Friction Drag Research Articles

Modeling of magneto bioconvection Williamson nanoliquid through modified heat flux: The significance of entropy

The combination of microbes and nanofluids has noteworthy consequences for technological and engineering progress, particularly in the realm of heat transfer applications. This study explains radiative flow with chemical reactions affect the emergence of microorganisms in magnetic mixed convective Williamson nanofluid flow. The Cattaneo-Christov heat flux theory and the effects of heat source/sink have been examined about the energy equation. The prime idea of this analysis is to enhance heat and mass transport. The modelled equations have been converted to dimensionless by considering suitable alteration. The dimensionless expression is then numerically tackled using MATLAB's bvp4c approach. The graphs for different profiles—that is, momentum, temperature, concentration and concentration of microorganisms that move—are made visible for particular nondimensional factors. Furthermore, entropy generation minimization has been obtained through law of thermodynamics. The drag friction, heat and mass transfer rate, and microbe density are also computed in a tabular manner. The most important findings that are pertinent to this study are that an increase in the values of the Brownian motion, thermal radiation and thermophoresis significantly enhance heat transfer characteristics. A consistent pattern can be observed when comparing the current results with earlier research.

Interplay of roughness and wettability in microchannel fluid flows—Elucidating hydrodynamic details assisted by deep learning

Under microconfinement, the complex interaction between surface roughness and fluid slippage yields unexpected variations in friction factor and drag reduction. These variations arise from the combined effects of roughness and hydrophobic interactions of the surface with the hydrodynamic field. Our study investigates alterations in frictional characteristics within long microchannels, considering fluid slippage, hydraulic diameter, and roughness. This exploration holds promise for precise drag reduction control applications for lab-on-a-chip and small-scale devices. To address computational limitations in analyzing diverse hydrodynamic conditions, we employ an artificial neural network prediction model, validated with experimental and numerical results. Contrary to the macroscopic conclusions obtained from the Moody chart, our findings indicate that fluid slippage, apart from surface roughness, significantly influences the friction factor. The interdependencies of friction factor on the flow and fluid parameters are thoroughly studied toward the proposition of a new slip-modified constricted flow friction factor formula, predicting friction in microchannels with combined roughness and hydrophobicity effects. This combined numerical and machine-learning approach presents a noteworthy counterpart to the moody chart at microscales offering the potential for a unified continuum-based description to include interfacial effects.

Magneto-Hydrodynamic Stagnation Point Flow of Casson Williamson Hybrid Nanofluid Incorporating Viscous Dissipation and Suction/Injection Effect Past an Exponentially Stretching Cylinder

The ongoing inquiry aims to analyze stagnation point flow characteristics of magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) Cason-Williamson hybrid nanofluids over an exponentially stretched cylinder, incorporating phenomena like viscous dissipation and suction/injection effects, as no prior investigation has been conducted on it, which represents the distinctiveness of the flow model. To facilitate analysis, the original partial differential equation (PDE) formulation of the flow model is transformed into non-dimensional ordinary differential equations (ODEs) employing dimensionless quantities, a process facilitated by the MATLAB bvp4c approach. Various non-dimensional variables are examined for their impacts on velocity profiles, temperature distribution, shearing stress, and Nusselt number. Results conveyed through graphs and detailed tables show thermal profile enhancement with escalating Weissenberg, Eckert, and Biot numbers for Casson Williamson hybrid nanofluid. Increasing copper nanoparticle volume in this fluid raises friction drag compared to the Casson hybrid nanofluid, with a 9% enhancement in shear stress. Conversely, the heat transport rate is reduced by about 1.5% for Casson Williamson hybrid nanofluid compared to Casson hybrid nanofluid. These findings significantly advance fluid dynamics and nanofluid exploration, offering opportunities for improved heat and mass transmission in various industries.

