Author(s)

LaVar King Isaacson

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

A modified form of the Townsend equations for the fluctuating velocity wave vectors is applied to the interaction of a longitudinal vortex with a laminar boundary-layer flow. These three-dimensional equations are cast into a Lorenz-format system of equations for the spectral velocity component solutions. Tsallis-form empirical entropic indices are obtained from the solutions of the modified Lorenz equations. These solutions are sensitive to the initial conditions applied to the time-dependent coupled, non-linear differential equations for the spectral velocity components. Eighteen sets of initial conditions for these solutions are examined. The empirical entropic indices yield corresponding intermittency exponents which then yield the entropy generation rates for each set of initial conditions. The flow environment consists of the flow of hydrogen gas with impurities at a given temperature and pressure in the interaction of a longitudinal vortex with a laminar boundary layer flow. Results are presented that indicate a strong correlation of predicted entropy generation rates and the corresponding applied initial conditions. These initial conditions may be ascribed to the turbulence levels in the boundary layer, thus indicating a source for the subsequent entropy generation rates by the interactive instabilities.

Interacting Laminar Boundary Layers, Intermittency Exponents, Entropy Generation Rates

Isaacson, L. (2018) Entropy Generation through the Interaction of Laminar Boundary-Layer Flows: Sensitivity to Initial Conditions. Journal of Modern Physics, 9, 1660-1689. doi: 10.4236/jmp.2018.98104.