Kolmogorov theory in polymeric turbulence

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Event details

Date 24.06.2025
Hour 13:0014:30
Speaker Alessandro Chiarini
Location
Category Conferences - Seminars
Event Language English
Abstract:
Polymeric turbulence — fluid flows with dilute polymer additives at high Reynolds numbers — exhibits striking deviations from the classical Kolmogorov scaling observed in Newtonian turbulence. Recent experiments and simulations have revealed a robust self-similar energy spectrum that scales as −2.3, in sharp contrast to the well-known −5/3 scaling of Newtonian turbulence. However, the physical origins of this anomalous scaling have remained elusive.
In this presentation, we address this open question from two complementary perspectives. First, we identify the physical mechanism underlying the observed self-similarity in polymeric turbulence through analysis of the governing equations and scaling arguments. Second, we introduce a theoretical framework that reconciles these findings with the classical Kolmogorov phenomenology, offering new insights into the interplay between polymers and turbulence. In collaboration with Rahul Kumar Singh and Marco Edoardo Rosti

Bio:
Alessandro Chiarini is a researcher at Politecnico di Milano. He earned his  MSc in Aeronautical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in 2018, followed by a PhD in the same field in 2021. From 2022 to 2024, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Complex Fluids and Flows Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) in Japan. His research focuses on fluid mechanics, with particular interest in the scalespace analysis of single-phase and multiphase turbulent flows. He has studied the stability and turbulent behavior of bluff body flows and is also engaged in research on turbulent drag reduction using moving surfaces.

 

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  • Free

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