Influence of polymer-surfactant aggregates on fluid flow.

PubMed

Malcher, Tadeusz; Gzyl-Malcher, Barbara

2012-10-01

This paper describes the influence of interactions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles on drag reduction. Since the interactions between PEO and CTAB micelles alone are weak, salicylate ions were used as CTAB counterions. They facilitate formation of polymer-micelle aggregates by screening the electrostatic repulsions between the charged surfactant headgroups. The influence of polymer-surfactant interactions on drag reduction is of biomedical engineering importance. Drag reducing additives introduced to blood produce beneficial effects on blood circulation, representing a novel way to treat cardiovascular disorders. PEO is a blood-compatible polymer. However, it quickly mechanically degrades when subjected to high shear stresses. Thus, there is a need to search for other additives able to reduce drag, which would be more mechanically stable, e.g. polymer-surfactant aggregates. Numerical simulations of the flow were performed using the CFX software. Based on the internal structure of the polymer-surfactant solution, a hypothesis explaining the reason of increase of drag reduction and decrease in dynamic viscosity with increasing shear rate was proposed. It was suggested that the probable reason for the abrupt increase in friction factor, observed when the critical Reynolds number was exceeded, was the disappearance of the difference in the dynamic viscosity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The maximum drag reduction asymptote

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choueiri, George H.; Hof, Bjorn

2015-11-01

Addition of long chain polymers is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the drag of turbulent flows. Already very low concentration of polymers can lead to a substantial drag and upon further increase of the concentration the drag reduces until it reaches an empirically found limit, the so called maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote, which is independent of the type of polymer used. We here carry out a detailed experimental study of the approach to this asymptote for pipe flow. Particular attention is paid to the recently observed state of elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) which has been reported to occur in polymer solutions at sufficiently high shear. Our results show that upon the approach to MDR Newtonian turbulence becomes marginalized (hibernation) and eventually completely disappears and is replaced by EIT. In particular, spectra of high Reynolds number MDR flows are compared to flows at high shear rates in small diameter tubes where EIT is found at Re < 100. The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement n° [291734].

Drag reduction in nature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, D. M.; Moore, K. J.

1991-01-01

Recent studies on the drag-reducing shapes, structures, and behaviors of swimming and flying animals are reviewed, with an emphasis on potential analogs in vehicle design. Consideration is given to form drag reduction (turbulent flow, vortex generation, mass transfer, and adaptations for body-intersection regions), skin-friction drag reduction (polymers, surfactants, and bubbles as surface 'additives'), reduction of the drag due to lift, drag-reduction studies on porpoises, and drag-reducing animal behavior (e.g., leaping out of the water by porpoises). The need for further research is stressed.

Drag reduction in plane Couette flow of dilute polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Nansheng; Teng, Hao; Lu, Xiyun; Khomami, Bamin

2017-11-01

Drag reduction (DR) in the plane Couette flow (PCF) by the addition of flexible polymers has been studied by direct numerical simulation (DNS) in this work. Special interest has been directed to explore the similarity and difference in the DR features between the PCF and the plane Poiseuille flow (PPF), and to clarify the effects of large-scale structures (LSSs) on the near-wall turbulence. It has been demonstrated that in the near-wall region the drag-reduced PCF shares typical DR features similar to those reported for the drag-reduced PPF (White & Mungal 2008; Graham 2014), however in the core region intriguing differences are found between these two DR shear flows of polymeric solution. Specifically, in the core region of the drag-reduced PCF, the polymer chains are stretched substantial and absorb kinetic energy from the turbulent fluctuations. In commensurate, peak values of conformation tensor components Cyy and Czz occur in the core region. This finding is strikingly different from that of the drag-reduced PPF. For the drag-reduced PCF, the LSSs are found to have monotonically increasing effects on the near-wall flow as the Weissenberg number increases, and have their spanwise length scale unchanged. This work is supported by the NSFC Grants 11272306 and 11472268 and the NSF Grant CBET0755269. This research was also supported in part by allocation of advanced computational resources on DARTER by the National Institute for Computational Sciences (NICS).

Polymer/riblet combination for hydrodynamic skin friction reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Jason C. (Inventor); Bushnell, Dennis M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A process is disclosed for reducing skin friction and inhibiting the effects of liquid turbulence in a system involving the flow of a liquid along the surface of a body, e.g. a marine vehicle. This process includes injecting a drag reducing polymer into the valleys of adjacent, evenly spaced, longitudinal grooves extending along the length of the surface of the body, so that the rate of diffusion of the polymer from individual grooves into the liquid flow is predictably controlled by the groove dimensions. When the polymer has diffused over the tips of the grooves into the near wall region of the boundary layer, the polymer effectively reduces the turbulent skin friction. A substantial drag reducing effect is achieved with less polymer than must be used to lower skin friction when the surface of the body is smooth.

