Turbulent Drag Reduction by a Near Wall Surface Tension Active Interface

In this work we study the turbulence modulation in a viscosity-stratified two-phase flow using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of turbulence and the Phase Field Method (PFM) to simulate the interfacial phenomena. Specifically we consider the case of two immiscible fluid layers driven in a closed rectangular channel by an imposed mean pressure gradient. The present problem, which may mimic the behaviour of an oil flowing under a thin layer of different oil, thickness ratio h₂/h₁ =?9, is described by three main flow parameters: the shear Reynolds number Re _τ (which quantifies the importance of inertia compared to viscous effects), the Weber number We (which quantifies surface tension effects) and the viscosity ratio λ = ν₁/ν₂ between the two fluids. For this first study, the density ratio of the two fluid layers is the same (ρ₂ = ρ₁), we keep Re _τ and We constant, but we consider three different values for the viscosity ratio: λ =?1, λ =?0.875 and λ =?0.75. Compared to a single phase flow at the same shear Reynolds number (Re _τ =?100), in the two phase flow case we observe a decrease of the wall-shear stress and a strong turbulence modulation in particular in the proximity of the interface. Interestingly, we observe that the modulation of turbulence by the liquid-liquid interface extends up to the top wall (i.e. the closest to the interface) and produces local shear stress inversions and flow recirculation regions. The observed results depend primarily on the interface deformability and on the viscosity ratio between the two fluids (λ).     

On the dispersion of a solute in oscillating flow of a non-Newtonian fluid in a channel

The paper presents an exact analysis of the dispersion of an immiscible solute in a non-Newtonian fluid (known as an incompressible second-order fluid which shows viscoelastic behaviour) flowing slowly in a parallel plate channel in the presence of a periodic pressure gradient. Using a generalized dispersion model which is valid for all times after the solute injection, the diffusion coefficients K _i (τ)(i=1,2,3,…) are obtained as functions of time τ in the case when the initial solute distribution is in the form of a slug of finite extent. The analysis leads to the novel result that K ₂(τ) (which is a measure of the longitudinal dispersion coefficient of the solute) has a steady part S in addition to a fluctuating part D ₂(τ) due to the pulsatility of the flow. It is found that S decreases with increase in the viscoelastic parameter M for given values of the amplitude λ and frequency ω of the pressure pulsation. On the other hand, it is found that at a fixed instant τ, the amplitude of D ₂(τ) increases with increase in M for given values of λ and ω. Further it is shown that at a given instant τ, the amplitude of D ₂(τ) decreases with increase in ω for given λ and M and the profile for D ₂(τ) becomes progressively flatter with increase in ω. Finally the axial distribution of the average concentration θ _m of the solute over the channel cross-section is determined at different instants after the solute injection for several values of M, λ and ω. The present study is likely to have important bearing on the problem of dispersion of tracers in blood flow through arteries.     

Mixing and Bimolecular Reaction Kinetics in a Plane Poisseulle Flow

Mixing and a nonlinear bimolecular chemical reaction (reactant A + reactant B → product; reaction rate r?=?κc ₁ c ₂) in laminar shear flow are investigated. It is found that asymptotically the dominant balance between the rates of production and dissipation of the mean-squared concentration fluctuations \((\sigma_{c_1 }^2 ,\sigma_{c_2 }^2)\) and cross-covariance of concentration fluctuations \((\overline {c_1 c_2 })\) occurs under nonreactive and reactive conditions. Longitudinal dispersion of the cross-sectional averages (C ₁, C ₂), and variances and the cross-covariance of reactant concentrations can be asymptotically quantified by the classic Taylor dispersion coefficient (D) even under reactive conditions. The characteristic time-scale (τ) over which molecular diffusion dissipates concentration variance and the cross-covariance of reactant concentrations is also shown to be the same under nonreactive and reactive conditions. A variational estimate of τ is shown to be close to the values inferred from detailed numerical simulation. The production-dissipation balance implies that the cross-sectional averaged reaction rate follows \(\overline r =\kappa_{eff} C_1 C_2 \) and \(\kappa _{eff} \approx \kappa \left[ {1+2D\tau \left( {{\partial \ln C_1 } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\partial \ln C_1 } {\partial x}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\partial x}} \right)\left( {{\partial \ln C_2 } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\partial \ln C_2 } {\partial x}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\partial x}} \right)} \right]\). The effective reaction rate parameter (κ _eff ) is higher than that of well-mixed batch test reaction rate constant (κ) for initially overlapping species and κ _eff is smaller than κ for initially non-overlapping species.     

