A fluorescence technique for measurement of slot injected fluid concentration profiles in a turbulent boundary layer

A technique for measuring near instantaneous concentration profiles of a fluid injected through a narrow inclined slot at the wall into a high unit Reynolds number flat plate turbulent boundary layer is discussed. The concentration profiles are determined by measuring the light intensity emitted from a fluorescent dye, premixed into the injectant flow, as the injectant convects through an excitation laser beam. The fluorescence intensity is quantified by an electronically shuttered single stage microchannel plate image intensifier coupled to a linear photodiode array. This instrumentation provided the high spatial and temporal resolution required for these boundary layer concentration profile measurements. The laser induced fluorescence technique is being used to study the diffusion of injected polymer solutions away from the near wall region of the boundary layer where these solutions are effective in reducing drag. The diffusion of slot injected water has also been examined and the present results are in excellent agreement with previous studies.     

Experimental Investigation on Turbulent Structure of Drag Reducing Channel Flow with Blowing Polymer Solution from the Wall

Turbulent drag reducing flow with blowing polymer solution from the channel wall was investigated experimentally using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Experiments were carried out with varying conditions of blowing polymer solution (e.g. weight concentration of polymer solution). Reynolds number based on the channel height and mean velocity was set to 20000 and 40000. When the polymer solution was blown from the channel wall, streamwise velocity fluctuation little increased, but wall-normal velocity fluctuation, Reynolds shear stress and correlation coefficient decreased significantly only near the blower wall. This behavior corresponds to the decrease of the ejection and sweep in the near-wall region observed by the investigation of instantaneous velocity map. On the contrary, this characteristic behavior was not observed at a position away from the blower wall (y/(H/2) > 0.4) and the scatter plot was almost the same as that of the water flow in this region. These results suggest that there are two regions in the drag reducing flow with blowing polymer solution from the wall; one is a non-Newtonian region which exists near the blower wall, and the other is a Newtonian region at a distance from the wall. The non-Newtonian region plays a key role in the drag reduction by the blowing polymer solution.     

Influence of wavy structured surfaces and large scale polymer structures on drag reduction

Drag reduction was studied for turbulent flow over a structured wall that contained 600 sinusoidal waves with a wavelength of 5 mm and an amplitude of 0.25 mm. A concentrated solution of a co-polymer of polyacrylamide and sodium acrylate was injected into the flow through wall slots. Laser Doppler velocimetry was used to measure turbulence. A fluorescence technique was developed that enabled us to demonstrate the existence, under certain circumstances, of large gelatinous structures in the injected polymer solution and in the flow channel.At maximum drag reduction, the Reynolds shear stress was zero and the velocity field was the same as found for a smooth surface. Larger drag reductions could be realized for a wavy wall because the initial drag was larger. The influences of polymers on the turbulent fields are similar for smooth and wavy boundaries. These results are of interest since the interaction with the wall can be quite different for water flow over smooth and wavy boundaries (which are characterized as being completely rough). An important effect of polymers is a decreasing relative importance of high frequency fluctuations with increasing drag reduction that is characterized by a cut-off frequency. This cut-off is the same for smooth and wavy walls at maximum drag reduction. The sensitivity of drag reduction to the method of preparing and delivering the polymer solution suggests that aggregation of polymers could be playing an important role for the system that was studied. For example, drag reduction was enhanced when large polymer structures are present.     

Evaluation of flush mounted hot-film sensors for skin friction reduction measurements in viscoelastic polymer solutions

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the performance of flush mounted hot-film sensors for mean wall shear stress measurement in turbulent flows of dilute drag reducing polymer solution. A series of pipe flow expriments were conducted over a range of Reynolds numbers and polymer solution concentrations to compare the level of skin friction drag reduction measured by hot-film sensors with values calculated from pipe pressure drop. It is shown that water calibrated hot-film sensors consistently underestimate the wall shear stress suggesting that Reynolds analogy is not valid in dilute polymer solutions. The Newtonian form of the relationship between the wall shear stress and the heat transfer remains valid in dilute polymer solutions. However, multiplicative and additive factors in the relationship are shown to increase linearly with the logarithm of the polymer concentration.     