Polymer/riblet combination for hydrodynamic skin friction reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, Dennis M. (Inventor); Reed, Jason C. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A process is disclosed for reducing skin friction and inhibiting the effects of liquid turbulence in a system involving the flow of a liquid along the surface of a body, e.g., a marine vehicle. This process includes injecting a drag reducing polymer into the valleys of adjacent, evenly spaced, longitudinal grooves extending along the length of the surface of the body, so that the rate of diffusion of the polymer from individual grooves into the liquid flow is predictably controlled by the groove dimensions. When the polymer has diffused over the tips of the grooves into the near wall region of the boundary layer, the polymer effectively reduces the turbulent skin friction. A substantial drag reducing effect is achieved with less polymer than must be used to lower skin friction when the surface of the body is smooth.

Diffusion of drag-reducing polymer solutions within a rough-walled turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian R.; Dowling, David R.; Perlin, Marc; Ceccio, Steven L.

2010-04-01

The influence of surface roughness on diffusion of wall-injected, drag-reducing polymer solutions within a turbulent boundary layer was studied with a 0.94 m long flat-plate test model at speeds of up to 10.6 m s-1 and Reynolds numbers of up to 9×106. The surface was hydraulically smooth, transitionally rough, or fully rough. Mean concentration profiles were acquired with planar laser induced fluorescence, which was the primary flow diagnostic. Polymer concentration profiles with high injection concentrations (≥1000 wppm) had the peak concentration shifted away from the wall, which was partially attributed to a lifting phenomenon. The diffusion process was divided into three zones—initial, intermediate, and final. Studies of polymer injection into a polymer ocean at concentrations sufficient for maximum drag reduction indicated that the maximum initial zone length is of the order of 100 boundary layer thicknesses. The intermediate zone results indicate that friction velocity and roughness height are important scaling parameters in addition to flow and injection conditions. Lastly, the current results were combined with those in Petrie et al. ["Polymer drag reduction with surface roughness in flat-plate turbulent boundary layer flow," Exp. Fluids 35, 8 (2003)] to demonstrate that the influence of polymer degradation increases with increased surface roughness.

Modification of a Turbulent Boundary Layer within a Homogeneous Concentration of Drag reducing Polymer Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farsiani, Yasaman; Elbing, Brian

2017-11-01

High molecular weight polymer solutions in wall-bounded flows can reduce the local skin friction by as much as 80%. External flow studies have typical focused on injection of polymer within a developing turbulent boundary layer (TBL), allowing the concentration and drag reduction level to evolve with downstream distance. Modification of the log-law region of the TBL is directly related to drag reduction, but recent results suggest that the exact behavior is dependent on flow and polymer properties. Weissenberg number and the viscosity ratio (ratio of solvent viscosity to the zero-shear viscosity) are concentration dependent, thus the current study uses a polymer ocean (i.e. a homogenous concentration of polymer solution) with a developing TBL to eliminate uncertainty related to polymer properties. The near-wall modified TBL velocity profiles are acquired with particle image velocimetry. In the current presentation the mean velocity profiles and the corresponding flow (Reynolds number) and polymer (Weissenberg number, viscosity ratio, and length ratio) properties are reported. Note that the impact of polymer degradation on molecular weight will also be quantified and accounted for when estimating polymer properties This work was supported by NSF Grant 1604978.

Drag reduction by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD4.

PubMed

Sar, N; Rosenberg, E

1987-09-01

The encapsulated bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD4 at a density of 3.6 X 10(9) cells per ml reduced the friction of turbulent water in a narrow pipe by 55%. This drag reduction was due to the tightly bound polysaccharide capsules (0.4 mg per ml) of culture. Capsule-deficient mutants of BD4 failed to reduce drag. The cell-bound polysaccharide demonstrated a threefold-higher drag-reducing activity than the polymer which was free in solution.

Drag reduction - Jet breakup correlation with kerosene-based additives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoyt, J. W.; Altman, R. L.; Taylor, J. J.

1980-01-01

The drag-reduction effectiveness of a number of high-polymer additives dissolved in aircraft fuel has been measured in a turbulent-flow rheometer. These solutions were further subjected to high elongational stress and breakup forces in a jet discharging in air. The jet was photographed using a high-resolution camera with special lighting. The object of the work was to study the possible spray-suppression ability of high-polymer additives to aircraft fuel and to correlate this with the drag-reducing properties of the additives. It was found, in fact, that the rheometer results indicate the most effective spray-suppressing additives. Using as a measure the minimum polymer concentration to give a maximum friction-reducing effect, the order of effectiveness of eight different polymer additives as spray-suppressing agents was predicted. These results may find application in the development of antimisting additives for aircraft fuel which may increase fire safety in case of crash or accident.

