---
_id: '328'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: The drag of turbulent flows can be drastically decreased by adding small amounts
    of high molecular weight polymers. While drag reduction initially increases with
    polymer concentration, it eventually saturates to what is known as the maximum
    drag reduction (MDR) asymptote; this asymptote is generally attributed to the
    dynamics being reduced to a marginal yet persistent state of subdued turbulent
    motion. Contrary to this accepted view, we show that, for an appropriate choice
    of parameters, polymers can reduce the drag beyond the suggested asymptotic limit,
    eliminating turbulence and giving way to laminar flow. At higher polymer concentrations,
    however, the laminar state becomes unstable, resulting in a fluctuating flow with
    the characteristic drag of the MDR asymptote. Our findings indicate that the asymptotic
    state is hence dynamically disconnected from ordinary turbulence. © 2018 American
    Physical Society.
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: SSU
acknowledgement: The authors thank Philipp Maier and the IST Austria workshop for
  their dedicated technical support.
article_number: '124501'
article_processing_charge: No
arxiv: 1
author:
- first_name: George H
  full_name: Choueiri, George H
  id: 448BD5BC-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Choueiri
- first_name: Jose M
  full_name: Lopez Alonso, Jose M
  id: 40770848-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Lopez Alonso
  orcid: 0000-0002-0384-2022
- first_name: Björn
  full_name: Hof, Björn
  id: 3A374330-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hof
  orcid: 0000-0003-2057-2754
citation:
  ama: Choueiri GH, Lopez Alonso JM, Hof B. Exceeding the asymptotic limit of polymer
    drag reduction. <i>Physical Review Letters</i>. 2018;120(12). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501">10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501</a>
  apa: Choueiri, G. H., Lopez Alonso, J. M., &#38; Hof, B. (2018). Exceeding the asymptotic
    limit of polymer drag reduction. <i>Physical Review Letters</i>. American Physical
    Society. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501">https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501</a>
  chicago: Choueiri, George H, Jose M Lopez Alonso, and Björn Hof. “Exceeding the
    Asymptotic Limit of Polymer Drag Reduction.” <i>Physical Review Letters</i>. American
    Physical Society, 2018. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501">https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501</a>.
  ieee: G. H. Choueiri, J. M. Lopez Alonso, and B. Hof, “Exceeding the asymptotic
    limit of polymer drag reduction,” <i>Physical Review Letters</i>, vol. 120, no.
    12. American Physical Society, 2018.
  ista: Choueiri GH, Lopez Alonso JM, Hof B. 2018. Exceeding the asymptotic limit
    of polymer drag reduction. Physical Review Letters. 120(12), 124501.
  mla: Choueiri, George H., et al. “Exceeding the Asymptotic Limit of Polymer Drag
    Reduction.” <i>Physical Review Letters</i>, vol. 120, no. 12, 124501, American
    Physical Society, 2018, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501">10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501</a>.
  short: G.H. Choueiri, J.M. Lopez Alonso, B. Hof, Physical Review Letters 120 (2018).
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2018-12-11T11:45:51Z
date_published: 2018-03-19T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-06-04T07:52:00Z
day: '19'
department:
- _id: BjHo
doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.124501
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  arxiv:
  - '1703.06271'
  isi:
  - '000427804000005'
intvolume: '       120'
isi: 1
issue: '12'
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.06271
month: '03'
oa: 1
oa_version: Preprint
project:
- _id: 25681D80-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: FP7
  grant_number: '291734'
  name: International IST Postdoc Fellowship Programme
- _id: 25152F3A-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: FP7
  grant_number: '306589'
  name: Decoding the complexity of turbulence at its origin
publication: Physical Review Letters
publication_status: published
publisher: American Physical Society
publist_id: '7537'
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Exceeding the asymptotic limit of polymer drag reduction
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 120
year: '2018'
...