Effects of a kind of surface groove on flow loss in both rectangular and circular ducts at different Reynolds numbers

Abstract

Pipes are widely used to transport gas, oil and water in industries. Drag reduction in pipes is an increasingly concerned problem to save energy. Some researches have indicated that the non-smooth surface with special structures can reduce flow loss. In this paper, an experimental investigation has been performed on the effects of a kind of surface groove on the drag in both rectangular and circular duct at different Reynolds numbers. In the experiment of the rectangular duct, total pressure at both inlet and outlet were measured. Static pressure on the wall was measured on the surface with smooth and grooved film respectively. In the circular duct, a boundary layer pressure probe was used to measure the total pressure distribution at both inlet and outlet. Four taps at inlet and outlet were used to measure static pressure. The loss coefficient is used to evaluate the effects of the surface groove on drag reduction. The experiment was conducted with the Reynolds number range from 1.28×104 to 2.57×104. The result shows a maximum drag loss reduction of approximately 2.4% in rectangular duct at Reynolds number of 2.4×104. A 10% reduction of pipe pressure loss by grooved surface is measured in circular duct at a Reynolds number of 3.0×105.