Data-driven met-ocean model for offshore wind energy applications

In recent years, the global transition towards green energy, driven by environmental concerns and increasing electricity demands, has remarkably reshaped the energy landscape. The transformative potential of marine wind energy is particularly critical in securing a sustainable energy future. To achieve this objective, it is essential to have an accurate understanding of wind dynamics and their interactions with ocean waves for the proper design and operation of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). The accuracy of met-ocean models depends critically on their ability to correctly capture sea-surface drag over the multiscale ocean surface—a quantity typically not directly resolved in numerical models and challenging to acquire using either field or laboratory measurements. Although skin friction drag contributes considerably to the total wind stress, especially at moderate wind speeds, it is notoriously challenging to predict using physics-based approaches. The current work introduces a novel approach based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to predict the spatial distributions of skin friction drag over wind-generated surface waves using wave profiles, local wave slopes, local wave phases, and the scaled wind speed. The CNN model is trained using a set of high-resolution laboratory measurements of air-side velocity fields and their respective surface viscous stresses obtained over a range of wind-wave conditions. The results demonstrate the capability of our model to accurately estimate both the instantaneous and area-aggregate viscous stresses for unseen wind-wave regimes. The proposed CNN-based wall-layer model offers a viable pathway for estimating the local and averaged skin friction drag in met-ocean simulations.

On the fluid drag reduction in scallop surface.

In the field of biomimetics, the tiny riblet structures inspired by shark skin have been extensively studied for their drag reduction properties in turbulent flows. Here, we show that the ridged surface texture of another swimming creature in the ocean, i.e., the scallops, also has some friction drag reduction effect. In this study, we investigated the potential drag reduction effects of scallop shell textures using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Specifically, we constructed a conceptual model featuring an undulating surface pattern on a conical shell geometry that mimics scallop. Simulations modeled turbulent fluid flows over the model inserted at different orientations relative to the flow direction. The results demonstrate appreciable friction drag reduction generated by the ribbed hierarchical structures encasing the scallop, while partial pressure drag reduction exhibits dependence on alignment of scallop to the predominant flow direction. Theoretical mechanisms based on classic drag reduction theory in turbulence was established to explain the drag reduction phenomena. Given the analogous working environments of scallops and seafaring vessels, these findings may shed light on the biomimetic design of surface textures to enhance maritime engineering applications. Besides, this work elucidates an additional evolutionary example of fluid drag reduction, expanding the biological repertoire of swimming species.

Numerical assessment of MHD hybrid nanofluid flow over an exponentially stretching surface in the presence of mixed convection and non uniform heat source/sink

The modern era is concerned about the problems related to heat transfer and energy storage. The hybridization of nanofluids stands an important study due to the enhanced thermophysical properties of these effective fluids. The distinguished response of hybrid nanofluids towards thermal conductivity is appreciated for heating and cooling industrial purposes. Thus, the current study intends to investigate the effect of magnetohydrodynamics and thermal radiation on aiding opposing flow of Al2O3−Cu/H2O hybrid nanofluid flowing over a porous exponentially stretching surface. The flow is influenced by the presence of stagnation point and non-uniform heat source/sink while the convective boundary conditions are also assumed. The flow control equations are exhibited according to the assumptions and a similarity transformation leads to a system of ordinary differential equations from a system of partial differential equations. The deduced system is solved numerically using bvp4c technique, built-in MATLAB based algorithm. The upshots spectacle the results for velocity and temperature profiles on behalf of various parameters affecting the hybrid nanofluid flow. The increasing values of magnetic parameter and velocity ratio parameter significantly impacts the velocity profile for assisting and opposing flows. The temperature profile escalates for higher values of thermal radiation parameter, Eckert number and Biot number. Moreover, the analysis delivers valued insights into the heat transfer and friction drag for the considered hybrid nanofluid model. The gained results can support study in applications involving nanofluid based systems.

Investigations of skin friction drag mitigation over viscoelastic surfaces in supersonic flows

Investigations of skin friction drag mitigation over viscoelastic surfaces in supersonic flows

Penetration of a spinning sphere impacting a granular medium.

We investigate experimentally the influence of rotation on the penetration depth of a spherical projectile impacting a granular medium. We show that a rotational motion significantly increases the penetration depth achieved. Moreover, we model our experimental results by modifying the frictional term of the equationdescribing the penetration dynamics of an object in a granular medium. In particular, we find that the frictional drag decreases linearly with the velocity ratio between rotational (spin motion) and translational (falling motion) velocities. The good agreement between our model and our experimental measurements offers perspectives for estimating the depth that spinning projectiles reach after impacting onto a granular ground, such as happens with seeds dropped from aircraft or with landing probes.

