An improved experimental method to determine the complete Reynolds stress tensor with a single rotating slanting hot wire

Abstract

A slanting hot wire placed at different angular positions is used to determine the complete Reynolds stress tensor in a three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer. The hot wire is extensively calibrated in a static way and a five parameter calibration formula is proposed to describe the directional sensitivity of the wire. Results of measured Reynolds stresses in a three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer of a curved duct experiment are presented. The present method is also used to determine the mean three-dimensional flow field.