Triangular Riblets Research Articles

Large-scale control in turbulent flows over surface riblets

The drag reduction efficacy of a large-scale flow control over a rough surface is studied via direct numerical simulations of turbulent channels (at friction Reynolds numbers Reτ=180) by combining together wall riblets and streamwise counter-rotating swirls. In particular, the height of triangular riblets is h+≈10 (+indicating wall units), while the number of riblets (NRib in the range 1–56) along the periodic spanwise direction is varied to find the optimum. The swirls are generated by the spanwise opposed wall-jet forcing (SOJF) in the Navier–Stokes equation, whose controlling parameters follow the optimal ones as for the smooth wall. In total, 12 cases of combined SOJF and riblets are performed to investigate the coupling effects between the two methods. We find a range of NRib=7–14 (with the spanwise width z+≈140−280) yields the largest drag reduction (up to 20%) for Reτ=180, much higher than riblets control only (about 3%). Compared to SOJF control only, riblets suppress the secondary swirls of SOJF hence decreasing drag, while the lateral and down washing motions of SOJF impinging on riblets would increase drag—the opposite two effects thus giving rise to an optimal. Through examinations on coherent structures, we elucidate that the attenuation of both large-scale coherent motions and small-scale random fluctuations leads to the net drag reduction. We conclude that large-scale control is a robust approach in the cases of rough surfaces, and the parameters can be selected for maximum drag reduction in each particular situation.

Flow Field Analysis of a Turbulent Channel Controlled by Scalloped Riblets

Riblets are small protruding surfaces along the direction of the flow, and are one of the most well-known passive turbulent drag reduction methods. We investigated a scalloped riblet, the shape of which was constructed by smoothly connecting two third-order polynomials and was not as sharp in the tip as corresponding triangular riblets with the same height-width ratio. Numerical simulations were performed for turbulent channel flow with and without riblet control at an estimated optimum width of W+=20 and a height-width ratio of 0.5. A drag reduction rate of 5.77% was obtained, which is generally larger than the reported drag reduction rates of corresponding triangular riblets from the literature. Mean flow fields and second-order statistics of velocity, vorticity, and Liutex, a quantity introduced to represent vortices, were reported. It was found that streamwise vortices just above the riblet tips, which have a length scale of 200−300 in wall units, have an important influence on those statistics and thus the turbulence generation cycle and the drag reduction mechanism. Pre-multiplied energy spectra of streamwise velocity and the Liutex component were reported to reveal the length scales in the flow field. Instantaneous vortical flow fields visualized by the Liutex method were provided with emphases on the streamwise vortices just above riblet tips. It should be noted that the class of scalloped riblets is suitable for investigations on the influences of curvatures at the tip and the valley of the riblet in future.

Drag Reduction by Fish-Scale Inspired Transverse Asymmetric Triangular Riblets: Modelling, Preliminary Experimental Analysis and Potential for Fouling Control.

The natural surfaces of many plants and animals provide examples of textures and structures that remain clean despite the presence of environmental fouling contaminants. A biomimetic approach to deciphering the mechanisms used by nature will facilitate the development and application of fouling-resistant surfaces to a range of engineering challenges. This study investigated the mechanism underlying the drag reduction phenomenon that was shown to be responsible for fouling resistance for underwater surfaces. For this purpose, a novel fish-scale-inspired microstructure was shown to exhibit a drag reduction effect similar to that of its natural replica. The primary mechanism through which this occurs is a delayed transition to turbulence. To investigate this mechanism, a Large Eddy simulation was performed at several Reynolds numbers (Re). This analysis demonstrated a peak drag reduction performance of 6.7% at Re = 1750. The numerical data were then experimentally validated through pressure drop measurements performed by means of a custom-built micro-channel. In this case, a peak drag reduction of 4.8% was obtained at Re = 1000. These results suggest a relative agreement between the experimental and numerical data. Taken together, this study advocates that, for the analyzed conditions, drag reduction occurs at low Reynolds numbers. Nonetheless, once flow conditions become more turbulent, the decline in drag reduction performance becomes apparent.