Rotational relaxation time as unifying time scale for polymer and fiber drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boelens, A. M. P.; Muthukumar, M.

2016-05-01

Using hybrid direct numerical simulation plus Langevin dynamics, a comparison is performed between polymer and fiber stress tensors in turbulent flow. The stress tensors are found to be similar, suggesting a common drag reducing mechanism in the onset regime for both flexible polymers and rigid fibers. Since fibers do not have an elastic backbone, this must be a viscous effect. Analysis of the viscosity tensor reveals that all terms are negligible, except the off-diagonal shear viscosity associated with rotation. Based on this analysis, we identify the rotational orientation time as the unifying time scale setting a new time criterion for drag reduction by both flexible polymers and rigid fibers.

Rotational relaxation time as unifying time scale for polymer and fiber drag reduction.

PubMed

Boelens, A M P; Muthukumar, M

2016-05-01

Using hybrid direct numerical simulation plus Langevin dynamics, a comparison is performed between polymer and fiber stress tensors in turbulent flow. The stress tensors are found to be similar, suggesting a common drag reducing mechanism in the onset regime for both flexible polymers and rigid fibers. Since fibers do not have an elastic backbone, this must be a viscous effect. Analysis of the viscosity tensor reveals that all terms are negligible, except the off-diagonal shear viscosity associated with rotation. Based on this analysis, we identify the rotational orientation time as the unifying time scale setting a new time criterion for drag reduction by both flexible polymers and rigid fibers.

Impact of drag reducing polymers on the onset of instability in a pipe with reverse flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashank, H. J.; Sreenivas, K. R.

2014-11-01

The objective of this study is to understand the mechanism by which drag reducing polymer (DRP) additives modify turbulent flow, so as to reduce turbulent drag. Reverse flow in a pipe occurs when the fluid close to the wall moves in an opposite direction to that of the core fluid. Reverse flow is established by using a piston-cylinder mechanism, the programmed motion of which imparts a known impulse to the fluid. When the piston is stopped at the end of the stroke, fluid inertia makes the core of the flow to continue in the same direction. In order to conserve mass, reverse flow is established close to the wall. An inflection point is thus formed, leading to flow instability above a critical Reynolds number. Dye and streak flow visualization experiments are performed to highlight the impact of DRP additives (polyethylene oxide, PEO, dissolved in water). The time of onset of the instability and the wavelength of the observed instability are studied in systems with and without DRP additives. This study will provide further insight into the phenomenon of turbulent polymer drag reduction.

Active and hibernating turbulence in minimal channel flow of newtonian and polymeric fluids.

PubMed

Xi, Li; Graham, Michael D

2010-05-28

Turbulent channel flow of drag-reducing polymer solutions is simulated in minimal flow geometries. Even in the Newtonian limit, we find intervals of "hibernating" turbulence that display many features of the universal maximum drag reduction asymptote observed in polymer solutions: weak streamwise vortices, nearly nonexistent streamwise variations, and a mean velocity gradient that quantitatively matches experiments. As viscoelasticity increases, the frequency of these intervals also increases, while the intervals themselves are unchanged, leading to flows that increasingly resemble maximum drag reduction.

Shell model for drag reduction with polymer additives in homogeneous turbulence.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; De Angelis, Elisabetta; Govindarajan, Rama; Procaccia, Itamar

2003-07-01

Recent direct numerical simulations of the finite-extensibility nonlinear elastic dumbbell model with the Peterlin approximation of non-Newtonian hydrodynamics revealed that the phenomenon of drag reduction by polymer additives exists (albeit in reduced form) also in homogeneous turbulence. We use here a simple shell model for homogeneous viscoelastic flows, which recaptures the essential observations of the full simulations. The simplicity of the shell model allows us to offer a transparent explanation of the main observations. It is shown that the mechanism for drag reduction operates mainly on large scales. Understanding the mechanism allows us to predict how the amount of drag reduction depends on the various parameters in the model. The main conclusion is that drag reduction is not a universal phenomenon; it peaks in a window of parameters such as the Reynolds number and the relaxation rate of the polymer.

