29 research outputs found
Drag Reduction by Polymers in Turbulent Channel Flows: Energy Redistribution Between Invariant Empirical Modes
We address the phenomenon of drag reduction by dilute polymeric additive to
turbulent flows, using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of the FENE-P model
of viscoelastic flows. It had been amply demonstrated that these model
equations reproduce the phenomenon, but the results of DNS were not analyzed so
far with the goal of interpreting the phenomenon. In order to construct a
useful framework for the understanding of drag reduction we initiate in this
paper an investigation of the most important modes that are sustained in the
viscoelastic and Newtonian turbulent flows respectively. The modes are obtained
empirically using the Karhunen-Loeve decomposition, allowing us to compare the
most energetic modes in the viscoelastic and Newtonian flows. The main finding
of the present study is that the spatial profile of the most energetic modes is
hardly changed between the two flows. What changes is the energy associated
with these modes, and their relative ordering in the decreasing order from the
most energetic to the least. Modes that are highly excited in one flow can be
strongly suppressed in the other, and vice versa. This dramatic energy
redistribution is an important clue to the mechanism of drag reduction as is
proposed in this paper. In particular there is an enhancement of the energy
containing modes in the viscoelastic flow compared to the Newtonian one; drag
reduction is seen in the energy containing modes rather than the dissipative
modes as proposed in some previous theories.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, included, PRE, submitted, REVTeX
Shell Model for Drag Reduction with Polymer Additive in Homogeneous Turbulence
Recent direct numerical simulations of the FENE-P model of non-Newtonian
hydrodynamics revealed that the phenomenon of drag reduction by polymer
additives exists (albeit in reduced form) also in homogeneous turbulence. We
introduce here a simple shell model for homogeneous viscoelastic flows that
recaptures the essential observations of the full simulations. The simplicity
of the shell model allows us to offer a transparent explanation of the main
observations. It is shown that the mechanism for drag reduction operates mainly
on the large scales. Understanding the mechanism allows us to predict how the
amount of drag reduction depends of the various parameters in the model. The
main conclusion is that drag reduction is not a universal phenomenon, it peaks
in a window of parameters like Reynolds number and the relaxation rate of the
polymer
Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries
Background
Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres.
Methods
This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries.
Results
In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries