The origin of secondary flow in turbulent flow along a corner

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Abstract
The mechanisms which initiate secondary flow in developing turbulent flow along a corner are examined on the basis of both energy and vorticity considerations. This is done by experimentally evaluating the terms of an energy balance and vorticity balance applied to the mean motion along a corner bisector. The results show that a transverse flow is initiated and directed towards the corner as a direct result of turbulent shear stress gradients normal to the bisector. The results further indicate that anisotropy of the turbulent normal stresses does not play a major role in the generation of secondary flow. Possible extensions of the present results to other related flow situations are ahstrated and discussed.