Power-law creep and residual stresses in a carbopol gel

We report on the interplay between creep and residual stresses in a carbopol microgel. When a constant shear stress σ is applied below the yield stress σ _y, the strain is shown to increase as a power law of time, γ(t) = γ ₀ + (t/τ) ^α , with an exponent α = 0.39 ± 0.04 that is strongly reminiscent of Andrade creep in hard solids. For applied shear stresses lower than some typical value σ _c ? 0.2σ _y, the microgel experiences a more complex, anomalous creep behavior, characterized by an initial decrease of the strain, that we attribute to the existence of residual stresses of the order of σ _c that persist after a rest time under a zero shear rate following preshear. The influence of gel concentration on creep and residual stresses are investigated as well as possible aging effects. We discuss our results in light of previous works on colloidal glasses and other soft glassy systems.     

Evaluation of the Spectral Element Dynamic Model for Large-Eddy Simulation on Unstructured,Deformed Meshes

In this paper, the Spectral-Element Dynamic Model (SEDM), suited for Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) using Discontinuous Finite Element Methods (DFEM), is assessed using unstructured meshes. Five test cases of increasing complexity are considered, namely, the Taylor-Green vortex at Re =?5000, the turbulent channel flow at Re_τ =?587, the circular cylinder in cross-flow at Re_D =?3900, the square cylinder in cross-flow at Re_D =?22400 and the channel with periodic constrictions at Re_h =?10595. Various discretization parameters such as the grid spacing, polynomial degree and numerical flux are assessed and very accurate results are reported in all cases. This consistency in the results demonstrates the versatility of the SEDM approach and its ability to gage the actual resolution and quality of the mesh and, accordingly, to introduce an amount of sub-grid dissipation which is adapted to the spatial discretization considered.     

Revisiting History Effects in Adverse-Pressure-Gradient Turbulent Boundary Layers

The goal of this study is to present a first step towards establishing criteria aimed at assessing whether a particular adverse-pressure-gradient (APG) turbulent boundary layer (TBL) can be considered well-behaved, i.e., whether it is independent of the inflow conditions and is exempt of numerical or experimental artifacts. To this end, we analyzed several high-quality datasets, including in-house numerical databases of APG TBLs developing over flat-plates and the suction side of a wing section, and five studies available in the literature. Due to the impact of the flow history on the particular state of the boundary layer, we developed three criteria of convergence to well-behaved conditions, to be used depending on the particular case under study. (i) In the first criterion, we develop empirical correlations defining the R e _?? -evolution of the skin-friction coefficient and the shape factor in APG TBLs with constant values of the Clauser pressure-gradient parameter β = 1 and 2 (note that β = δ ^?/τ _w dP _e /dx, where δ ^? is the displacement thickness, τ _w the wall-shear stress and dP _e /dx the streamwise pressure gradient). (ii) In the second one, we propose a predictive method to obtain the skin-friction curve corresponding to an APG TBL subjected to any streamwise evolution of β, based only on data from zero-pressure-gradient TBLs. (iii) The third method relies on the diagnostic-plot concept modified with the shape factor, which scales APG TBLs subjected to a wide range of pressure-gradient conditions. These three criteria allow to ensure the correct flow development of a particular TBL, and thus to separate history and pressure-gradient effects in the analysis.     