A wind tunnel study of the effects of vegetation structural characteristics on the airflow field

Implementing vegetation is the preferred measure for controlling soil wind erosion. The physical variations in the wind velocity profile, such as the friction wind velocity (u*), aerodynamic roughness (z0), zero-plane displacement (d) and drag coefficient (Cd), are key to understanding soil wind erosion on vegetation-covered surfaces. However, the lack of systematic and in-depth research in the literature has led to significant controversy and uncertainty. Based on the wind tunnel data of wind velocities at 18 different heights near the ground surface for four plant heights (H = 5, 10, 15, and 20 cm) and densities (ds = 27, 46, 97, and 193 N/m2) and six free stream velocity (u∞ = 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 m/s) scenarios, the relationships among u*, z0, d, the parameters of u∞ and the vegetation structural characteristics, including the plant height (H), density (ds), and lateral cover (λ), are investigated in this paper. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The near-surface wind velocity profiles of the vegetation-covered surface can be divided into three segments with little variation in the wind velocity with height, a rapid increase in the wind velocity with height, and close to the free stream velocity. Their corresponding heights ranged from the surface to heights of 0.5 – 0.75H, 0.5 – 0.75H to 50 cm, and exceeding the height of 50 cm, respectively. (2) The zero-plane displacement increased with the plant height and density but decreased with the free stream velocity. The relationship between them can be expressed by Eq. (5). (3) The friction wind velocity of the vegetation-covered surface increased with the plant height, density, and free stream velocity. The relationship between them can be expressed by Eq. (6). The drag coefficient increased rapidly at first and then slowly decreased with increasing lateral cover, which satisfied the equation Cd = 0.00155 + 0.0111λ/(λ + 0.124). (4) The aerodynamic roughness increased with the plant height and density but decreased with the free stream velocity. The aerodynamic roughness of the vegetation-covered surface under different free stream velocities and lateral cover conditions can be expressed by Eq. (8). The study results are a basis for the modeling of the dynamics of wind erosion on vegetation-covered surfaces.

Turbulent drag reduction using dolphin-inspired near-wall ultrasonic microvibrations

The skin-friction drag generated by wall-bounded turbulent flows can potentially be reduced by a wall-parallel oscillatory motion. Inspired by microvibrations and the high sensitivity of dolphin skin, we examine whether wall-normal undulating motion actuated by longitudinal micro-ultrasonic waves (LMUWs) with ultrasonic-frequency oscillations and micro-size amplitudes significantly alters the multi-eddy motion on the surface, thereby reducing skin-friction drag. Simulations of the LMUW-induced turbulent flows are performed in an open channel at a Reynolds number of 1.24 × 106 for three motion modes, i.e., two traveling waves (downstream and upstream) in the streamwise direction and a standing wave. It is verified that the wall-normal turbulent fluctuations are remarkedly altered within the viscous sublayer of the turbulent boundary layer, resulting in a reduced velocity gradient. This leads to lower or even extinguished friction drag, which is strongly associated with the LMUW-excitation mode. Informed and validated by numerical results, we further derived a theoretical model for the dynamic boundary layer. This model is based on Fourier series expressions of the velocities and is used to elucidate the underlying mechanisms in association with the LMUW-excited turbulent flow and active friction drag reduction. The results indicate that upstream traveling waves enable 100% friction drag reduction, while downstream traveling waves are capable of overcoming the trade-off between friction and pressure drag, accomplishing 100% total drag reduction. This study thus provides a novel active and controllable method for turbulent drag reduction.

