Drag Reduction for Turbulent Boundary Layer Flows Using an Oscillating Wall

摘要

This research program used experimental measurements and computational simulations to study the drag reduction, and the resulting effects on turbulence structure, for a turbulent wall flow subjected to lateral wall oscillations. Major objectives for this study were to establish wall oscillation conditions resulting in maximum drag reduction, and how the turbulence structure was altered so that this drag reduction was attained. Furthermore we were interested in the drag reduction performance over a range of Reynolds numbers, and the onset of the drag reduction at the start of the oscillating wall section, and the decay of drag reduction downstream of the oscillating wall. Our experiments showed the maximum drag reduction for an oscillating wall is 30%. Furthermore, the drag reduction reaches an asymptotic level with increasing wall oscillation velocity, with the maximum level occurring by approximately W sub wp=15. Drag reduction performance was tested for Reynolds numbers of Re theta =500, 950, 1400 and 2400, and the performance was found to be independent of Reynolds number for this range. Experimental and computational studies of the turbulence structure showed the oscillating wall has dramatic effect in practically eliminating the streak structures. Furthermore, the burst and sweep structures were suppressed.