Drag Reduction Performance of Triangular (V-groove) Riblets with Different Adjacent Height Ratios

Surface structure is used to interfere with the turbulent boundary layer in the groove drag reduction, which is important to the endurance and stability of high-speed and ultrahigh-speed aircraft. The size of the groove structure directly affects the flow in the turbulent boundary layer and changes the drag reduction effect. The drag reduction characteristics of bionic triangular (V-groove) riblets were studied through Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) experiment and Finite Volume Method (FVM) simulation. Triangular riblets with adjacent height ratios (AHR) of 1.00, 1.74, and 3.02 were considered in this research, and the influence of these groove structures on the flow characteristics of turbulence near the wall is compared with those of the smooth plates. The distribution of time-averaged velocity, turbulence intensity, and coherent structures of turbulent boundary layer on the riblet surface is analyzed to document the effects of the geometric parameters of various groove structures on drag reduction rates. Results showed that the best drag reduction is obtained using the V-groove riblets with adjacent height ratio of 1:1 under the low free-stream velocity. The results can be used as a reference for further optimization of drag reduction structures with surface grooves.

Riblet-generated flow mechanisms that lead to local breaking of Reynolds analogy

We investigate the Reynolds analogy over riblets, namely the analogy between the fractional increase in Stanton number $C_h$ and the fractional increase in the skin-friction coefficient $C_f$ , relative to a smooth surface. We investigate the direct numerical simulation data of Endrikat et al. (Flow Turbul. Combust., vol. 107, 2021, pp. 1–29). The riblet groove shapes are isosceles triangles with tip angles $\alpha = {30}^{\circ }, {60}^{\circ }, {90}^{\circ }$ , a trapezoid, a rectangle and a right triangle. The viscous-scaled riblet spacing varies between $s^+ \approx 10$ to $60$ . The global Reynolds analogy is primarily influenced by Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers and secondary flows. Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers locally break the Reynolds analogy favourably, i.e. cause a locally larger fractional increase in $C_h$ than in $C_f$ . These rollers induce negative wall shear stress patches which have no analogue in wall heat fluxes. Secondary flows at the riblets’ crests are associated with local unfavourable breaking of the Reynolds analogy, i.e. locally larger fractional increase in $C_f$ than in $C_h$ . Only the triangular riblets with $\alpha = {30}^{\circ }$ trigger strong Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers without appreciable secondary flows. This riblet shape globally preserves the Reynolds analogy from $s^+ = 21$ to $33$ . However, the other riblet shapes have weak or non-existent Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers, yet persistent secondary flows. These riblet shapes behave similarly to rough surfaces. They unfavourably break the global Reynolds analogy, and do so to a greater extent as $s^+$ increases.

A large eddy simulation of flow over a circular cylinder with circumferential triangular riblets: Effects of spanwise coverage ratio

Flow over circular cylinders covered with circumferential riblets of triangular shape with spanwise coverage ratios from 0 (bare cylinder) to 1 (fully covered) is investigated by large eddy simulation at three subcritical Reynolds numbers (2000, 3000 and 3900 respectively). The bare cylinder is considered as a reference case and for validation purpose. Detailed flow structures and boundary layer characteristics are described. For the fully covered cylinder, it is found that flows on the two sides of each riblet interact, forming a structure with stronger turbulent fluctuations and leading to a significantly shorter recirculation length compared to the other cases. The turbulent fluctuations are attenuated to various degrees for the partly covered cylinders. Two semicircular-shaped flow zones with distinct spanwise flows are observed around the riblets adjacent to the bare sections. Among the three partly covered cases under consideration (with spanwise coverage ratios of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 respectively), the half-covered cylinder has the largest semicircular-shaped flow zones, associated with the lowest turbulence in the flow field. A zigzag flow separation line is observed on all sections covered with riblets. The variations of the flow behaviours result in different characteristics of the hydrodynamic forces acting on the various cylinders. It is revealed that the lift fluctuation is the lowest for the half-covered cylinder and the highest for the fully covered cylinder. An examination of the sectional hydrodynamic forces further reveals that the sectional drag is higher at the riblet tip than that in the valley.

