Project description
Optimising drag reduction in turbulent flows
Turbulent flows generate significant friction drag, resulting in increased energy consumption for many industrial applications. While polymers can regulate turbulent flow and reduce drag, the question is whether the dynamics of passive anisotropic fibres can be manipulated to further improve turbulence control. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DragREACT project aims to develop novel flow control strategies by transforming passive fibres into mobile flow modifiers. It will first investigate the complex dynamics and behaviours of anisotropic fibres in turbulent flows. Leveraging reinforcement learning, the project will then optimise their behaviours and transfer these findings to a fully coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian framework to evaluate the impact of improved fibre dynamics on carrier flow and friction drag.
Objective
Is it possible to control highly out-of-equilibrium turbulent flows by anisotropic particles or slender fibers? Turbulent drag reduction remains one of the biggest challenges in out-of-equilibrium statistical physics and fluid dynamics, with major implications for energy efficiency in industrial and environmental flows. While polymers and other additives have long been known to reduce friction drag, a key question is whether the dynamics of passive, yet anisotropic particles can be harnessed to enhance natural preferential concentration, migration, or alignment, so as to steer turbulence in smarter ways. DragREACT tackles this challenge by developing smart Lagrangian control strategies that exploit the unique translational-rotational dynamics of inertial anisotropic particles, such as rods and rigid fibers, suspended in turbulent channel flows. Leveraging both physical insights and modern data-driven tools (e.g. reinforcement learning (RL)), DragREACT aims to transform passive fibers into mobile flow modifiers. Specifically, DragREACT will: (i) understand how key fibers properties (shape, inertia and mass distribution), govern their translational-rotational dynamics and influence key Lagrangian behaviours, such as near-wall accumulation, preferential alignment, and controlled tumbling/spinning; (ii) optimise these behaviours through external forcing (e.g. magnetic field), using RL algorithms; and (iii) transfer this knowledge into a fully coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian framework to assess how optimised fiber dynamics feed back into the carrier flow and affect drag. By combining direct numerical simulations, physical modelling, and state-of-the-art optimisation methods, DragREACT aims to significantly advance the fundamental understanding of fiber-flow interactions. Furthermore, it will deliver a new Eulerian-Lagrangian framework for turbulence control in particle-laden flows, an ambitious step that paves the way for optimised drag reduction in complex flows.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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75794 Paris
France
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