Drag Reduction and Energy Saving by Spanwise Traveling Transversal Surface Waves for Flat Plate Flow

Wall-resolved large-eddy simulations are performed to study the impact of spanwise traveling transversal surface waves in zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer flow. Eighty variations of wavelength, period, and amplitude of the space- and time-dependent sinusoidal wall motion are considered for a boundary layer at a momentum thickness based Reynolds number of Re = 1000. The results show a strong decrease of friction drag of up to 26% and considerable net power saving of up to 10%. However, the highest net power saving does not occur at the maximum drag reduction. The drag reduction is modeled as a function of the actuation parameters by support vector regression using the LES data. A dependence of the spanwise pressure drag on the wavelength is found. A substantial attenuation of the near-wall turbulence intensity and especially a weakening of the nearwall velocity streaks are observed. Similarities between the current actuation technique and the method of a spanwise oscillating wall without any normal surface deflection are reported. In particular, the generation of a directional spanwise oscillating Stokes layer is found to be related to skin-friction reduction.