Investigation of the resistance characteristics of the transverse groove for laminar flows

Abstract

Transverse grooves are known to significantly affect drag reduction. However, additional investigation is required to understand the impact of groove geometry and flow velocity on resistance and flow characteristics. This study examines the impact of transverse grooves on laminar flow over a plate at various velocities. By conducting numerical simulations in three-dimensional domains, we analyze the evolution of resistance and flow characteristics over surfaces containing rectangular grooves perpendicular to the flow. The focus lies on understanding the interaction mechanisms between the evolution of the transverse groove resistance law and the flow characteristics of the external flow field of the groove. A detailed parametric study is conducted, considering a total of 32 groove size combinations, comprising 4 groove depths and 8 widths. The results demonstrate that transverse grooves in laminar flows can reduce total drag by up to 15.5% compared to a flat plate, while also causing a thousandfold increase in drag under specific operating conditions. These findings have practical implications for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and hydraulic systems to improve overall performance by reducing drag and enhancing fluid flow efficiency using transverse grooves in laminar flows.