Numerical analysis of turbulence characteristics in a flat-plate flow with riblets control

A comparative study about riblets-controlled turbulent boundary layers has been performed to investigate the turbulence characteristics associated with drag reduction in a compressive flat-plate flow (where the free-stream Mach number is 0.7) by means of direct numerical simulations (DNSs). With a setting of the triangular riblets (s+ ≈ 30.82, h+ ≈ 15.41) settled on the Reτ ≈ 500 turbulent boundary layer, an effective global drag reduction was achieved. By comparing velocity and its fluctuation distribution, vorticity fluctuation and streaks structures between the smooth and riblets flat-plate cases, two roles of lifting and rectification in terms of riblets drag control are revealed that the micro-scale riblets can lift up logarithmic-law region of the boundary layer, which leads to a smaller wall friction velocity and thus a drag reduction. The streamwise vortices and its fluctuation structures are shifted upward, thus the interactions between them and the wall surface are weakened, which causes the suppressed intensity of Reynolds normal stresses, streamwise vorticity and turbulent kinetic energy production inside the riblets. Moreover, the streaks associated with streamwise velocity or 3D vortices are ruled from the distorted to long and straight structures as they pass through the riblets, indicating an ability of riblets to turn turbulence into a more ordered state.

Comparative analysis of drag reduction characteristics of two-type riblets based on numerical simulation

Turbulent drag reduction has always been a hot issue in fluid mechanics. Among various turbulent drag reduction methods, riblets has attracted wide attention due to its simple structure and convenient application. In order to investigate the effect of the riblets shape on the drag reduction, the effect of the triangular and trapezoidal riblets on the turbulent boundary layer flow field and drag reduction characteristics has been studied numerically by adopting the CFD method and based on the large eddy simulation (LES). The numerical simulation of turbulent channel flow was conducted by RANS, DES and LES methods respectively, and their results were compared with the results of direct numerical simulation (DNS) to verify the accuracy and feasibility of the large eddy simulation method. According to the experimental results in references, the flow field parameters such as integral statistics, first-order statistics and second-order statistics of the triangular and trapezoidal riblets on the turbulent boundary layer flow fields were compared and analyzed. The drag reduction characteristics of two-type riblets were investigated by studying the variation in physical parameters such as drag reduction rate, time-averaged velocity, root mean square velocity fluctuation, shear stress, turbulent kinetic energy generation and contour of spanwise velocity fluctuation, and it was concluded that the trapezoidal riblets have better drag reduction effect than the triangular riblets under the same dimensionless condition.

Experimental study of flows over triangular riblets in cavity-like geometry

Pressure losses and flow dynamics are studied experimentally in a cavity formed by two ramps on the channel wall and filled with triangular riblets. The length and amount of riblets are changed from one large to three smaller, occupying the entire cavity length and dividing it into smaller subcavities between riblets. Up to four subcavities, characterised by length-to-depth ratio λ = 8.8–2.8, are formed. Pressure loss regularities and flow structure above such cavity are investigated in a wide range of Re numbers (430–18000) covering laminar, transitional and turbulent flow regimes. The pressure loss regularities were found depended on the ramps forming the initial plane cavity, while riblets contribution is minor. However, their influence on the distribution of flow velocity and turbulence parameters is significant. Decreasing subcavities size between riblets, pressure losses increase until the critical size of subcavities is reached. Further reducing subcavities size, the interaction of the main flow and flow in subcavities diminishes, leading to decreased pressure losses. Measured velocity and shear rate profiles reveal dynamics of instabilities above vertices of riblets and their dependence on flow regime and subcavities size.

Direct Numerical Simulations of Turbulent Flow Over Various Riblet Shapes in Minimal-Span Channels

Riblets reduce skin-friction drag until their viscous-scaled size becomes large enough for turbulence to approach the wall, leading to the breakdown of drag-reduction. In order to investigate inertial-flow mechanisms that are responsible for the breakdown, we employ the minimal-span channel concept for cost-efficient direct numerical simulation (DNS) of rough-wall flows (MacDonald et al. in J Fluid Mech 816: 5–42, 2017). This allows us to investigate six different riblet shapes and various viscous-scaled sizes for a total of 21 configurations. We verify that the small numerical domains capture all relevant physics by varying the box size and by comparing to reference data from full-span channel flow. Specifically, we find that, close to the wall in the spectral region occupied by drag-increasing Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers (Garcia-Mayoral and Jimenez in J Fluid Mech 678: 317–347, 2011), the energy-difference relative to smooth-wall flow is not affected by the narrow domain, even though these structures have large spanwise extents. This allows us to evaluate the influence of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability by comparing fluctuations of wall-normal and streamwise velocity, pressure and a passive scalar over riblets of different shapes and viscous-scaled sizes to those over a smooth wall. We observe that triangular riblets with a tip angle $$\alpha =30^{\circ }$$ and blades appear to support the instability, whereas triangular riblets with $$\alpha =60^{\circ }$$ – $$90^{\circ }$$ and trapezoidal riblets with $$\alpha =30^{\circ }$$ show little to no evidence of Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers.

