Fabrication of a micro-structured surface based on interfacial convection for drag reduction

Zhaoliang Dou,Darong Chen,Feng Yu,Jiadao Wang

doi:10.1007/s11434-011-4378-2

Abstract

Based on interfacial convection in the presence of solvent evaporation, a novel method for the fabrication of a micro-structured surface is proposed to facilitate drag reduction. A mixture was coated on a substrate through a specially developed spray-painting system. Micron scale pits formed spontaneously in the coated surface because of interfacial convection and deformation driven by the gradient of the interfacial tension. Experimental results indicated that particles in the mixture played a crucial role in pit formation, and with a suitable selection of particle size and dosage, the characteristic parameters of the pitting could be controlled. The drag reduction experiments were first performed in a water tunnel, and the results showed that the micro-structured surface had a remarkable drag reduction performance over a great range of flow speeds.

Highlights

Based on interfacial convection in the presence of solvent evaporation, a novel method for the fabrication of a micro-structured surface is proposed to facilitate drag reduction
Interfacial convection in the presence of solvent evaporation has been the subject of increasing investigation because of its important role in thin-polymer-film engineering during the drying process [21]
In the preliminary evaluation of the drag reduction property, samples were tested in a water tunnel, and a remarkable drag reduction performance was obtained

Summary

Introduction

Based on interfacial convection in the presence of solvent evaporation, a novel method for the fabrication of a micro-structured surface is proposed to facilitate drag reduction. Among the wide ranging techniques for drag reduction, surfaces with specially designed structures, such as lotus-like ultra-hydrophobic surfaces [1,2,3], shark skin-like micro-structured surfaces [4–14], and other bionic non-smooth surfaces imitating living organisms in the natural world [15], have been established through numerous experimental and numerical simulation studies In these studies, designed surfaces are manufactured by traditional mechanical methods [4–10], such as milling, turning, rolling and embossing, or using riblet films [12–14]. Dou Z L, et al Chinese Sci Bull March (2011) Vol. No.7 for use in engineering applications

Methods

Results

Conclusion