Additive equivalence in turbulent drag reduction by flexible and rodlike polymers.
We address the additive equivalence discovered by Virk and co-workers: drag reduction affected by flexible and rigid rodlike polymers added to turbulent wall-bounded flows is limited from above by a very similar maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. Considering the equations of motion of rodlike polymers in wall-bounded turbulent ensembles, we show that although the microscopic mechanism of attaining the MDR is very different, the macroscopic theory is isomorphic, rationalizing the interesting experimental observations.
Benzi
Roberto
R
Dipartimento di Fisica and INFN, Università Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133 Roma, Italy.
Ching
Emily S C
ES
Lo
T S
TS
L'vov
Victor S
VS
Procaccia
Itamar
I