The development and stability of streamwise streaks are studied in an air-flow channel experiment at subcritical Reynolds numbers. The streaks were generated by continuous suction through small slots at the wall. The streak amplitude first grows algebraically, and if the amplitude exceeds a certain threshold secondary instability in the form of travelling waves is observed. These waves give rise to high urms values in the region of large spanwise mean flow gradient. Measurements with two hot-wire probes indicate that velocity fluctuations are 180° out of phase at two neighboring peaks at each side of a low velocity region and implies the existence of a sinuous type instability. Measurements were also made with controlled disturbances where earphones were used to force the secondary instability. Phase averaged data clearly show the oscillation of the low velocity region and also provides the growth rate, phase speed as well as amplitude and phase distributions of the secondary instability. Several of these features suggest that the instability is of inflectional origin. Finally the disturbance breaks down and the flow undergoes transition to turbulence.

Interactions of oblique waves have recently been investigated theoretically and numerically and found to give rise to rapid transition in flows subcritical to linear wave disturbances. The transition scenario consists of the formation and transient growth of streamwise streaks of high and low velocity and later a rapid growth of high-frequency disturbances leading to breakdown. The present study is the first extensive experimental investigation of oblique transition. The experiments were carried out in a plane Poiseuille flow air channel in which the oblique waves were generated, one at each wall, by vibrating ribbons and the development of the flow was mapped with hot-wire anemometry. The experiments consist both of low- and high-amplitude wave disturbances; in both cases streaky structures are created. For the low-amplitude case these structures decay, whereas for the high amplitude the flow goes towards breakdown. This study has confirmed and extended previous theoretical and numerical results showing that oblique transition may be an important transition scenario.

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An experimental study of the effect of Dielectric Barrier Discharge plasma actuators on the flow separation on the A-pillar of a modern truck under cross-wind conditions has been carried out. The experiments were done in a wind tunnel with a 1:6 scale model of a tractor-trailer combination. The actuators were used as vortex generators positioned on the A-pillar on the leeward side of the tractor and the drag force was measured with a wind-tunnel balance. The results show that the effect at the largest yaw angle (9 degrees) can give a drag reduction of about 20% and that it results in a net power reduction. At lower yaw angles the reduction was smaller. The present results were obtained at a lower Reynolds number and a lower speed than for real driving conditions so it is still not yet confirmed if a similar positive result can be obtained in full scale.