is applied to simplify the domain

without loss of accuracy.

4. Turbulence Model and Solver Settings

Turbulence Model: The k-ω SST turbulence model is employed, as it is
well suited for predicting laminar to turbulent transitions in boundary
layers.
Energy Equation: Enabled to account for temperature effects and heat
transfer between the surface and the fluid.

Solver: A Pressure Based solver with Double Precision is used for high
numerical accuracy with steady state conditions initially assumed.
5. Initialization and Calculation
The flow field is initialized using Hybrid Initialization to ensure a stable
starting point for the solver. The simulation is run multiple times by
varying the flat plate's surface temperature in controlled steps. By
comparing the results, the relationship between surface temperature and
the critical Reynolds number is quantified to analyze how thermal
conditions affect flow stability.

6. Post-Processing and Data Analysis:

Contours and Streamlines: Visualized to show velocity, temperature,
and turbulence intensity over the flat plate.

Skin Friction Coefficient (Cf): Plotted along the plate’s length to

determine the location of the laminar turbulent transition, as indicated by
a sudden dip and rise in Cf.

Critical Reynolds Number Calculation: The critical Reynolds number

is determined by observing when turbulence onset occurs for each
surface temperature scenario.
Results
This section presents the results of the study, illustrating how varying
surface temperatures affect the critical Reynolds number and the
transition from laminar to turbulent flow over a flat plate. The findings are
displayed using three key visualizations: the critical Reynolds number vs.
surface temperature plot, the skin friction coefficient (Cf) along the flat
plate, and turbulence intensity contours. Each of these results offers
insight into the behavior of the boundary layer under different thermal
conditions.
1.Effect of Surface Temperature on Critical Reynolds Number

Figure 1 shows the relationship between surface temperature and the

critical Reynolds number. As observed, increasing the surface
temperature leads to a noticeable decrease in the critical Reynolds
number. For example, at a surface temperature of 300 K, the critical
Reynolds number is approximately 2500, whereas, at 450 K, it drops
significantly to around 1800.

This trend suggests that higher surface temperatures reduce the stability
of the boundary layer. The decrease in fluid viscosity due to the
temperature increase makes the laminar flow more susceptible to
disturbances, causing an earlier transition to turbulence. These results
align with the theoretical understanding that temperature plays a crucial
role in fluid behavior, particularly in how quickly laminar flow can become
unstable.
2.Skin Friction Coefficient (Cf) Along the Flat Plate

Figure 2 displays the skin friction coefficient (Cf) along the length of the
flat plate for different surface temperatures: 300 K, 350 K, 400 K, and
450 K. In each case, the Cf initially decreases smoothly as the boundary
layer develops under laminar flow conditions. However, as the flow
moves downstream, there is a sharp rise in Cf, indicating the transition
from laminar to turbulent flow.

What’s particularly interesting is how the position of this rise changes

with temperature. At 300 K, the increase in Cf occurs further
downstream, showing that the flow remains laminar for a longer
distance. In contrast, at 450 K, the rise in Cf occurs much closer to the
leading edge of the plate, demonstrating that higher surface
temperatures accelerate the onset of turbulence. This shift confirms that
the critical Reynolds number decreases with increasing temperature,
consistent with the findings from the critical Reynolds number plot.

The Cf plot offers valuable evidence of how temperature influences the

boundary layer’s stability, as it visually captures the point where the
laminar flow loses its order and begins to transition into turbulence.
3.Turbulence Intensity Contour for 400 K

In Figure 3, the turbulence intensity (TI) contour at a surface temperature

of 400 K is presented to illustrate the transition from laminar to turbulent
flow over the flat plate. The contour shows a gradual increase in
turbulence intensity downstream, with higher intensity values appearing
closer to the leading edge compared to lower temperatures. This early
development of turbulence highlights the destabilizing effect of increased
surface temperature on the boundary layer.

