Non-sinusoidal wall oscillation for drag reduction

The drag reducing properties of wall flows under non-sinusoidal oscillations are analyzed in the present work. The dependency of the drag reduction rate, R, and of the power spent to move the walls, P_in, with respect the shape of the wall motion are investigated. This preliminary work highlights a significant role of the oscillation shape for turbulence control suggesting more research efforts in the field with possible repercussions for practical applications. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)