Study of the flow around surface-mounted pyramids

The turbulent flow around square-based wall-mounted pyramids in thin and thick boundary layers was experimentally investigated as a function of the pyramid apex angle, ζ, and angle of attack, α, based on mean flow surface patterns, pressure and velocity measurements. For thin boundary layers, wake periodicity is observed. For slender pyramids (15°<ζ<75°), the periodic formation and shedding of vortices is observed. The shedding frequency scales with the length scale L=w′(w′/h)^–1/4, where h is the pyramid height and w′ is the frontal (projected) base width. For broad pyramids, wake periodicity exists but cannot be related to vortex shedding. Vortex shedding appears related to the existence of a double vortex structure along the side faces of the slender pyramids. The location of the separation point upstream and the attachment point downstream of the obstacle also scales with L. For thick boundary layers, no wake periodicity is observed and the mean flow structure in the wake differs from that seen for thin boundary layers. The location of the separation and attachment points scales only approximately with L.