Interscale energy transfers by direct high frequency forcing – ENRICO

The ENRICO project focuses on the challenge of generating high-intensity turbulence in confined spaces by actively reinforcing dissipative scales. To align with a well-established academic context, we will investigate the configuration of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence downstream of a grid. The project is based on a plasma discharge control device integrated directly into the grid's geometry. This recently developed device can inject periodic fluctuations at high frequencies (typically ranging from 1 to 10 kHz) at each grid bar. By employing the injection of spatially localized velocity fluctuations and optical metrology techniques, we expect that the project will enable a detailed analysis of energy transfers from small to large scales of turbulence and vice versa. The scientific objective is to study the evolution of energy transfers across different scales when dissipative energy is artificially enhanced. We will implement scale decomposition methods and analytical tools to assess energy exchanges at various scales and in space, with the primary scientific goal of verifying the potential for a reversed energy cascade, as occasionally mentioned in the literature. This experimental project aims to propose a future industrializable solution made of multi-layers of thin ceramic (robust to hars environment) to enhance the quality of gas mixtures.