Breaking the Reynolds Analogy: Decoupling Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transport via Spanwise Wall Oscillation in Wall-Bounded Flow

Abstract: This work investigates spanwise wall oscillation (SWO) as a method to preferentially enhance heat transfer over drag in turbulent channel flow. Direct numerical simulations at $Re_\tau=180$ and $\Pr=1$ show set of wall-oscillation parameters reducing drag also decrease heat transfer similarly, maintaining coupled transport. However, large period ($T^+=500$) and amplitude ($W^+=30$) induce substantially greater heat transfer intensification, increasing 15 % versus only 7.7 % drag rise. This Reynolds analogy breaking enables preferential elevation of heat transport over momentum. FIK identity analysis reveals negligible impact of forcing terms on dissimilarity. Instead, differences arise from the solenoidal velocity and linear temperature equations. Both the turbulent shear stress and heat flux are amplified near the wall under oscillation. However, the heat flux intensifies more substantially, especially at its peak. This preferential enhancement of the near-wall heat flux, exceeding the shear stress amplification, facilitates greater thermal transport augmentation relative to the friction increase. Results demonstrate that spanwise wall oscillation can preferentially intensify heat transfer beyond drag, providing a promising technique for improving heat exchanger. Further work should optimize the period and amplitude of the oscillation and elucidate the underlying physics of this dissimilar heat transfer control.