MORE | Spring 2018

Turbulent Drag Reduction in Pipes by Spanwise Wall Oscillations

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Pipe flow is crucial for transporting industrial fluids over large-scale distances. A good example is the Alaskan North Slope pipeline, which transports crude oil hundreds of miles from the drilling center to a transportation hub. Turbulent drag reduction is a well-explored phenomenon and is crucial for energy savings attempts. However, the degree to which it scales up to industrial flow has not been well-defined. This research attempts to address this gap by exploring oscillating wall boundary conditions and its effects on turbulent drag reduction.

Student researcher

Daniel Coxe

Mechanical engineering

Hometown: Niantic, Connecticut

Graduation date: Spring 2018