Ping Wei, Shoufa Wang, Yiming Wang, and Wenrong Yan
Superhydrophobicity, surface microstructure, microfluidics, drag coefficient
The use of superhydrophobic surfaces for underwater vehicles can achieve good drag reduction, however, the estimation and analysis methods for the drag characteristics of micro-structured superhydrophobic surfaces of vehicles still lack in-depth research, and engineering still relies heavily on the experience of designers. In this paper, starting from the resistance of flat plates, we introduce the effects of microscopic roughness and contact angle of hydrophobic materials on drag force to derive the equivalent frictional drag equation of superhydrophobic micro-groove surface structure and simulate the drag characteristics of different groove shapes by numerical methods. The results show that under specific incoming flow conditions, the microscopic groove structure characteristics and surface hydrophobicity will work together to change the flow field state and surface drag characteristics, resulting in an extreme value of drag coefficient. The results can be used as a reference for the design of drag reduction in navigators.
Important Links:
Go Back