Investigation of the required length for fully developed pipe flow with drag-reducing polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farsiani, Yasaman; Elbing, Brian

2015-11-01

Adding trace amounts of long chain polymers into a liquid flow is known to reduce skin friction drag by up to 80%. While polymer drag reduction (PDR) has been successfully implemented in internal flows, diffusion and degradation have limited its external flow applications. A weakness in many previous PDR studies is that there was no characterization of the polymer being injected into the turbulent boundary layer, which can be accomplished by testing a sample in a pressure-drop tube. An implicit assumption in polymer characterization is that the flow is fully developed at the differential pressure measurement. While available data in the literature shows that the entry length to achieve fully developed flow increases with polymeric solutions, it is unclear how long is required to achieve fully developed flow for non-Newtonian turbulent flows. In the present study, the pressure-drop is measured across a 1.05 meter length section of a 1.04 cm inner diameter pipe. Differential pressure is measured with a pressure transducer for different entry lengths, flow and polymer solution properties. This presentation will present preliminary data on the required entrance length as well as characterization of polymer solution an estimate of the mean molecular weight.

Drag reduction and the dynamics of turbulence in simple and complex fluidsa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Michael D.

2014-10-01

Addition of a small amount of very large polymer molecules or micelle-forming surfactants to a liquid can dramatically reduce the energy dissipation it exhibits in the turbulent flow regime. This rheological drag reduction phenomenon is widely used, for example, in the Alaska pipeline, but it is not well-understood, and no comparable technology exists to reduce turbulent energy consumption in flows of gases, in which polymers or surfactants cannot be dissolved. The most striking feature of this phenomenon is the existence of a so-called maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote: for a given geometry and driving force, there is a maximum level of drag reduction that can be achieved through addition of polymers. Changing the concentration, molecular weight or even the chemical structure of the additives has little to no effect on this asymptotic value. This universality is the major puzzle of drag reduction. We describe direct numerical simulations of turbulent minimal channel flow of Newtonian fluids and viscoelastic polymer solutions. Even in the absence of polymers, we show that there are intervals of "hibernating" turbulence that display very low drag as well as many other features of the MDR asymptote observed in polymer solutions. As Weissenberg number increases to moderate values the frequency of these intervals also increases, and a simple theory captures key features of the intermittent dynamics observed in the simulations. At higher Weissenberg number, these intervals are altered - for example, their duration becomes substantially longer and the instantaneous Reynolds shear stress during them becomes very small. Additionally, simulations of "edge states," dynamical trajectories that lie on the boundary between turbulent and laminar flow, display characteristics that are similar to those of hibernating turbulence and thus to the MDR asymptote, again even in the absence of polymer additives. Based on these observations, we propose a tentative unified description of rheological drag reduction. The existence of MDR-like intervals even in the absence of additives sheds light on the observed universality of MDR and may ultimately lead to new flow control approaches for improving energy efficiency in a wide range of processes.

Turbulent structure in low-concentration drag-reducing channel flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luchik, T. S.; Tiederman, W. G.

1988-01-01

A two-component laser-Doppler velocimeter was used to obtain simultaneous measurements of the velocity components parallel and normal to the wall in two fully developed well-mixed low-concentration drag-reducing channel flows and one turbulent channel flow. For the drag-reducing flows, the average time between bursts was found to increase. Although the basic structure of the fundamental momentum transport event is shown to be the same in these drag-reducing flows, the lower-threshold Reynolds-stress-producing motions were found to be damped, while the higher-threshold motions were not. It is suggested that some strong turbulent motions are needed to maintain extended polymer molecules, which produce a solution with properties that can damp lower threshold turbulence and thereby reduce viscous drag.

Active and hibernating turbulence in drag-reducing plane Couette flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Anselmo S.; Mompean, Gilmar; Thais, Laurent; Soares, Edson J.; Thompson, Roney L.

2017-08-01

In this paper we analyze the active and hibernating turbulence in drag-reducing plane Couette flows using direct numerical simulations of the viscoelastic finitely extensible nonlinear elastic model with the Peterlin approximation fluids. The polymer-turbulence interactions are studied from an energetic standpoint for a range of Weissenberg numbers (from 2 up to 30), fixing the Reynolds number based on the plate velocities at 4000, the viscosity ratio at 0.9, and the maximum polymer molecule extensibility at 100. The qualitative picture that emerges from this investigation is a cyclic mechanism of energy exchange between the polymers and turbulence that drives the flow through an oscillatory behavior.

The mechanism of the polymer-induced drag reduction in blood.

