Preferential enhancement of convective heat transfer over drag via near-wall turbulence manipulation using spanwise wall oscillations

This study investigates the manipulation of convective heat transfer through spanwise wall oscillations in a turbulent channel flow. Direct numerical simulations are performed at R e τ = 180 and P r = 1 . The primary focus of this work is to explore the heat transfer response to oscillation parameters that promote drag increase, a regime that has received limited attention. By adopting an extended oscillation period ( T + = 500 ) and amplitude ( W + = 30 ), which have been reported to enhance drag, a remarkable dissimilarity between momentum and heat transport emerges. Under these conditions, the convective heat transfer undergoes a substantial 15% intensification, while the drag increases by a comparatively moderate 7.7%, effectively breaking the Reynolds analogy. To elucidate the physical mechanisms responsible for this dissimilar behaviour, a comprehensive statistical analysis is conducted. The control effect on the near-wall streaks and the associated mixing of momentum and heat is investigated by examining the energy distribution across scales and wall-normal locations. This analysis provides valuable insights into the control’s impact on the turbulent structures. Furthermore, the correlation between wall-normal velocity fluctuations and both streamwise velocity and temperature fluctuations is scrutinized to understand the modification of sweep and ejection events, which drive the transport of momentum and heat. The Fukagata–Iwamoto–Kasagi (FIK) identity is employed to identify the contributing factors to the changes in drag and heat transfer. The analysis highlights the importance of the pressure term in the streamwise velocity equation and the linearity of the temperature equation. Further investigation is necessary to fully unravel the complex mechanisms governing the decoupling of heat and momentum transport. The results of this study underscore the potential of using unconventional spanwise wall oscillations parameters to preferentially enhance convective heat transfer while minimizing the associated drag penalty. • Heat transfer can be controlled using spanwise wall oscillations. • Preferential enhancement of heat transfer over drag is achieved. • Actuated steaks generate more efficient mixing.