On the dispersion of a solute in oscillating flow through a channel

The paper presents an exact analysis of the dispersion of a solute in an incompressible viscous fluid flowing slowly in a parallel plate channel under the influence of a periodic pressure gradient. Using a generalised dispersion model which is valid for all times after the solute injection, the diffusion coefficientsK _i (τ)(i=1,2,3,…) are determined as functions of timeτ when the initial distribution of the solute is in the form of a slug of finite extent. The second coefficientK ₂(τ) gives a measure of the longitudinal dispersion of the solute due to the combined influence of molecular diffusion and nonuniform velocity across the channel cross-section. The analysis leads to the novel result thatK ₂(τ) consists of a steady partS and a fluctuating partD ₂(τ) due to the pulsatility of the flow. It is shown thatS increases with increase inλ (the amplitude of pressure pulsation) for small values ofω (the frequency of the pulsation). But for largeω, S decreases with increase inλ. It is also found that for fixedλ, there is very little fluctuation inD ₂(τ) forω=1, butD ₂(τ) shows fluctuation with large amplitude whenω slightly exceeds unity. The amplitude ofD ₂(τ) then decreases with further increase inω. Thus the variation of bothS andD ₂(τ) withω is non-monotonic. Finally,? _m , the average concentration of the solute over the channel cross-section is determined for various values ofλ andω.     

Direct Numerical Simulation and Theory of a Wall-Bounded Flow with Zero Skin Friction

We study turbulent plane Couette-Poiseuille (CP) flows in which the conditions (relative wall velocity ΔU _w ≡ 2U _w , pressure gradient dP/dx and viscosity ν) are adjusted to produce zero mean skin friction on one of the walls, denoted by APG for adverse pressure gradient. The other wall, FPG for favorable pressure gradient, provides the friction velocity u _τ , and h is the half-height of the channel. This leads to a one-parameter family of one-dimensional flows of varying Reynolds number Re ≡ U _w h/ν. We apply three codes, and cover three Reynolds numbers stepping by a factor of two each time. The agreement between codes is very good, and the Reynolds-number range is sizable. The theoretical questions revolve around Reynolds-number independence in both the core region (free of local viscous effects) and the two wall regions. The core region follows Townsend’s hypothesis of universal behavior for the velocity and shear stress, when they are normalized with u _τ and h; on the other hand universality is not observed for all the Reynolds stresses, any more than it is in Poiseuille flow or boundary layers. The FPG wall region obeys the classical law of the wall, again for velocity and shear stress. For the APG wall region, Stratford conjectured universal behavior when normalized with the pressure gradient, leading to a square-root law for the velocity. The literature, also covering other flows with zero skin friction, is ambiguous. Our results are very consistent with both of Stratford’s conjectures, suggesting that at least in this idealized flow turbulence theory is successful like it was for the classical logarithmic law of the wall. We appear to know the constants of the law within a 10% bracket. On the other hand, that again does not extend to Reynolds stresses other than the shear stress, but these stresses are passive in the momentum equation.     

Plasma drift-anisotropy instability and anomalous transport processes

The author expounds a nonlinear theory of the instability of a weakly inhomogeneous plasma with hot ions when a”loss cone” is present in their velocity distribution. Flute-type instabilities (k_Z= 0) are considered, which for a strong enough irregularity may build up even in short traps with”magnetic mirrors.” It is shown that the total ion flux through the magnetic mirrors, which is caused by turbulent diffusion into the loss cone, exceeds by a factor of (2n/R_H ?n)^1/2 the ion flux across the magnetic field as a result of diffusion in coordinate space (here n, ?n, are the density and its gradient, R_H is the ion Larmor radius). The diffusion time of ions into the “loss cone” is of the order τ=10Ω_? ^? (2n/R ^??n)^3/2 (Ω_H is the ion Larmor frequency). A plasma contained in magnetic traps is always in a nonequilibrium thermodynamic state. The nature of the nonequilibrium is connected with the specific geometry of the containing magnetic field. Here we will consider open traps with magnetic mirrors in which the nonequilibrium of the plasma is caused by:

1. 1)
   the curvature of the magnetic field force lines and its associated effective gravity field;     
   
   

Pre-Chamber Ignition Mechanism: Simulations of Transient Autoignition in a Mixing Layer Between Reactants and Partially-Burnt Products

