We present direct numerical simulation data for turbulent duct flow of a finite-extensibility non-linear elastic dumbbell model with the Peterlin approximation (FENE-P) fluid in the high drag reduction regime. While the secondary flow pattern is qualitatively similar to that in a Newtonian fluid, its magnitude is significantly reduced, resulting in a less uniformly distributed velocity profile and hence smaller gradients at the wall. The Reynolds stress tensor in the polymer-laden flow was found to be increasingly anisotropic with most of the turbulent kinetic energy retained in the streamwise component, . We introduce a novel approach for investigating polymer stretching using the anisotropy invariant map of the polymer stress tensor and observe the persistence of both uniaxial and biaxial extension. Analysis of the transport equation for the mean kinetic energy indicates that polymer stretching and relaxation is a highly dissipative process; hence, the introduction of an additional channel for dissipation in a flow is key to drag reduction.
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April 2022
Research Article|
April 12 2022
Polymer-turbulence interactions in a complex flow and implications for the drag reduction phenomenon
Special Collection:
Tribute to Frank M. White on his 88th Anniversary
Che-Yu Lin
;
Che-Yu Lin
1
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University
, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
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Bayode E. Owolabi
;
Bayode E. Owolabi
2
Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Dinâmica dos Fluidos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
, Rio de Janeiro 21941-594, Brazil
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Chao-An Lin
Chao-An Lin
a)
1
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University
, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: calin@pme.nthu.edu.tw
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: calin@pme.nthu.edu.tw
Note: This paper is part of the special topic, Tribute to Frank M. White on his 88th Anniversary.
Physics of Fluids 34, 043106 (2022)
Article history
Received:
January 28 2022
Accepted:
March 24 2022
Citation
Che-Yu Lin, Bayode E. Owolabi, Chao-An Lin; Polymer-turbulence interactions in a complex flow and implications for the drag reduction phenomenon. Physics of Fluids 1 April 2022; 34 (4): 043106. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0086686
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