A study on coherent structures and drag-reduction in the wall turbulence with polymer additives by TRPIV

An experimental measurement was performed using time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TRPIV) to investigate the spatial topological character of coherent structures in wall-bounded turbulence of polymer additive solution. The fully developed near-wall turbulent flow fields with and without polymer additives at the same Reynolds number were measured by TRPIV in a water channel. The comparisons of turbulent statistics confirm that due to viscoelastic structure of long-chain polymers, the wall-normal velocity fluctuation and Reynolds shear stress in the near-wall region are suppressed significantly. Furthermore, it is noted that such a behavior of polymers is closely related to the decease of the motion of the second and forth quadrants, i.e., the ejection and sweep events, in the near-wall region. The spatial topological mode of coherent structures during bursts has been extracted by the new mu-level criteria based on locally averaged velocity structure function. Although the general shapes of coherent structures are unchanged by polymer additives, the fluctuating velocity, velocity gradient, velocity strain rate and vorticity of coherent structures during burst events are suppressed in the polymer additive solution compared with that in water. The results show that due to the polymer additives the occurrence and intensity of coherent structures are suppressed, leading to drag reduction.     

Wall Versus Centerline Polymer Injection in Turbulent Channel Flows

This experimental study compares the mean and turbulence characteristics of turbulent channel flows with polymer injection at the wall and at the centerline to assess the impact of the injection location on drag reduction. It also contrasts the drag reduction performance of a hydrolyzed polymer versus a non-ionic polymer under the same conditions. Wall injection of non-ionic and hydrolized polymers resulted in 23% and 9% larger drag reduction than corresponding centerline injection, respectively. In all cases, the polymer was structured and the presence of macromolecular polymer structures, even when concentrated mostly away from the wall, seemed to be able to affect the turbulence structure in the flow.     

DNS of the Turbulent Channel Flow of a Dilute Polymer Solution

A direct numerical simulation of the turbulent channel flow of a dilute polymer solution has been performed in order to compare its turbulence statistics with those obtained in a Newtonian channel flow. The viscoelastic flow has been simulated by solving the whole set of continuity, momentum and constitutive equations for the six independent components of the extra-stress tensor induced by polymer addition. The Finitely Extensible Nonlinear Elastic dumbbell model was adopted in order to simulate a non-linear modulus of elasticity and a finite extendibility of the polymer macromolecules. Simulations were carried out under the narrow channel assumption at a Reynolds number of 169 based on the channel half height and on the friction velocity; they showed a significant reduction in drag, dependent on the influence of the elastic properties of the chains. A qualitative comparison with experiments at a higher Reynolds number has shown that the model here adopted is capable of reproducing all the main features of the polymer solution flow. Analysis of the turbulence statistics suggests that a dilute polymer solution can affect the intensity of the streamwise vortices, leading to an increase in the spacing between low speed streaks and eventually to a turbulent shear stress reduction.     

Effects of radiation on turbulent natural convection in channel flows

A computational study has been carried out to analyse complex interaction of radiation with turbulent natural convective flow of dry and humid air in open-ended channels. Transient flow simulations are undertaken in the channel with one uniformly heated wall and adiabatic side walls for different values of emissivity of active walls with and without participating medium. To adequately present turbulence and radiation, a computational model included large eddy simulations for the turbulent flow coupled with discrete ordinates method for radiation transfer. Spectral line-based weighted-sum-of-grey-gases for the absorption properties of water vapour has been adopted. Complex three-dimensional vortical structures are identified which directly affect the temperature distribution on the heated wall. Including wall to wall radiation resulted in significant changes in the heat transfer, reaching 14 °C temperature drop at the hot wall with wall emissivity of 0.9. Mixing and cooling rates in this case were increased by up to 25%. Including gas radiation for the humid air with the water vapour molar fraction of 0.02 corresponding to saturated conditions at inlet temperature of 25 °C did not have a significant effect on the mean flow and temperature values comparing with wall to wall radiation. However, turbulent statistics have changed significantly resulting in a delayed transition to turbulence near the active wall of the channel and increased turbulent activity near the cold wall. The model developed in the present study is also applicable in fire management, where the aim is to reduce the damage that occurs when a PV module is exposed to high temperatures.     

