Condensation of Coherent Structures in Turbulent Flows

Physical Review Letters
Kai Leong ChongKe-Qing Xia

Abstract

Coherent structures are ubiquitous in turbulent flows and play a key role in transport. The most important coherent structures in thermal turbulence are plumes. Despite being the primary heat carriers, the potential of manipulating thermal plumes to transport more heat has been overlooked so far. Unlike some other forms of energy transport, such as electromagnetic or sound waves, heat flow in fluids is generally difficult to manipulate, as it is associated with the random motion of molecules and atoms. Here we report how a simple geometrical confinement can lead to the condensation of elementary plumes. The result is the formation of highly coherent system-sized plumes and the emergence of a new regime of convective thermal turbulence characterized by universal temperature profiles and significantly enhanced heat transfer. It is also found that the universality of the temperature profiles and heat transport originate from the geometrical properties of the coherent structures, i.e., the thermal plumes. Therefore, in contrast to the classical regime, boundary layers in this plume-controlled regime are being controlled, rather than controlling.

References

Mar 14, 2003·Physical Review Letters·X-D ShangK-Q Xia
Sep 28, 2004·Physical Review Letters·Emily S C ChingKe-Qing Xia
Mar 16, 2007·Physical Review Letters·Quan ZhouKe-Qing Xia
Dec 21, 2011·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·Erwin P van der PoelDetlef Lohse
Jul 14, 2012·The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter·F Chillà, J Schumacher
Aug 29, 2014·Physical Review Letters·Shi-Di HuangKe-Qing Xia

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