The structure of autoignition in a mixing layer between fully-burnt or partially-burnt combustion products from a methane-air flame at ? = 0.85 and a methane-air mixture of a leaner equivalence ratio has been studied with transient diffusion flamelet calculations. This configuration is relevant to scavenged pre-chamber natural-gas engines, where the turbulent jet ejected from the pre-chamber may be quenched or may be composed of fully-burnt products. The degree of reaction in the jet fluid is described by a progress variable c (c = taking values 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0) and the mixing by a mixture fraction ξ (ξ = 1 in the jet fluid and 0 in the CH₄-air mixture to be ignited). At high scalar dissipation rates, N₀, ignition does not occur and a chemically-frozen steady-state condition emerges at long times. At scalar dissipation rates below a critical value, ignition occurs at a time that increases with N₀. The flame reaches the ξ = 0 boundary at a finite time that decreases with N₀. The results help identify overall timescales of the jet-ignition problem and suggest a methodology by which estimates of ignition times in real engines may be made.     

On the interplay between fast reaction and slow diffusion in the concrete carbonation process: a matched-asymptotics approach

A matched-asymptotics approach is proposed to show the occurrence of two distinct characteristic length scales in the carbonation process. The separation of these scales arises due to the strong competition between reaction and diffusion effects. We show that for sufficiently large times τ the width of the carbonated region is proportional to \(\sqrt{\tau}\), while the width of the reaction front is proportional to \(\tau^{\frac{p-1}{2(p+1)}}\) for carbonation-reaction rates with a power law structure like k[CO₂] ^p [Ca(OH)₂] ^q , where k>0 and p,q>1 and identify the proportionality coefficient asymptotically. We emphasize the occurrence of a water barrier in the reaction zone which may hinder the penetration of CO₂ by locally filling with water air parts of the pores. This non-linear effect may be one of the causes why a purely linear extrapolation of accelerated carbonation test results to natural carbonation settings is (even theoretically) not reasonable. Finally, we compare our asymptotic penetration law against measured penetration depths from Bune (Zum Karbonatisierungsbedingten Verlust der Dauerhaftigkeit von Außenbauteilen aus Stahlbeton, 1994). The novelty consists in the fact that the factor multiplying \(\sqrt{\tau}\) is now identified asymptotically by solving a non-linear system of ordinary differential equations, and hence, fitting arguments are not necessary to estimate its size. We offer an alternative to the (asymptotic) \(\sqrt{\tau}\) expression of the carbonation-front position obtained in Papadakis et al. (AIChE J. 35:1639, 1989).     

Pressure-Gradient Turbulent Boundary Layers Developing Around a Wing Section

A direct numerical simulation database of the flow around a NACA4412 wing section at R e _c = 400,000 and 5^° angle of attack (Hosseini et al. Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow 61, 117–128, 2016), obtained with the spectral-element code Nek5000, is analyzed. The Clauser pressure-gradient parameter β ranges from ? 0 and 85 on the suction side, and from 0 to ? 0.25 on the pressure side of the wing. The maximum R e _?? and R e _τ values are around 2,800 and 373 on the suction side, respectively, whereas on the pressure side these values are 818 and 346. Comparisons between the suction side with zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer data show larger values of the shape factor and a lower skin friction, both connected with the fact that the adverse pressure gradient present on the suction side of the wing increases the wall-normal convection. The adverse-pressure-gradient boundary layer also exhibits a more prominent wake region, the development of an outer peak in the Reynolds-stress tensor components, and increased production and dissipation across the boundary layer. All these effects are connected with the fact that the large-scale motions of the flow become relatively more intense due to the adverse pressure gradient, as apparent from spanwise premultiplied power-spectral density maps. The emergence of an outer spectral peak is observed at β values of around 4 for λ _z ? 0.65δ ₉₉, closer to the wall than the spectral outer peak observed in zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers at higher R e _?? . The effect of the slight favorable pressure gradient present on the pressure side of the wing is opposite the one of the adverse pressure gradient, leading to less energetic outer-layer structures.     

Steady flow of a power-law non-Newtonian fluid across an unconfined square cylinder

A two-dimensional flow of a non-Newtonian power-law fluid directed normally to a horizontal cylinder with a square cross section is considered in the present paper. The problem is investigated numerically with a finite volume method by using the commercial code Ansys Fluent with a very large computational domain so that the flow could be considered unbounded. The investigation covers the power-law index from 0.1 to 2.0 and the Reynolds number range from 0.001 to 45.000. It is found that the drag coefficient for low Reynolds numbers and low power-law index (n ≤ 0.5) obeys the relationship C_D = A/Re. An equation for the quantity A as a function of the power-law index is derived. The drag coefficient becomes almost independent of the power-law index at high Reynolds numbers and the wake length changes nonlinearly with the Reynolds number and power-law index.     