Experiments in Turbulent Pipe Flow with Polymer Additives at Maximum Drag Reduction

In this paper we report on (two-component) LDV experiments in a fully developed turbulent pipe flow with a drag-reducing polymer (partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide) dissolved in water. The Reynolds number based on the mean velocity, the pipe diameter and the local viscosity at the wall is approximately 10000. We have used polymer solutions with three different concentrations which have been chosen such that maximum drag reduction occurs. The amount of drag reduction found is 60–70%. Our experimental results are compared with results obtained with water and with a very dilute solution which exhibits only a small amount of drag reduction. We have focused on the observation of turbulence statistics (mean velocities and turbulence intensities) and on the various contributions to the total shear stress. The latter consists of a turbulent, a solvent (viscous) and a polymeric part. The polymers are found to contribute significantly to the total stress. With respect to the mean velocity profile we find a thickening of the buffer layer and an increase in the slope of the logarithmic profile. With respect to the turbulence statistics we find for the streamwise velocity fluctuations an increase of the root mean square at low polymer concentration but a return to values comparable to those for water at higher concentrations. The root mean square of the normal velocity fluctuations shows a strong decrease. Also the Reynolds (turbulent) shear stress and the correlation coefficient between the stream wise and the normal components are drastically reduced over the entire pipe diameter. In all cases the Reynolds stress stays definitely non-zero at maximum drag reduction. The consequence of the drop of the Reynolds stress is a large polymer stress, which can be 60% of the total stress. The kinetic-energy balance of the mean flow shows a large transfer of energy directly to the polymers instead of the route by turbulence. The kinetic energy of the turbulence suggests a possibly negative polymeric dissipation of turbulent energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

TRPIV measurement of turbulent coherent structures in a drag-reducing flow bypolymers

Fully developed turbulentflow fields with and without polymer solution at the same Reynolds number were measured by time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TRPIV) in a water channel toinvestigate the mechanism of drag-reducingsolution from theview of coherent structures manipulation. The streamwise mean velocity and Reynolds stress profiles in thesolution werecompared with those in water. After adding the polymer solution, the Reynolds stress in the near-wall area decreases significantly. Theresult relates tightly to the decease of the coherent structures' bursting. The spatial topology of coherentstructures duringbursts has been extracted by the new mu-level criterion based on locally averaged velocitystructure function.The effect of polymers onturbulent coherentstructures mainly reflects in the intensity, not in the shape. In the solution, it is by suppressing thecoherent structuresthat the wall friction isreduced.     

The numerical simulation of turbulent flows of Newtonian and a sort of non-Newtonian fluid in 180-degree square sectioned bend

Using k-εmodel of turbulence and measured wall functions.turbulent flows ofNewtonian(pure water)and a sort of non-Newtonian fluid(dilute,drag-reduction solutionof polymer in a180-degree curved bend were simulated numerically.The calculated resultsagreed well with the measured velocity profiles.On the basis of calculation andmeasurement,appropriateness of turbulence model to complicated flow in which the large-scale vortex exists was analyzed and discussed.     

Transient forced convection heat transfer in a channel

A numerical analysis is made of incompressible transient turbulent flow heat transfer between two parallel plates when there is a step jump in space along the channel in wall heat flux or wall temperature. The variation of the fluid velocity and effective diffusivity over the channel cross section are accounted for. The fluid is assumed to have a fully-developed turbulent velocity profile throughout the length of the channel. The thermal responses of the system are obtained by solving energy equation for air by a digital computer. The results are presented in graphical forms. The stability of the finite difference solution is studied and condition for the stability of the difference solution is derived. A method is given to obtain velocity distributions from the distribution of turbulent eddy diffusivity of momentum. Variations of Nusselt numbers are obtained as a function of time and space. Steady-state values are also given and compared with the published results.     

The effect of roughness on separating flow over two-dimensional hills

Two new experimental data sets for turbulent flow over a steep, rough hill are presented. These include detailed laser Doppler anemometry measurements obtained at the separation and reattachment points and, in particular, within the reverse flow region on the lee side of the hill. These results allow the development of a new parametrization for rough wall boundary layers and validate the use of Stratford’s solution for a separating rough flow. The experiments were conducted in a water channel for two different Reynolds numbers. In the first set of rough wall experiments, the flow conditions and the hill shape are similar to those presented in Loureiro et al. (Exp. Fluids, 42:441–457, 2007a) for a smooth surface, leading to a much reduced separation region. In the second set of experiments, the Reynolds number is raised ten times. The region of separated flow is then observed to increase, but still to a length shorter than that recorded by Loureiro et al. (Exp. Fluids, 42:441–457, 2007a). Detailed data on mean velocity and turbulent quantities are presented. To quantify the wall shear stress, global optimization algorithms are used. The merit function is defined in terms of a local solution that is shown to reduce to the classical law of the wall far away from a separation point and to the expression of Stratford at a separation point. The flow structure at the separation point is also discussed.     