On the orientation dependence of the pressure and frictional drag experienced by spheroids in creeping flow

The present work deals with the creeping flow past a single oblate or prolate spheroid. On the basis of the investigations by Aoi [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 10, 119 (1955)] on the contributions of pressure and frictional drag to the total drag experienced by spheroids when the fluid streams with a speed parallel to the axis of symmetry, we find that the pressure contribution corresponds to half of the dimensionless shape factor γ0 provided by Happel and Brenner, Low Reynolds Number Hydrodynamics (Prentice-Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1965). Accordingly, we conjecture the validity of this finding when the fluid streams with a speed perpendicular to the axis of symmetry. Therefore, the formulations of dimensionless shape factors α0/2 and β0/2 are confronted with the numerical results at particle Reynolds number of 0.1. Furthermore, the formulations of the pressure and the frictional drag are deduced and extended to any orientation relative to the flow direction. These results give physical insight into the total drag experienced by spheroids in creeping flow and can be helpful for the validation of simulations of the flow past an obstacle.

Drag reduction study based on boundary layer combustion on single expansion ramp nozzle

In hypersonic flight, frictional drag is an important factor affecting the overall engine performance. The wall frictional drag analysis and drag reduction technology of a unilateral expanding tail nozzle under typical working conditions are carried out by means of two-dimensional Reynolds-averaged N-S equations and SST k − ω turbulence model. The effects of hydrogen injection and combustion with different mass flow rates under different jet positions on the wall friction resistance are analyzed and compared, and the results show that, under the appropriate opening position, a better drag reduction effect can be obtained by injecting hydrogen with a mainstream flow rate of about 2.5%, which can achieve a reduction of 43.7%.

Achieving travelling wave drag reduction by micro piezoelectric actuator

In order to improve the endurance mileage and the sailing speed of micro underwater vehicles, it is critical to reduce the drag of underwater devices. However, the existing underwater drag reducers are not suitable for micro underwater device due to its large size and complex structure. Inspired by the adaptive deformation of fish to achieve traveling wave drag reduction when the flow field changes, a micro piezo-actuated traveling wave drag reducer (PTWDR, the size of 30 mm × 28 mm × 0.75 mm), which can be embedded into the wall of the micro vehicle and hardly increasing the volume and weight of the vehicle, is proposed in this work to realize active drag reduction. The mechanism of active disturbing the turbulent boundary layer by piezoelectric micro-amplitude traveling waves to achieve drag reduction has been revealed. The drag reduction performance control method, which can meet different drag reduction requirements, is given. The experimental results of frictional drag and total drag indicate that the designed micro PTWDR is feasible to reduce the drag. The maximum local drag reduction rate of 47 % can be achieved at resonance frequency, which can improve the maneuverability of micro vehicles. While when the low frequency is applied, it cannot only obtain a certain drag reduction rate in a large drag reduction area, but also realize net energy saving. This work provides a novel and effective theoretical and technical reference for realizing active drag reduction and net energy saving, which can be applied for micro underwater vehicles.

Dynamics of magnetized viscous dissipative material of hybrid nanofluid with irregular thermal generation/absorption

The intriguing thermophysical properties of nanoparticles have considerable potential in thermal transportation for engineering applications. The inclusion of solid nanoparticles in the base fluid raises the fluid's thermal conductivity, which improves thermal transfer characteristics. Thus, an analysis is performed by assuming the Tiwari and Das model, for the flow and energy transportation aspects of hybrid nanoparticles in a shrinkable porous medium. The current study focuses on the thermal heat transfer performance on the dynamic of ethylene glycol-based titania and alumina nanoparticles. The flow-controlling system of PDEs is transformed into a system of non-linear ODEs by using similarity transformations, and the resulting equations are then solved numerically through the solver bvp4c in Matlab function with a limit of tolerance 10−6. The multiple branches of solutions are noted for distinct values of suction and shrinking parameters. The outcomes reveal that the inclusion of titania and alumina nanocomposites improves the thermophysical properties of the base fluid significantly. The findings indicate that hybrid nanofluids are more effective for increasing the thermal transport rate. Further, in the upper branch solution, the friction drags, and energy transportation rate raises for the higher influence of suction strength while it declines for the lower branch.