PubMed

Pribush, Alexander; Hatzkelzon, Lev; Meyerstein, Dan; Meyerstein, Naomi

2013-03-01

Literature reports provide evidence that nanomolar concentrations of spaghetti-like, high molecular weight polymers decrease the hydrodynamic resistance of blood thereby improving impaired blood circulation. It has been suggested that the polymer-induced drag reduction is caused by the corralling of red blood cells (RBCs) among extended macromolecules aligned in the flow direction. This mechanism predicts that drag-reducing polymers must affect the conductivity of completely dispersed blood, time-dependent and steady state structural organization of aggregated RBCs at rest. However, experimental results obtained at the concentration of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO, MW=4 × 10(6)) of 35 ppm show that neither the conductivity of completely dispersed blood, nor the kinetics of RBC aggregation occurring after the stoppage of flow, nor the structural organization of aggregated RBCs in the quiescent blood are affected by PEO. As these results are at odds with the "corralling" hypothesis, it is assumed that the effect of these polymers on the drag is associated with their interactions with local irregularities of disturbed laminar blood flow. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Loss of efficiency of polymeric drag reducers induced by high Reynolds number flows in tubes with imposed pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Edson J.; Sandoval, Gustavo A. B.; Silveira, Lucas; Pereira, Anselmo S.; Trevelin, Renata; Thomaz, Fabricio

2015-12-01

This paper studies the loss of efficiency of polymeric drag reducers induced by high Reynolds number flows in tubes. The overall pressure was fixed and the apparatus was built so as to minimize the polymer degradation. We used three kinds of polymers: two flexible and one rigid. We conducted our tests to take into account the drag reduction (DR) for a wide range of concentrations of each polymer. The main results are displayed for the DR as a function of the number of passes through the apparatus. The mechanism of the loss of efficiency for the Xanthan Gum (XG) solutions (the rigid one) seems to be completely different from that observed for Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and Polyacrylamide (PAM) (the flexible materials). While the PEO and PAM mechanically degrade by the action of the turbulent flow, the XG seems to remain intact, even after many passes through the pipe flow apparatus. From the practical point of view, it is worth noting that the PAM solutions are clearly more efficient than the PEO and XG. Another practical point that deserves attention is concerned with the asymptotic drag reduction found for XG. Although its maximum DR was significantly smaller than that found for PEO, the final value for both polymers were quite the same, which is obviously related to the intensified mechanical molecule scission in the PEO solutions. Our results for the relative drag reduction (the current value of DR divided by its maximum obtained at the first pass) was quite well fitted by the decay function proposed in our previous paper [A. S. Pereira and E. J. Soares, "Polymer degradation of dilute solutions in turbulent drag reducing flows in a cylindrical double gap rheometer device," J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 179, 9-22 (2012)], in which a rotating apparatus was used. This strongly suggests that the physical mechanism that governs the degradation phenomenon is independent of the geometry. We also used a degradation model for PEO proposed by Vonlanthen and Monkewitz ["Grid turbulence in dilute polymer solution: Peo in water," J. Fluid Mech. 730, 76-98 (2013)] to fit our data of relative drag reduction for PEO and PAM.

Polymers And Riblets Reduce Hydrodynamic Skin Friction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, Dennis M.; Reed, Jason C.

1991-01-01

Polymers injected into riblet grooves dramatically reduce polymer flow rate required for drag reduction. Polymer solution injected into valleys of grooves through array of holes or slots angled downstream to keep injected streams within grooves. Injection repeated some distance downstream because volumes of grooves finite and polymer becomes depleted as slowly pulled from groove by turbulence. Potentially useful for oil tankers as means of markedly reducing cost of fuel and used extensively on submarines, other ships, and other marine vehicles.

Coherent structure dynamics and identification during the multistage transitions of polymeric turbulent channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lu; Xi, Li

2018-04-01

Drag reduction induced by polymer additives in wall-bounded turbulence has been studied for decades. A small dosage of polymer additives can drastically reduce the energy dissipation in turbulent flows and alter the flow structures at the same time. As the polymer-induced fluid elasticity increases, drag reduction goes through several stages of transition with drastically different flow statistics. While much attention in the area of polymer-turbulence interactions has been focused on the onset and the asymptotic stage of maximum drag reduction, the transition between the two intermediate stages – low-extent drag reduction (LDR) and high-extent drag reduction (HDR) – likely reflects a qualitative change in the underlying vortex dynamics according to our recent study [1]. In particular, we proposed that polymers start to suppress the lift-up and bursting of vortices at HDR, leading to the localization of turbulent structures. To test our hypothesis, a statistically robust conditional sampling algorithm, based on Jenong and Hussain [2]’s work, was adopted in this study. The comparison of conditional eddies between the Newtonian and the highly elastic turbulence shows that (i) the lifting “strength” of vortices is suppressed by polymers as reflected by the decreasing lifting angle of the conditional eddy and (ii) the curvature of vortices is also eliminated as the orientation of the head of the conditional eddy changes. In summary, the results of conditional sampling support our hypothesis of polymer-turbulence interactions during the LDR-HDR transition.

Rheologically interesting polysaccharides from yeasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, G. R.; Nelson, G. A.; Cathey, C. A.; Fuller, G. G.