Miscible Thermo-Viscous Fingering Instability in Porous Media. Part 1: Linear Stability Analysis

The development of the thermo-viscous fingering instability of miscible displacements in homogeneous porous media is examined. In this first part of the study dealing with stability analysis, the basic equations and the parameters governing the problem in a rectilinear geometry are developed. An exponential dependence of viscosity on temperature and concentration is represented by two parameters, thermal mobility ratio β _T and a solutal mobility ratio β _C , respectively. Other parameters involved are the Lewis number Le and a thermal-lag coefficient λ. The governing equations are linearized and solved to obtain instability characteristics using either a quasi-steady-state approximation (QSSA) or initial value calculations (IVC). Exact analytical solutions are also obtained for very weakly diffusing systems. Using the QSSA approach, it was found that an increase in thermal mobility ratio β _T is seen to enhance the instability for fixed β _C , Le and λ. For fixed β _C and β _T , a decrease in the thermal-lag coefficient and/or an increase in the Lewis number always decrease the instability. Moreover, strong thermal diffusion at large Le as well as enhanced redistribution of heat between the solid and fluid phases at small λ is seen to alleviate the destabilizing effects of positive β _T . Consequently, the instability gets strictly dominated by the solutal front. The linear stability analysis using IVC approach leads to conclusions similar to the QSSA approach except for the case of large Le and unity λ flow where the instability is seen to get even less pronounced than in the case of a reference isothermal flow of the same β _C , but β _T  = 0. At practically, small value of λ, however, the instability ultimately approaches that due to β _C only.     

Time-dependent drag reduction and ageing in aqueous solutions of a cationic surfactant

The turbulent pipe flow of a highly dilute aqueous cationic surfactant solution is investigated by means of a pulsed ultrasound Doppler method with special emphasis on the wall boundary layer. The velocity profiles are recorded for several Reynolds numbers at varying ages of the solution. The wall shear stress velocities u _τ used for the normalization of the velocity profiles are determined by fitting the measured profiles to the universal linear velocity profile in the viscous sublayer. The theoretical pressure loss is then calculated from the numerical values of u _τ and compared to the experimental values. Two different scaling methods are discussed for the velocity fluctuations concerning the correlation of the root-mean square values with the effect and the amount of drag reduction. It is shown that outer scaling with the mean velocity is appropriate for the detection of drag reduction in surfactant solutions, rather than inner scaling with the wall shear stress velocity, which is common practice in investigations of 'usual' turbulent flows.     

VLES Modeling of Flow Over Walls with Variably-shaped Roughness by Reference to Complementary DNS

Turbulent flow over variably-shaped rough walls, characterized by either a regular or a random arrangement of axisymmetric roughness elements in an open channel flow configuration, is investigated computationally within a VLES (Very Large Eddy Simulation) framework by utilizing a volumetric forcing-based roughness model. The prime objective of the present work is to assess the roughness model’s capability to predict mean velocities and turbulent intensities in conjunction with this recently formulated hybrid LES/RANS (Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) model. The friction velocity-based Reynolds number is in the range Re_τ =?460 ? 500. A non-dimensional drag function accounting for the shape of the roughness elements is introduced and evaluated based on the results of complementary direct numerical simulations (DNS). The dynamics of the residual motion of the presently adopted VLES methodology is described by an appropriately modified elliptic-relaxation-based ζ ? f (\(\zeta =\overline {v^{2}}/k\)) RANS model.     

