Flow visualization of the near-wall region in a drag-reducing channel flow

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the addition of drag-reducing macromolecules alters the structure of the viscous sublayer and thereby modifies the production of kinetic energy in turbulent wall flows. This was accomplished by visualizing the near-wall region of a fully developed two-dimensional channel flow. Motion pictures were taken of dye injected into the near-wall region. Both water and a dilute drag-reducing polyethylene oxide-FRA solution were used as working fluids. The motion pictures were analysed to determine the spanwise spacing and the bursting rate of low-speed streaks that are characteristic of the viscous sublayer. The amount of drag reduction was established from pressure-drop measurements in pipe flows and a correlation that is independent of hydraulic diameter.The data show that the time between bursts for an individual streak in a drag-reducing flow has the value for a water flow at the reduced wall shear. However, both the physical and the non-dimensional streak spacing is significantly increased in the drag-reducing flows and thus the spatially averaged bursting rate is decreased. This evidence strongly suggests that the dilute polymer solution decreases the production of turbulent kinetic energy by inhibiting the formation of low-speed streaks. A tentative explanation for this behaviour which is based upon the solution's high resistance to elongational strains and vortex stretching is offered.