Fabrication of a scalable slippery surface via novel sprayable breath figure technique for sustainable drag reduction and anti-biofouling in marine environments

The maritime industry has been seeking efficient solutions to combat hydrodynamic friction and biofouling, which increase operational costs and environmental issues. To address these concerns, we developed a novel sprayable breath figure (sBF) method to create a scalable and cost-effective lubricant-infused surface (LIS) for reducing frictional drag forces on marine vehicles. The proposed sBF method facilitated the rapid production of multilayered porous polymer films with micron-scale spherical cavities. It can be applied to large and curved surfaces, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional breath figure methods. Further surface treatment of oxygen plasma etching followed by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brush grafting was employed to optimize the interfacial slip and lubricant retention of the slippery surface coating. The PDMS brush-grafted slippery surfaces demonstrated significant drag reduction under turbulent flow conditions. This was confirmed by direct velocity field measurements, showing nonzero slip velocity unlike conventional no-slip surfaces. The same surfaces also exhibited remarkable anti-biofouling performance, severely resisting marine biofouling in real-sea field tests over 50 days. The proposed sBF method was successfully applied to large-area and curved submerged bodies, and achieved a noticeable drag reduction under high-speed turbulent flows. This study is a critical step toward the practical implementation of this technology in the marine industry.

Drag reduction performance of discrete superhydrophobic surfaces in von Kármán swirling flow

Enhancing the energy efficiency and mitigating environmental pollution in maritime transportation relies significantly on minimizing frictional drag of ships. In this study, we employ wettability dividing lines and convex stripes to discretize the continuous air layer on superhydrophobic surfaces, offering a mechanism to enhance their drag reduction efficacy. Initially, we theoretically analyze the stabilization of the air layer on superhydrophobic surfaces through wettability dividing lines and convex stripes. Subsequently, torque measurements are conducted to characterize drag reduction performance in von–Kármán swirling flow. The drag reduction parameters that performed optimally were determined experimentally by parametric analysis, with a 20–mm spacing identified for the hydrophilic ring on the wettability difference surface, and a 20–mm spacing with a 2–mm height for the convex stripe on the superhydrophobic surface. Under these specified parameter values, the maximum Reynolds number for effective drag reduction (Rec) increases from 1.62 × 105 to 3.24 × 105, and the drag reduction rate at Rec = 3.24 × 105 reaches 32.29% and 26.61%, respectively. Moreover, coupling wettability dividing lines with superhydrophobic convex stripes further enhances Rec to 4.05 × 105, and the drag reduction rate stabilizes at around 30% within the maximum Reynolds number.

Experimental assessment of square-wave spatial spanwise forcing of a turbulent boundary layer

We present an experimental realisation of spatial spanwise forcing in a turbulent boundary layer flow, aimed at reducing the frictional drag. The forcing is achieved by a series of spanwise running belts, running in alternating spanwise direction, thereby generating a steady spatial square-wave forcing. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry in the streamwise–wall-normal plane is used to investigate the impact of actuation on the flow in terms of turbulence statistics, drag performance characteristics, and spanwise velocity profiles, for a non-dimensional wavelength of λx+=397\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\lambda _x^+ = 397$$\\end{document}. In line with reported numerical studies, we confirm that a significant flow control effect can be realised with this type of forcing. The scalar fields of the higher-order turbulence statistics show a strong attenuation of stresses and production of turbulence kinetic energy over the first belt already, followed by a more gradual decrease to a steady-state energy response over the second belt. The streamwise velocity in the near-wall region is reduced, indicative of a drag-reduced flow state. The profiles of the higher-order turbulence statistics are attenuated up to a wall-normal height of y+≈100\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$y^+ \\approx 100$$\\end{document}, with a maximum streamwise stress reduction of 45% and a reduction of integral turbulence kinetic energy production of 39%, for a non-dimensional actuation amplitude of A+=12.7\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A^+ = 12.7$$\\end{document}. An extension of the classical laminar Stokes layer theory is introduced, based on the linear superposition of Fourier modes, to describe the non-sinusoidal boundary condition that corresponds to the current case. The experimentally obtained spanwise velocity profiles show good agreement with this extended theoretical model. The drag reduction was estimated from a linear fit in the viscous sublayer in the range 2≤y+≤5\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$2 \\le y^+\\le 5$$\\end{document}. The results are found to be in good qualitative agreement with the numerical implementations of Viotti et al. (Phys Fluids 21, 2009), matching the drag reduction trend with A+\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A^+$$\\end{document}, and reaching a maximum of 20%.Graphical abstract

