DNS of heat transfer in a transitional channel flow accompanied by a turbulent puff-like structure

Direct numerical simulations of turbulent heat transfer in fully-developed channel flows have been performed in a range of friction Reynolds number between 60 and 180, based on the friction velocity and the channel half width $\delta$, with emphasis on a puff-like structure, large-scale spatial intermittency. For the Reynolds numbers lower than 80 with a large computational domain of 51.2 x 2 x 22.5, the turbulent puff was observed and its significant influences on the momentum and heat transports were found. The spatial structure of the equilibrium puff, or the localized turbulence, was examined with taking account of two different thermal boundary conditions: the uniform heat-flux heating and the constant temperature difference between the walls. It was revealed that there existed a localized strong turbulent region in the form of an oblique band, along which a spanwise secondary flow was induced. In consequence, at the present lowest Reynolds number as low as 60, the flow remained turbulent and the larger Nusselt numbers than those without puff was obtained by the presence of puff.