Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T11:39:14.146Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Drag reduction in a rectangular duct using riblets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. R. Moore  and
M. V. Lowson
A. R. Moore
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace EngineeringUniversity of Bristol, Bristol, UK
M. V. Lowson
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace EngineeringUniversity of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An experimental investigation has been made into the effects of riblets on the drag in a rectangular duct of aspect ratio 10. It has been found that a maximum drag reduction of approximately 10% occurs in fully developed turbulent flow. This figure is larger than the 6–8% drag reduction usually found for external flow. The maximum drag reduction occurred when the height of the riblets was between 7 and 13 wall units. Analysis of the developing region of the flow has shown a maximum drag reduction of approximately 8% at a wall unit value of 13, consistent with results in external flows. The effects of riblets on transition has also been investigated. It was found that riblets delayed transition by 2–4% in critical Re as measured by peak flatness, and caused some extension in the length of the transition process, so that the completion of transition was delayed by between 4–8%, with the stronger effect at the lower Reynolds numbers.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 99 , Issue 985 , May 1995 , pp. 187 - 193
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1995 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Walsh, M.J. Turbulent boundary layer drag reduction using riblets, AIAA Paper 82–0169, 1982.Google Scholar
2. Walsh, M.J. Riblets as a viscous drag reduction technique, AIAA J, 21, pp 485–486.Google Scholar
3. Walsh, M.J. and Lindemann, A.M. Optimisation and application of riblets for turbulent drag reduction, AMA Paper 84–0347, 1984.Google Scholar
4. Liu, K.N., Christodoulou, C., Riccius, O. and Joseph, D.D. Drag reduction in pipes lined with riblets, AIAA J, 28, (10), pp 1697–1698.Google Scholar
5. Nitschke, P. Experimental investigation of the turbulent flow in smooth and longitudinal grooved pipes, NASA TM-77480, 1984.Google Scholar
6. Lowson, M.V., Jewson, A.H. and Bates, J.H.D. Drag reduction by riblets in a two-dimensional duct, Section 4.1, Drag Reduction in Fluid Flows, Sellin, R.H.J, and Moses, R.T. (Eds), Ellis Horwood, 1989.Google Scholar
7. Rohr, J., Anderson, G.W. and Reidy, L.W. An experimental investigation of the drag reduction effects of riblets in pipes, Drag Reduction in Fluid Flows, Sellin, R.H.J, and Moses, R.T. (Eds), Ellis Horwood, 1989, pp 263–270.Google Scholar
8. Newmann, D. and Dinkelacker, A. Drag reduction by longitudinal riblets on the surface of a streamwise aligned body of revolution, Drag Reduction in Fluid Flows, Sellin, R.H.J, and Moses, R.T. (Eds), Ellis Horwood, 1989, pp 93–98.Google Scholar
9. Kodov, V.E., Kuznetsov, V.R., Mineev, B.I. and Secundov, A.N. The influence of Free Stream Turbulence and Surface Ribbing on the Characteristics of Transitional Boundary Layers, In: Proceedings International Symposium on Near Wall Turbulence Dubrovnik, 1988.Google Scholar
10. Chen, J.J.J., Leung, Y.C. and Ko, N.M.W. Flow in Grooved Channels, In: Proceedings 9th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference Auckland, December 1986.Google Scholar
11. Chu, D.C. A Direct Simulation of Laminar and Turbulent Flows Over Streamwise Aligned Riblets, PhD Thesis, Princeton, 1992.Google Scholar
12. Ladd, D.M., Rohr, J.J., Reidy, L.W. and Hendricks, E.W. The effects of riblets on laminar to turbulent transition, Experiments in Fluids, 1993, 14, pp 1–9.Google Scholar