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Elastic energy transfer by flexible polymers in fluid turbulence

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We present a study of the energy transfer in the bulk of a turbulent flow with dilute long-chain polymer additives. Based on prior work by de Gennes and Tabor, we introduce a theory that balances the energy flux through the turbulent cascade with that of the energy flux into the elastic degrees of freedom of the dilute polymer solution. We propose a refined elastic length scale, rε, which describes the effect of polymer elasticity on the turbulence energy cascade. Our experimental results agree excellently with this new energy flux balance theory.

Author(s):

Eberhard Bodenschatz    
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics & Self-Organization
Germany

Heng-Dong Xi    
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics & Self-Organization
Germany

Haitao Xu    
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics & Self-Organization
Germany