Spotlights

[Research News] Enhancing Heat Transfer Using the Turbulent Flow of Viscoelastic Fluids

The research team, including Shumpei Hara, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University discover a unique “meandering motion” in viscoelastic fluids, opening possibilities for energy-efficient heat exchangers and cooling systems.

In a step towards advancing fluid dynamics for industrial applications, researchers unveil a meandering motion of turbulence observed in viscoelastic fluids flowing over a backward-facing step. According to the study, under certain conditions, these fluids exhibit wavelike movement, which enhances heat transfer efficiency. This breakthrough holds promise for industrial applications of fluid-based thermal management, providing energy-efficient systems.


Reference

Shumpei Hara, Ryusuke Ii, Shohei Onishi, Takahiro Tsukahara, Yasuo Kawaguchi, Inertia-viscoelastic meandering motion in a backward-facing step flow, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 242 126793-126793 June 2025  
DOI : 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.126793

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University. 

https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-71/

This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1079126

Image title: Instantaneous streamwise velocity fields with Galilean transformation by the half bulk velocity in the x-y plane
Image caption: Visualization of instantaneous streamwise velocity fields in the x-y plane for different Weissenberg numbers (Wi = 0.0, 0.019, 0.022). The meandering motion emerges at higher Wi, enhancing turbulence and heat transfer in the backward-facing step flow.
Image credit: Dr. Shumpei Hara from Doshisha University, Japan
Image link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0017931025001346?via%3Dihub
License type: CC BY 4.0
Usage restrictions: You are free to share and adapt. Attribution is required.