Accuracy of the triple-deck theory for marginal separation

The steady two-dimensional marginal separation of an incompressible boundary layer flow within a channel was solved independently by three different methods: the triple-deck method of marginal separation, the interactive boundary layer method, and the full Navier-Stokes computations. From comparison of the results between these three methods, the accuracy and appropriateness of each method was determined. The critical condition beyond which the steady marginal separation solution of triple-deck method does not exist was related to a physical phenomenon in which the separation bubble becomes unsteady.