1989-01-01

We have examined the relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of polysaccharides exhibiting the rheological property of friction (drag) reduction in turbulent flows. We found an example of an exopolysaccharide from the yeast Cryptococcus laurentii that possessed high molecular weight but exhibited lower than expected drag reducing activity. Earlier correlations by Hoyt showing that beta 1 --> 3, beta 2 --> 4, and alpha 1 --> 3 linkages in polysaccharides favored drag reduction were expanded to include correlations to secondary structure. The effect of sidechains in a series of gellan gums was shown to be related to sidechain length and position. Disruption of secondary structure in drag reducing polysaccharides reduced drag reducing activity for some but not all exopolysaccharides. The polymer from C. laurentii was shown to be more stable than xanthan gum and other exopolysaccharides under the most vigorous of denaturing conditions. We also showed a direct relationship between extensional viscosity measurements and the drag reducing coefficient for four exopolysaccharides.

Effects of polymer stresses on analogy between momentum and heat transfer in drag-reduced turbulent channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyoungyoun; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2018-03-01

The effects of polymer stresses on the analogy between momentum and heat transfer are examined by using a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of viscoelastic turbulent channel flows using a constant heat flux boundary condition. The Reynolds number based on the friction velocity and channel half height is 125, and the Prandtl number is 5. The polymer stress is modeled using the finitely extensible nonlinear elastic-Peterlin constitutive model, and low (15%), intermediate (34%), and high drag reduction (DR) (52%) cases are examined. The Colburn analogy is found to be inapplicable for viscoelastic turbulent flows, suggesting dissimilarity between the momentum and heat transfer at the macroscopic coefficient level. The mean temperature profile also shows behaviour different from the mean velocity profile in drag-reduced flows. In contrast to the dissimilarity in the mean profiles, the turbulent Prandtl number Prt predicted by the DNS is near unity. This implies that turbulent heat transfer is still analogous to turbulent momentum transfer in drag-reduced flows, as in Newtonian flow. An increase in DR is accompanied by an increase in the correlation coefficient ρuθ between the instantaneous fluctuations in the streamwise velocity u and temperature θ. The correlation coefficient between u' and wall-normal velocity fluctuations v', ρ-u v, exhibits a profile similar to that of ρ-θ v in drag-reduced and Newtonian flows. Finally, the budget analysis of the transport equations of turbulent heat flux shows a strong similarity between the turbulent momentum and heat transfer, which is consistent with the predictions of Prt near unity.

Development of FDR-AF (Frictional Drag Reduction Anti-Fouling) Marine Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Inwon; Park, Hyun; Chun, Ho Hwan; GCRC-SOP Team

2013-11-01

In this study, a novel skin-friction reducing marine paint has been developed by mixing fine powder of PEO(PolyEthyleneOxide) with SPC (Self-Polishing Copolymer) AF (Anti-Fouling) paint. The PEO is well known as one of drag reducing agent to exhibit Toms effect, the attenuation of turbulent flows by long chain polymer molecules in the near wall region. The frictional drag reduction has been implemented by injecting such polymer solutions to liquid flows. However, the injection holes have been a significant obstacle to marine application. The present PEO-containing marine paint is proposed as an alternative to realize Toms effect without any hole on the ship surface. The erosion mechanism of SPC paint resin and the subsequent dissolution of PEO enable the controlled release of PEO solution from the coating. Various tests such as towing tank drag measurement of flat plate and turbulence measurement in circulating water tunnel demonstrated over 10% frictional drag reduction compared with conventional AF paint. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) through GCRC-SOP(No. 2011-0030013).

Development of Drag Reducing Polymer of FDR-SPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Inwon; Park, Hyun; Chun, Ho Hwan

2015-11-01

In this study, a novel FDR-SPC (Frictional Drag Reduction Self-Polishing Copolymer) is first synthesized in this study. The drag reducing functional radical such as PEGMA (Poly(ethylene) glycol methacrylate) has been utilized to participate in the synthesis process of the SPC. The release mechanism of drag reducing radical is accounted for the hydrolysis reaction between the FDR-SPC and seawater. The types of the baseline SPC monomers, the molecular weight and the mole fraction of PEGMA were varied in the synthesis process. The resulting SPCs were coated to the substrate plates for the subsequent hydrodynamic test for skin friction measurement. A significant reduction in Reynolds stress was observed in a range of specimen, with the maximum drag reduction being 15.9% relative to the smooth surface for PRD3-1.

