Characteristic turbulent structure of a modified drag-reduced surfactant solution flow via dosing water from channel wall

• Modulation of near wall turbulence was conducted on a viscoelastic drag-reduced flow.
• Flow of coexisting Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids was realized.
• Drag reduction is enhanced, although the Reynolds shear stress increases.
• An obvious regional characteristic structure is presented.
• Anisotropy of near-wall turbulence was discussed.

The modification of the near-wall structure is very important for the control of wall turbulence. To ascertain the effect of near-wall modulation on the viscoelastic drag-reduced flow, the modified characteristics of a surfactant solution channel flow were investigated experimentally. The modulation was conducted on the boundary of the channel flow by injecting water from the whole surface of one side of the channel wall. The diffusion process of the injected water was observed by using the planar laser-induced fluorescence technique. The velocity statistics and characteristic structure including the spatial distributions of instantaneous streamwise velocity, swirling strength, and Reynolds shear stress were analyzed based on the velocity vectors acquired in the streamwise wall-normal plane by using the particle imaging velocimetry technique. The results indicated that the disturbance of the injected water was constricted within a finite range very near the dosing wall, and the Reynolds shear stress was increased in this region. However, the eventual drag reduction rate was found to be increased due to a relatively large decrement of viscoelastic shear stress in this near-wall region. Moreover, the flow structure under this modulation presented obvious regional characteristics. In the unstable disturbed region, the mixing of high-speed and low-speed fluids and the motions of ejection and sweep occurred actively. Many clockwise vortex cores were also found to be generated. This characteristic structure was similar to that in the ordinary turbulence of Newtonian fluid. Nevertheless, outside this disturbed region, the structure still maintained the characteristics of the drag-reduced flow with non-Newtonian viscoelastic additives. These results proved that the injected Newtonian fluid associated with the modified stress distribution creates a diverse characteristic structure and subsequent enhanced drag reduction. This investigation can provide the experimental basis for further study of turbulence control.