Scaling of velocity and scalar structure functions in ac electrokinetic turbulence.

Abstract

Electrokinetic (EK) turbulence or electrohydrodynamic (EHD) turbulence has been recently achieved in different fluids under both ac [G. Wang et al., Lab Chip 14, 1452 (2014)10.1039/C3LC51403J; Phys. Rev. E 93, 013106 (2016)10.1103/PhysRevE.93.013106] and dc electric fields [A. Varshney et al., Soft Matter 12, 1759 (2016)10.1039/C5SM02316E]. Here, through dimensional analysis, scaling laws of both velocity and electric conductivity structure functions in the forced cascade region of ac EK turbulence can be predicated (similar to Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling law in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection), in either macroscale or microscale flows. In the forced cascade region, EK force, which relies on the direct cascade of conductivity structures, injects energy directly into a wide spectral region to sustain the flow disturbance. The scaling exponents of the second-order velocity and conductivity structures are 2/5 and 4/5, respectively. In addition to the scaling regions, two characteristic small length scales are derived for both weak and strong electric body forces, respectively. This theoretical investigation can significantly enhance our understanding of EK or EHD turbulence while forced by an ac electric field. It can further broaden our understanding of the forced cascade region of forced turbulence and make the manipulation of the turbulent cascade process more flexible and controllable.