Hiroya Mamori, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Intelligent Systems Engineering

Simulating the control of turbulent flow

Hiroya Mamori is studying the control of turbulent flow by using numerical simulation. Recently, the energy saving is very important because it is needed to decrease the transport cost and the environmental impact. In fluid mechanics, flow control to reduce drag is important.

"We are studying flow control technique to decrease the skin-friction drag in turbulent flow by using computer simulation," says Mamori. "Especially, we are focusing on the traveling wave-like control."

The traveling wave control means that the wave is imposed on the wall in the turbulent flow. When the wave travels in the streamwise direction, then not only the skin-friction drag reduction, but also relaminarization phenomenon is obtained. In that case, 70% of the drag reduction is obtained with positive energy saving. This control is very attractive, and Mamori and his colleagues are trying to extend this control in wider situations.

On the other hand, integration of fluid mechanics and informative engineering is also hot topic nowadays. In Mamori's laboratory, they are studying new turbulent flow control techniques by using neural network, for example. "We hope that it becomes new control techniques in near future."

Further information

Hiroya Mamori
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Intelligent Systems Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications.

Department WebSite: http://www.mamorilab.mi.uec.ac.jp
Research Highlight: Drag reduction and relaminarization of wall-turbulence by traveling wave control