Model-based design of riblets for turbulent drag reduction

Abstract

On the relationship between drag and vertical velocity fluctuations in flow over riblets and liquid infused surfaces

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flow over triangular and rectangular riblets in a wide range of size and Reynolds number have been carried out. The flow within the grooves is directly resolved by exploiting the immersed-boundary method. It is found that the drag reduction property is primarily associated with the capability of inhibiting vertical velocity fluctuations at the plane of the crests, as in liquid-infused surfaces (LIS) devices. This is mimicked in DNS through artificial suppression of the vertical velocity component, which yields large drag decrease, proportionate to the riblets size. A parametrization of the drag reduction effect in terms of the vertical velocity variance is found to be quite successful in accounting for variation of the controlling parameters. A Moody-like friction diagram is thus introduced which incorporates the effect of slip velocity and a single, geometry-dependent parameter. Reduced drag-reduction efficiency of LIS-like riblets is found as compared to cases with artificially imposed slip velocity. Last, we find that simple wall models of riblets and LIS-like devices are unlikely to provide accurate prediction of the flow phenomenon, and direct resolution of flow within the grooves in necessary.

Investigation on the Mechanism of Drag Modification over Triangular Riblets

Investigation on the Mechanism of Drag Modification over Triangular Riblets

The Influence of Boundary Layer Caused by Riblets on the Aircraft Surface

Drag reduction of riblets is one of the most important problems in drag reduction of non-smooth surfaces. In the past two decades, the use of riblets arranged along the flow direction to reduce frictional resistance has received considerable attention. In this paper, we study the plates with the triangular concave grooves, triangular protrusion riblets, trapezoidal concave grooves, trapezoidal protrusion riblets, and circular concave grooves. The numerical simulation method is used to calculate five kinds of plates with grooves and riblets under multiple working conditions. The results showed that the plates with grooves and riblets generated vortices inside the grooves, which separated the incoming flow from the wall surface, and by increasing the thickness of the boundary layer, greatly reducing the average velocity gradient of the wall surface, compared with the smooth flat plate, the friction resistance is reduced. But, lateral riblets and grooves cause additional pressure resistance, which is one order of magnitude higher than the friction resistance. Then, the triangular concave grooves are arranged on the suction and pressure sides of the NACA0012 airfoil, respectively. We calculated the aerodynamic parameters of the both airfoils, and the standard NACA0012 airfoil from the −8° attack angle to their respective stall attack angles. The results showed that the NACA0012 airfoil with triangular concave grooves on the suction side reduced the aerodynamic characteristics of the standard NACA0012 at a small angle of attack, but the stall angle of attack of the standard NACA0012 airfoil was improved, because the grooves ensure that some gas can flow normally on the suction side and delay the separation of the boundary layer. The NACA0012 airfoil with triangular concave grooves on the pressure side did not effectively improve the aerodynamic characteristics: lift–drag ratio decreased and stall angle of attack decreased, but it can increase the lift slightly.

Compliant riblets: Problem formulation and effective macrostructural properties

Small-scale, deformable riblets, embedded within the viscous sublayer of a turbulent boundary layer and capable to adapt to the overlying motion, are studied. The wall micro-grooves are made of a linearly elastic material and can undergo small deformations; their collective behavior is assumed to occur over a large, elastic wavelength. The presence of two length scales allows for the use of a multiscale homogenization approach yielding microscopic problems for convolution kernels and parameters, which must then be employed in macroscopic boundary conditions to be enforced at a virtual wall through the riblets. The results found suggest that, in analogy to the case of rigid riblets, compliant, blade-like wall corrugations are more effective than triangular riblets in reducing skin friction drag, provided the spanwise periodicity of the indentations is sufficiently small for the creeping flow approximation to be tenable.

Wall pressure signatures of turbulent flow over longitudinal

Five triangular riblets longitudinal in the streamwise direction have been studied experimentally. The riblets have pick to pick spaced (s) equal to 1000 μm and with groove height to space ratio (h/s) 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1. The tests were conducted in a full turbulence water channel on a flat plate for Reynolds numbers 13000 to 53000 based on channel hydraulic diameter. Pressure drop was measured using pressure transmitter gauge with pressure tap points of 12.7 mm in diameter were provided at the bottom of the channel. The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the response of turbulent flow to longitudinal grooves of triangular shaped riblets and compare the effect of the turbulence structure over smoothed and grooved surfaces with pressure drop measurements. 10.20 was the maximum drag reduction appear at h/s equal to (1).