A new mixed subgrid-scale model for large eddy simulation of turbulent drag-reducing flows of viscoelastic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Feng-Chen; Wang, Lu; Cai, Wei-Hua

2015-07-01

A mixed subgrid-scale (SGS) model based on coherent structures and temporal approximate deconvolution (MCT) is proposed for turbulent drag-reducing flows of viscoelastic fluids. The main idea of the MCT SGS model is to perform spatial filtering for the momentum equation and temporal filtering for the conformation tensor transport equation of turbulent flow of viscoelastic fluid, respectively. The MCT model is suitable for large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent drag-reducing flows of viscoelastic fluids in engineering applications since the model parameters can be easily obtained. The LES of forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence (FHIT) with polymer additives and turbulent channel flow with surfactant additives based on MCT SGS model shows excellent agreements with direct numerical simulation (DNS) results. Compared with the LES results using the temporal approximate deconvolution model (TADM) for FHIT with polymer additives, this mixed SGS model MCT behaves better, regarding the enhancement of calculating parameters such as the Reynolds number. For scientific and engineering research, turbulent flows at high Reynolds numbers are expected, so the MCT model can be a more suitable model for the LES of turbulent drag-reducing flows of viscoelastic fluid with polymer or surfactant additives. Project supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2011M500652), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51276046 and 51206033), and the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20112302110020).

Degradation of homogeneous polymer solutions in high shear turbulent pipe flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, B. R.; Winkel, E. S.; Solomon, M. J.; Ceccio, S. L.

2009-12-01

This study quantifies degradation of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer solutions in large diameter (2.72 cm) turbulent pipe flow at Reynolds numbers to 3 × 105 and shear rates greater than 105 1/s. The present results support a universal scaling law for polymer chain scission reported by Vanapalli et al. (2006) that predicts the maximum chain drag force to be proportional to Re 3/2, validating this scaling law at higher Reynolds numbers than prior studies. Use of this scaling gives estimated backbone bond strengths from PEO and PAM of 3.2 and 3.8 nN, respectively. Additionally, with the use of synthetic seawater as a solvent the onset of drag reduction occurred at higher shear rates relative to the pure water solvent solutions, but had little influence on the extent of degradation at higher shear rates. These results are significant for large diameter pipe flow applications that use polymers to reduce drag.

Drag reduction by polymers in wall bounded turbulence.

PubMed

L'vov, Victor S; Pomyalov, Anna; Procaccia, Itamar; Tiberkevich, Vasil

2004-06-18

We elucidate the mechanism of drag reduction by polymers in turbulent wall-bounded flows: while momentum is produced at a fixed rate by the forcing, polymer stretching results in the suppression of momentum flux to the wall. On the basis of the equations of fluid mechanics we develop the phenomenology of the "maximum drag reduction asymptote" which is the maximum drag reduction attained by polymers. Based on Newtonian information only we demonstrate the existence of drag reduction, and with one experimental parameter we reach agreement with the experimental measurements.

Investigation into the Mechanism of Polymer Thread Drag Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

They conducted experiments in a 3.75 cm diameter pipe, Re = 85,000, where they injected drag reducing solutions of guar gum and polyacrylamide, P-295 a...manufactured by Dow Chemical. Concentrations of 5000 ppm and 466 ppm based on weight were used in the experiments. The dry powder was suspended in 300

High-Reynolds-number turbulent-boundary-layer wall-pressure fluctuations with dilute polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian R.; Winkel, Eric S.; Ceccio, Steven L.; Perlin, Marc; Dowling, David R.

2010-08-01

Wall-pressure fluctuations were investigated within a high-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layer (TBL) modified by the addition of dilute friction-drag-reducing polymer solutions. The experiment was conducted at the U.S. Navy's Large Cavitation Channel on a 12.9 m long flat-plate test model with the surface hydraulically smooth (k+<0.2) and achieving downstream-distance-based Reynolds numbers to 220×106. The polymer (polyethylene oxide) solution was injected into the TBL through a slot in the surface. The primary flow diagnostics were skin-friction drag balances and an array of flush-mounted dynamic pressure transducers 9.8 m from the model leading edge. Parameters varied included the free-stream speed (6.7, 13.4, and 20.2 m s-1) and the injection condition (polymer molecular weight, injection concentration, and volumetric injection flux). The behavior of the pressure spectra, convection velocity, and coherence, regardless of the injection condition, were determined primarily based on the level of drag reduction. Results were divided into two regimes dependent on the level of polymer drag reduction (PDR), nominally separated at a PDR of 40%. The low-PDR regime is characterized by decreasing mean-square pressure fluctuations and increasing convection velocity with increasing drag reduction. This shows that the decrease in the pressure spectra with increasing drag reduction is due in part to the moving of the turbulent structures from the wall. Conversely, with further increases in drag reduction, the high-PDR regime has negligible variation in the mean-squared pressure fluctuations and convection velocity. The convection velocity remains constant at approximately 10% above the baseline-flow convection velocity, which suggests that the turbulent structures no longer move farther from the wall with increasing drag reduction. In light of recent numerical work, the coherence results indicate that in the low-PDR regime, the turbulent structures are being elongated in the streamwise direction and occurring at decreasing frequency. In the high-PDR regime, the rate of occurrence continues to decrease until large-scale coherent turbulent structures are potentially no longer present.