The effect of polymer additives on the components of the energy balance of a turbulent flow

On the basis of the experimental data obtained, an analysis is made of the effect of polymer additives directly on the generation of turbulent energy, on the dissipation of the energy of the averaged motion, and on the density of the flux of the kinetic energy of the turbulence. The presence of polymer additives in the turbulent flow significantly changes the relationship between the generation of the turbulent energy and the dissipation of the energy of the averaged motion. Under the action of polymer additives, the density of the flux of kinetic energy decreases over the depth of the channel, which, in turn, brings about a decrease in the influx of energy from the averaged motion to the pulsed motion. The following definitions are adopted below: the x₁ axis of a Cartesian system of coordinates coincides with the horizontal axis of symmetry of the channel and with the direction of the averaged motion of the liquid; the x₂ axis is directed upward; the x₃ axis is perpendicular to the lateral wall of the channel; the origin of coordinates, O, coincides with the lower plane (bottom) of the channel. Further, U₀ is the mean velocity of the flow of liquid in the channel; U_i is the local component of the averaged velocity (i=1, 2, 3); H is the height of the channel; z=2x₂/H; Re is the Reynolds number of the averaged flow;v is the coefficient of kinematic viscosity; u_i is the pulsation component of the velocity (i=1, 2, 3); u_* is rate of dynamic friction; A=(₀–_p0 ^–1 is the coefficient of the lowering of the friction resistance with the flow of polymer solutions; ₀ and _p are the coefficients of the friction resistance with the motion of water and polymer solutions in a channel, respectively; c is the weight concentration of the polymer solution (%); ₀ is the friction stress at the wall; U₊ is the velocity of the flow at the axis of the channel.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 53–58, January–February, 1973.     

Experimental investigation on the interaction between polymer solution jet and free surface

Turbulence modification with polymer additives, i.e., Tom's effect, is a well known phenomenon. In this study, Tom's effect at a free surface was experimentally investigated. The turbulence at a free surface was generated by a horizontal liquid jet. A new specklegram technique was proposed in order to quantitatively measure the free-surface shapes caused by a turbulent jet. The specklegram method was very simple and was able to evaluate the free-surface waves accurately. The measurement confirmed that the surface of a polymer solution was less wavy than that of water. The jet beneath the free surface was measured by the LDV. The turbulence diffusion of the polymer jet was much smaller than that of the water jet. The surface turbulence was found to be modified by the polymer solution indirectly. The modification was a consequence of the Tom's effect at the shear layer around the jet.     

Experimental time-resolved study of the interaction between a pulsating injectant and a steady cross-flow: aerodynamics of film cooling

A test rig incorporating the injection from a single cylindrical hole with an inclination of 30° to a thermally uniform mainstream flow was used for determining variations in flow structures due to injectant pulsation. The average blowing ratios ([`(M)] \overline{M} ) were 0.65, 1, and 1.25. The periodic variations in injectant flow were rendered by a loudspeaker-based pulsation system to nondimensionalized excitation frequency (St St ) of 0, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5. Pulsation resulting in a close-wall orientation of injectant fluid compared with steady blowing bearing outward orientation was only observed in few cases. At [`(M)] \overline{M}  = 0.65, jet fluid remains aligned and covers a significant part of the wall under steady blowing. At higher blowing ratios, pulsation induces large spatial variations in the jet trajectory, collapsing of the jet body, and the shedding of wake structures due to the periodic variation of injection flow rate. It was found that the pulsation improves wall coverage of the injectant fluid under low frequency excitation as the separation of the jet from the wall becomes evident ([`(M)] \overline{M}  = 1 and 1.25).     