Optimal Application of Riblets on Compressor Blades and Their Contamination Behavior

During the last decades, riblets have shown a potential for viscous drag reduction in turbulent boundary layers. Several investigations and measurements of skin-friction in the boundary layer over flat plates and on turbomachinery-type blades with ideal riblet geometry have been reported in the literature. The question of where riblets must be applied on the surface of a compressor blade is still not sufficiently answered. In a first step, the profile loss reduction by ideal triangular riblets with a trapezoidal groove and a constant geometry along the surface on the suction and pressure sides of a compressor blade is investigated. The results show a higher potential on the profile loss reduction by riblets on the suction side. In a second step, the effect of laser-structured ribs on the laminar separation bubble and the influence of these structures on the laminar boundary layer near the leading edge are investigated. After clarifying the best choices where riblets should be applied on the blade surface, a strategy for locally adapted riblets is presented. The suction side of a compressor blade is laser-structured with segmented riblets with a constant geometry in each segment. The measured profile loss reduction shows the increasing effect on the profile loss reduction of this locally adapted structure compared to a constant riblet-geometry along the surface. Furthermore, the particle deposition on a riblet-structured compressor blade is investigated and compared to the particle deposition on a smooth surface. Results show a primary particle deposition on the riblet tips followed by an agglomeration. The particle deposition on the smooth surface is stochastic.

Direct numerical simulation of heat transfer over riblets

Riblets are well-known as a passive mean for drag reduction in turbulent flow conditions, but their effectiveness for heat transfer is quite controversial. In this paper we present the numerical results for fully developed laminar and turbulent flow and heat transfer in a channel with triangular riblets. The turbulent study is performed by means of direct numerical simulation at a Reynolds number Re τ =180 based on the wall-shear velocity, for a fluid with a Prandtl number Pr=0.71. Four different ribbed channels are considered, under a constant heat flux boundary condition, and correspond to ridge angle α=45° and 60°, and riblet spacing s +=20 and s +=40. The results obtained, for the flow and turbulent quantities, are in good agreement with past experimental and numerical studies, and correctly reproduce drag reduction over the smaller s +=20 riblets and drag increase over the larger s +=40 riblets. The predicted heat transfer efficiency of riblets do not agree with some experimental results, and is below that of a flat plate for all the configurations. The conditions for heat transfer enhancement are discussed.

Numerical prediction of heat and momentum transfer over micro-grooved surface with a nonlinear k– ε model

The paper reports numerical results obtained in a fully developed turbulent channel flow with triangular riblets. The heat and momentum transfer characteristics are calculated by using a nonlinear low-Reynolds number k– ε model together with several turbulent scalar flux representations. Comparison of the drag variation prediction with previous experimental and numerical data shows that the present turbulence model can simulate the turbulent flow over this complex surface reasonably well. By comparing the results obtained with the isotropic and anisotropic Reynolds stress representations, the significance of the mean secondary flow in the drag reduction mechanism is discussed. In both drag reducing and increasing conditions, the drag change predicted is found to be in close agreement with the data available in the literature. Under the drag reducing conditions, possible departure from the Reynolds analogy is investigated at various Reynolds and Prandtl numbers. It is shown that, while the skin friction is reduced over the riblet surface, the heat transfer performance can actually be increased beyond that on a smooth wall, although discrepancy with the experimental data is not negligible.

Reduction of Fluid Friction Drag of Rotor with Riblet in Stationary Cylinder.

In order to improve the efficiency of a canned motor, it is important to reduce the fluid friction drag of the rotor. In this study, co-axial cylinders which were the model of a canned motor were examined. To reduce the fluid friction drag of the rotor, six kinds of rotor with riblet were used. The riblet height of rotors was from 0.05 to 0.4 mm and the riblet pitch of rotors was from 0.1 to 0.8 mm. The fluid friction drag of rotors was determined by the measured torque of rotors. The reduced ratio of the rotors with riblet to the rotor with smooth in the fluid friction drag was obtained in the range from 500 to 5000 of the gap Reynolds number Rew. The reduced ratio was also discussed for the rotor with triangular riblets like a screw.