Application of reduced-order controller to turbulent flows for drag reduction

A reduced-order linear feedback controller is designed and applied to turbulent channel flow for drag reduction. From the linearized two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations a distributed feedback controller, which produces blowing/suction at the wall based on the measured turbulent streamwise wall-shear stress, is derived using model reduction techniques and linearquadratic-Gaussian/loop-transfer-recovery control synthesis. The quadratic cost criterion used for synthesis is composed of the streamwise wall-shear stress, which includes the control effort of blowing/suction. This distributed two-dimensional controller developed from a linear system theory is shown to reduce the skin friction by 10% in direct numerical simulations of a low-Reynolds number turbulent nonlinear channel flow. Spanwise shear-stress variation, not captured by the distributed two-dimensional controller, is suppressed by augmentation of a simple spanwise ad hoc control scheme. This augmented three-dimensional controller, which requires only the turbulent streamwise velocity gradient, results in a further reduction in the skin-friction drag. It is shown that the input power requirement is significantly less than the power saved by reduced drag. Other turbulence characteristics affected by these controllers are also discussed. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. @DOI: 10.1063/1.1359420#