Early turbulence and drag reduction phenomena in larger pipes

Drag reduction properties of superhydrophobic mesh pipes

Even with the recent extensive study into superhydrophobic surfaces, the fabrication of such surfaces on the inside walls of a pipe remains challenging. In this work we report a convenient bi-layered pipe design using a thin superhydrophobic metallic mesh formed into a tube, supported inside another pipe. A flow system was constructed to test the fabricated bi-layer pipeline, which allowed for ...

Drag reduction in bubbly Taylor-Couette turbulence.

In Taylor-Couette flow the total energy dissipation rate and therefore the drag can be determined by measuring the torque on the system. We do so for Reynolds numbers between Re=7 x 10(4) and Re=10(6) after having injected (i) small bubbles (R=1 mm) up to a volume concentration of alpha=5% and (ii) buoyant particles (rhop/rhol=0.14) of comparable volume concentration. In case (i) we observe a c...

Turbulent drag reduction with polymer additive in rough pipes

Physics and control of wall turbulence for drag reduction.

Turbulence physics responsible for high skin-friction drag in turbulent boundary layers is first reviewed. A self-sustaining process of near-wall turbulence structures is then discussed from the perspective of controlling this process for the purpose of skin-friction drag reduction. After recognizing that key parts of this self-sustaining process are linear, a linear systems approach to boundar...

Drag reduction: enticing turbulence, and then an industry.

We examine drag-reduction proposals, as presented in this volume and in general, first with concrete examples of how to bridge the distance from pure science through engineering to what makes inventions go into service; namely, the value to the public. We point out that the true drag reduction can be markedly different from an estimate based simply on the difference between turbulent and lamina...