Diffusion of slot injected drag-reducing polymer solution in a LEBU modified turbulent boundary layer

The effects of a tandem set of large eddy breakup (LEBU) devices on the diffusion of drag-reducing polymer solution and of water injected into a turbulent boundary layer flow have been studied. Laser Doppler velocimeter measurements were taken in the LEBU modified boundary layer with and without polymer injection. A laser-induced fluorescence technique was used to examine the development of concentration profiles of the injected fluids with increasing distance from the injection slot for a range of injection rates. The diffusion rate of water, a passive contaminant, was diminished by the LEBU devices over a distance of only 10 to 15 boundary layer thicknesses before returning to the case of an unmodified flow; whereas the devices did have a major effect on the diffusion of polymer over the entire streamwise distance studied compared to the case of an unmodified flow. Large reductions of turbulent normal and shear stresses were observed downstream of the devices, especially with polymer injection.A version of this paper was presented at the 12^th Symposium on Turbulence, University of Missouri-Rolla, 24–26 September, 1990     

An Attempt to Combine Large Eddy Simulation with the k-ε Model in a Channel-Flow Calculation

Large eddy simulation (LES) is combined with the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation in a turbulent channel-flow calculation. A one-equation subgrid-scale model is solved in a three-dimensional grid in the near-wall region whereas the standard k–ε model is solved in a one-dimensional grid in the outer region away from the wall. The two grid systems are overlapped to connect the two models smoothly. A turbulent channel flow is calculated at Reynolds numbers higher than typical LES and several statistical quantities are examined. The mean velocity profile is in good agreement with the logarithmic law. The profile of the turbulent kinetic energy in the near-wall region is smoothly connected with that of the turbulent energy for the k–ε model in the outer region. Turbulence statistics show that the solution in the near-wall region is as accurate as a usual LES. The present approach is different from wall modeling in LES that uses a RANS model near the wall. The former is not as efficient as the latter for calculating high-Reynolds-number flows. Nevertheless, the present method of combining the two models is expected to pave the way for constructing a unified turbulence model that is useful for many purposes including wall modeling. Received 11 June 1999 and accepted 15 December 2000     

Flow of dilute polyacrylamide solutions through a sudden planar contraction

The flow of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide solutions through a 10:1.2 sudden planar contraction was investigated by means of laser-Doppler anemometry. The resultant velocity profiles are compared with those for Newtonian water flow. It is shown that velocity profiles of dilute high molecular weight HPAM solutions of concentrations of 25 ppm and 50 ppm exhibit a velocity maximum upstream of the sudden planar contraction. They first appear near the wall and move towards the channel axis as the flow approaches the contraction. Furthermore, it is found that the centreline velocity profiles of the polymer solution show an earlier response to the downstream flow restriction than water. This is associated with enhanced recirculation regions in front of the sudden channel contraction.Streamlines calculated from the experimentally obtained velocity data reveal all the characteristics of a diverging flow field upstream of the contraction. The experiments reveal that, for the volume flow rate investigated, the flow of dilute polymers remains two-dimensional in the centre throughout the major part of the channel.The addition of small amounts of the divalent salt CaCl₂ reduces the polymer effects to pure Newtonian flow behaviour.     

An investigation of possible mechanisms of heterogeneous drag reduction in pipe and channel flows

When concentrated polymer solutions are injected into the core-region of a turbulent pipe or channel flow, the injected polymer solution forms a thread which preserves its identity far beyond the injection point. The resulting drag reduction is called heterogeneous drag reduction.This study presents experimental results on the mechanism of this type of drag reduction. The experiments were carried out to find out whether this drag reduction is caused by small amounts of polymer removed from the thread and dissolved in the near-wall region of the flow or by an interaction of the polymer thread with the turbulence. The friction behavior of this type of drag reduction was measured for different concentrations in pipes of different cross-sections, but of identical hydraulic diameter. The parameters of the injection, i.e. injector geometry as well as the ratio of the injection to the bulk velocity, were varied. In one set of experiments the polymer thread was sucked out through an orifice and the friction behavior in the pipe was determined downstream of the orifice. In another experiment, near-wall fluid was led into a bypass in order to measure its drag reducing properties. Furthermore, the influence of a water injection into the near-wall region on the drag reduction was studied.The results provide a strong evidence that heterogeneous drag reduction is in part caused by small amount of dissolved polymer in the near-wall region as well as by an interaction of the polymer thread with the turbulence.Nomenclature a channel height - b channel width - c _p concentration of the injected polymer solution - c _R effective polymer concentration averaged over the cross-section - d pipe or hydraulic diameter - d _i injector diameter - DR drag reduction - f friction factor - l downstream distance from injector - L length of a pipe segment - P polymer type - p differential pressure - Re Reynolds number - U bulk velocity - u ^* ratio of injection to bulk velocity - y ⁺ dimensionless wall distance - v kinematic viscosity - density of the fluid - _w wall shear stress