At this temperature, the boundary layer's stability decreases due to the

reduction in fluid viscosity, which allows disturbances to grow more
quickly and transition the flow into turbulence. The contour effectively
captures this process, showing that the onset of turbulence occurs
earlier compared to lower temperatures. The choice of 400 K as a
representative example is deliberate, as it offers the clearest visual
indication of the trend observed across different temperatures without
redundancy. This approach streamlines the results while providing
strong evidence for the relationship between surface temperature and
the critical Reynolds number.

When these results are viewed together, a consistent pattern emerges:

all three visualizations—the critical Reynolds number plot, the Cf plot,
and the TI contour—clearly indicate that higher surface temperatures
destabilize the boundary layer, leading to an earlier onset of turbulence.
The Cf plot and TI contour, in particular, visually validate the critical
Reynolds number values obtained from the primary plot by showing that
the transition point indeed moves upstream as temperature increases.
Discussion
The findings from this study highlight a clear relationship between
surface temperature and the critical Reynolds number for the onset of
turbulence over a flat plate. As observed, increasing the surface
temperature significantly reduces the critical Reynolds number, leading
to an earlier transition from laminar to turbulent flow. This outcome is
visually supported by the changes in the skin friction coefficient (Cf) and
the turbulence intensity contour, which both show turbulence developing
closer to the leading edge as the temperature rises.
These results confirm that surface temperature influences the stability of
the boundary layer. The observed behavior aligns with the theoretical
understanding that a rise in temperature reduces the fluid’s viscosity,
thereby destabilizing the laminar flow and promoting turbulence earlier.
This is consistent with previous studies that have noted similar trends,
but our work adds a quantitative dimension by using controlled CFD
simulations to pinpoint the critical Reynolds numbers for different
temperatures.

The practical implications of these findings are significant. For instance,

in aerospace engineering, controlling the temperature of surfaces like
aircraft wings could be a powerful tool for optimizing boundary layer
behavior, reducing drag, and improving fuel efficiency. Similarly, in
HVAC systems, fine-tuning surface temperatures to control turbulence
could lead to better energy management, minimizing operational costs.
Furthermore, these insights could enhance environmental modeling, as
accurate predictions of how temperature gradients influence atmospheric
turbulence are critical for reliable weather forecasting.

However, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of this study. The

use of a 2D flat plate model and idealized boundary conditions, while
effective for illustrating trends, may not fully capture the complexity of
real-world scenarios. Future work could address these limitations by
using 3D models and exploring different flow conditions. Additionally,
investigating other variables such as surface roughness or alternative
fluid types could provide a broader understanding of how temperature
and other factors interact to influence turbulence onset.
Conclusion
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of varying
surface temperature on the critical Reynolds number for the onset of
turbulence in the boundary layer over a flat plate. Through controlled
CFD simulations, the study demonstrated that increasing the surface
temperature lowers the critical Reynolds number, resulting in an earlier
transition from laminar to turbulent flow.

The findings illustrate that increased surface temperature destabilizes

the boundary layer which decreases the critical Reynolds number and
causes earlier turbulence onset. These results align with the Blasius
boundary layer theory and previous experimental studies that link
temperature-induced viscosity reductions to increased flow instability.
However, the use of a 2D model introduces some limitations; while
effective for trend illustration, it does not fully account for three-
dimensional effects such as cross-flow instabilities. Future work should
explore 3D models and consider the impact of surface roughness and
compressibility effects to gain a more comprehensive understanding of
the interactions within the boundary layer. These insights are valuable,
especially for practical applications in fields such as aerospace, HVAC
systems, and environmental modeling where managing turbulence can
lead to improvements in efficiency and performance.

Looking ahead, future research could explore the impact of additional

factors such as surface texture or alternative flow conditions to further
refine our understanding of boundary layer behavior. Expanding the
study to include different fluids or 3D modeling would also help validate
and generalize the findings beyond the scope of this work.