Dual yielding in capillary suspensions

Rheological measurements were performed to examine the yielding behavior of capillary suspensions prepared by mixing cocoa powder as dispersed phase, vegetable oil as the continuous primary fluid, and water as the secondary fluid. Here, we investigated the yielding behavior of solid-fluid-fluid systems with varying particle volume fraction, ?, spanning the regime from a low volume fraction (? = 0.25) to a highly filled regime (? = 0.65) using dynamic oscillatory measurements. While for ? ≤ 0.4 with a fixed water volume fraction (? _w ) of 0.06 as the secondary fluid, capillary suspensions exhibited a single yield point due to rupturing of aqueous capillary bridges between the particles, while capillary suspensions with ? ≥ 0.45 showed a two-step yielding behavior. On plotting elastic stress (G^′ γ) as a function of applied strain (γ), two distinct peaks, indicating two yield stresses, were observed. Both the yield stresses and storage modulus at low strains were found to increase with ? following a power law dependence. With increasing ? _w (0 – 0.08) at a fixed ? = 0.65, the system shifted to a frustrated, jammed state with particles strongly held together shown by rapidly increasing first and second yield stresses. In particular, the first yield stress was found to increase with ? _w following a power law dependence, while the second yield stress was found to increase exponentially with ? _w . Transient steady shear tests were also performed. The single stress overshoot for ? ≤ 0.4 with ? _w = 0.06 reflected one-step yielding behavior. In contrast, for high ? (≥ 0.45) values with ? _w = 0.06, two stress overshoots were observed in agreement with the two-step yielding behavior shown in the dynamic oscillatory measurements. Experiments on the effect of resting time on microstructure recovery demonstrated that aggregates could reform after resting under quiescent conditions.     

Effective viscosity of a dilute emulsion of spherical drops containing soluble surfactant

The effective viscosity of a dilute emulsion of spherical drops containing a soluble surfactant is calculated under a linear creeping flow. It is assumed that convection of surfactant is small relative to diffusion, and thus the Peclet number, Pe, is small. We calculate the effective viscosity of the emulsion to \(\mathcal {O}(Pe\phi \mu )\), where ? is the small volume fraction of the dispersed drops and μ is the viscosity of the surfactant-free suspending fluid. This \(\mathcal {O}(Pe\phi \mu )\) contribution is a sensitive function of the bulk and interfacial surfactant transport. Specifically, soluble surfactant molecules diffuse from the bulk to the interface and then adsorb to the interface. The ratio of the time scale for bulk diffusion to the time scale for adsorption to the interface is quantified by a Damkohler number, Da. The adsorption of surfactant to the interface may cause a significant decrease in the bulk concentration, which is known as depletion. The impact of depletion is characterized by two parameters: h, which is a dimensionless depletion depth; and k, which is the ratio of the desorption time scale to the adsorption time scale. We analytically determine how the \(\mathcal {O}(Pe\phi \mu )\) contribution to the effective viscosity depends on h, k, and Da. Surprisingly, for certain regimes in the h ? k ? Da parameter space, we predict the effective viscosity of the emulsion to be greater than Einstein’s result for the viscosity of a suspension of rigid spheres. Large Marangoni stresses driven by convective transport of soluble surfactant molecules are responsible for this result.     

Confined viscoplastic flows with heterogeneous wall slip

The steady, pressure-driven flow of a Herschel-Bulkley fluid in a microchannel is considered, assuming that different power-law slip equations apply at the two walls due to slip heterogeneities, allowing the velocity profile to be asymmetric. Three different flow regimes are observed as the pressure gradient is increased. Below a first critical pressure gradient G ₁, the fluid moves unyielded with a uniform velocity, and thus, the two slip velocities are equal. In an intermediate regime between G ₁ and a second critical pressure gradient G ₂, the fluid yields in a zone near the weak-slip wall and flows with uniform velocity near the stronger-slip wall. Beyond this regime, the fluid yields near both walls and the velocity are uniform only in the central unyielded core. It is demonstrated that the central unyielded region tends towards the midplane only if the power-law exponent is less than unity; otherwise, this region rends towards the weak-slip wall and asymmetry is enhanced. The extension of the different flow regimes depends on the channel gap; in particular, the intermediate asymmetric flow regime dominates when the gap becomes smaller than a characteristic length which incorporates the wall slip coefficients and the fluid properties. The theoretical results compare well with available experimental data on soft glassy suspensions. These results open new routes in manipulating the flow of viscoplastic materials in applications where the flow behavior depends not only on the bulk rheology of the material but also on the wall properties.