Curvature effects on the wake of an airfoil and other bodies

Measurements of mean velocity and turbulent stresses are carried out in the wake of an airfoil, in a straight duct and in two curved ducts. A comparison is made on the variation of turbulent shear stress in the wakes of bluff bodies and that of an airfoil in curved and straight ducts. The turbulent shear stress is increased on one side of the curved wake centre-line compared to that of the straight wake and on the other side it is reduced. It is found that the turbulent shear stress is more sensitive to curvature than the normal stresses. © 1990.