Large-Scale Forcing of a Turbulent Channel Flow Through Spanwise Synthetic Jets

The investigation focuses on the forcing of a fully developed turbulent channel flow through a linear array of synthetic jets injected tangentially to the wall and orthogonal to the mean flow direction. Forcing configurations are varied by differently combining the number of actuated jets working in an opposing blowing–suction configuration. Instantaneous wall shear stress and streamwise velocity fluctuations evidence drag reductions as well as turbulence attenuation up to 20%. The forcing effects are persistent up to at least a 150 half-channel height downstream of the injection section. Particle image velocimetry investigations in planes perpendicular to the channel axis highlight the presence of a large-scale streamwise vortical structure covering the whole height of the channel. This structure is thought to be responsible for the significant drag reduction, which is similar to the typical behavior evidenced in the case of colliding jets. The nondimensional forcing frequency of the synthetic jets producing the maximum drag reduction and turbulence attenuation is 0.0074 for the investigated Reynolds number (Reτ=180). A statistical analysis of the near-wall structures demonstrates that the control mechanism acts in a way to reduce them in the forced configuration. It is conclude that the effect of the forcing is such that the near-wall structures merge and become less prone to inducing new structures, thus effectively reducing their number, and consequently the near-wall turbulence activity.