Manipulation of a turbulent boundary layer using sinusoidal riblets

We investigate experimentally the effects of micro-grooves on the development of a zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer at two different values of the friction Reynolds number. We consider both the well-known streamwise aligned riblets as well as wavy riblets, characterized by a sinusoidal pattern in the mean flow direction. Previous investigations by the authors showed that sinusoidal riblets yield larger values of drag reduction with respect to the streamwise aligned ones. We perform new particle image velocimetry experiments on wall-parallel planes to get insights into the effect of the sinusoidal shape on the near-wall organisation of the boundary layer and the structures responsible for the friction drag reduction and the turbulence generation. Conditional averages, aimed at identifying the topology of the low-speed streaks in the turbulent boundary layer, reveal that the flow is highly susceptible to wall manipulation. This is particularly evident in the cases that are associated with greater values of drag reduction. The results suggest a fragmentation and/or weakening of the streaks in the sinusoidal cases, that is triggered by the larger values of the wall-normal vorticity found at the streaks’ edges. The results are also confirmed by applying the variable interval spatial averaging events eduction technique. The turbulent kinetic energy budget also shows that the sinusoidal geometry significantly attenuates the turbulence production, hence supporting the idea of the manipulation of the turbulence regeneration cycle.

Aerodynamic and Flow Characteristics of a Rough Airfoil: A Numerical Study

A computational study explores the aerodynamic and flow properties of rough-surfaced NACA-0018 airfoils using turbulent K-omega SST methodology and the control volume method. Ansys Fluent 2022 R2 was used to do the simulations, and Reynolds numbers between 5000 and 10000 were used. The analysis of how the rough surface affects the performance of the airfoil was the main goal of the study. The skin friction coefficient, drag force, lift force, pressure contours, and stream functions were among the many variables assessed. To have a thorough understanding of the flow behavior, these parameters were studied at various Reynolds numbers. The findings revealed a clear pattern: along the wall of the airfoil, the average drag force, lift force, and skin friction coefficient all increased linearly as the Reynolds number rose from 5000 to 10000. This discovery sheds important light on how the rough surface affects the overall aerodynamic performance of the airfoil. This study advances knowledge of the aerodynamic behavior of rough airfoils by illuminating the flow characteristics and their relationship to surface roughness. Significant results impact aeronautics, wind turbine design, and other airfoil applications.

Numerical investigation into turbulent drag reduction via the application of pufferfish spine-inspired cone microstructures in Suboff models

The effective reduction of seawater drag is pivotal in enhancing the speed and minimizing the energy consumption of submarines, which has significant implications in the fields of energy and defense. Surface bionics has emerged as one of the leading techniques for drag reduction. Current research primarily focuses on replicating the groove-like structures observed on shark skins and the flexible properties of dolphin skins. However, the application of cone microstructures on submarine surfaces remains relatively underexplored. In this study, a novel arrangement of bionic drag-reducing microstructures is employed to modify the turbulence structure surrounding the submarine by incorporating bionic cone microstructures at both the front and rear ends of the submarine. Numerical simulations were performed using the SST k-ω turbulence model to evaluate the impact of these frontal microstructures on drag reduction under varying Reynolds numbers, spacings, and positions, as well as the tail microstructures’ effect at different Reynolds numbers, heights, and circumferential separation angles. The findings reveal that positioning microstructures at the submarine’s head increases the drag reduction rate proportionally with the distance from the apex, displaying an inverse relationship between spacing and drag reduction rate. Conversely, an increase in cone separation angle at the tail leads to a decrease in the overall drag reduction rate. At the same time, an inverse proportionality is observed between cone height and drag reduction rate. This suggests that cone microstructures play a dual role: mitigating friction drag greatly and augmenting pressure drag, thereby achieving overall drag reduction. Moreover, these cone microstructures disrupt eddy currents within the boundary layer surrounding the submarine, restraining the propagation of turbulent momentum transfer in both the head and tail regions. This research not only pioneers a novel drag reduction strategy for underwater vehicles but also sparks new avenues for their optimized surface design.