Theory of concentration dependence in drag reduction by polymers and of the maximum drag reduction asymptote.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; Ching, Emily S C; Horesh, Nizan; Procaccia, Itamar

2004-02-20

A simple model of the effect of polymer concentration on the amount of drag reduction in turbulence is presented, simulated, and analyzed. The qualitative phase diagram of drag coefficient versus Reynolds number (Re) is recaptured in this model, including the theoretically elusive onset of drag reduction and the maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. The Re-dependent drag and the MDR are analytically explained, and the dependence of the amount of drag on material parameters is rationalized.

A novel explicit equation for the friction factor prediction in the annular flow with drag-reducing polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakzian, Esmail; Masoudifar, Amir; Saghi, Hassan

2017-03-01

In this paper, a novel explicit equation is presented for the friction factor prediction in the annular flow with drag reducing polymer (DRP). By using dimensional analyses and curve fitting on the published experimental data, the suggested equation is derived based on the logarithmic velocity profiles and power law in boundary layers. In the next step, a least squares method is used to calibrate the presented equation. Then, the equation is used to friction factor prediction of the gas-liquid mixture with DRP and the results are compared with the experimental data and the Al-Sarkhi ones. Finally, drag reduction (DR) is applied as the ratio of the friction factor reduction using DRP to the friction factor without DRP. The DR results show that the suggested equation has a better agreement with the experimental data in comparison with the pervious equations. The results also show that DR prediction decreases with the increase of the gas superficial velocity.

Spatiotemporal evolution of hairpin eddies, Reynolds stress, and polymer torque in polymer drag-reduced turbulent channel flows.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoungyoun; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2013-06-01

To study the influence of dynamic interactions between turbulent vortical structures and polymer stress on turbulent friction drag reduction, a series of simulations of channel flow is performed. We obtain self-consistent evolution of an initial eddy in the presence of polymer stresses by utilizing the finitely extensible nonlinear elastic-Peterlin (FENE-P) model. The initial eddy is extracted by the conditional averages for the second quadrant event from fully turbulent Newtonian flow, and the initial polymer conformation fields are given by the solutions of the FENE-P model equations corresponding to the mean shear flow in the Newtonian case. At a relatively low Weissenberg number We(τ) (=50), defined as the ratio of the polymer relaxation time to the wall time scale, the generation of new vortices is inhibited by polymer-induced countertorques. Thus fewer vortices are generated in the buffer layer. However, the head of the primary hairpin is unaffected by the polymer stress. At larger We(τ) values (≥100), the hairpin head becomes weaker and vortex autogeneration and Reynolds stress growth are almost entirely suppressed. The temporal evolution of the vortex strength and polymer torque magnitude reveals that polymer extension by the vortical motion results in a polymer torque that increases in magnitude with time until a maximum value is reached over a time scale comparable to the polymer relaxation time. The polymer torque retards the vortical motion and Reynolds stress production, which in turn weakens flow-induced chain extension and torque itself. An analysis of the vortex time scales reveals that with increasing We(τ), vortical motions associated with a broader range of time scales are affected by the polymer stress. This is qualitatively consistent with Lumley's time criterion for the onset of drag reduction.

Nanomolar concentration of blood-soluble drag-reducing polymer inhibits experimental metastasis of human breast cancer cells

PubMed Central

Ding, Zhijie; Joy, Marion; Kameneva, Marina V; Roy, Partha

2017-01-01

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Extravasation of cancer cells is a critical step of metastasis. We report a novel proof-of-concept study that investigated whether non-toxic blood-soluble chemical agents capable of rheological modification of the near-vessel-wall blood flow can reduce extravasation of tumor cells and subsequent development of metastasis. Using an experimental metastasis model, we demonstrated that systemic administration of nanomolar concentrations of so-called drag-reducing polymer dramatically impeded extravasation and development of pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer cells in mice. This is the first proof-of-principle study to directly demonstrate physical/rheological, as opposed to chemical, way to prevent cancer cells from extravasation and developing metastasis and, thus, it opens the possibility of a new direction of adjuvant interventional approach in cancer. PMID:28280386

Polymer translocation in solid-state nanopores: Dependence on hydrodynamic interactions and polymer configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmonds, Christopher M.; Hesketh, Peter J.; Nair, Sankar

2013-11-01

We present a Brownian dynamics investigation of 3-D Rouse and Zimm polymer translocation through solid-state nanopores. We obtain different scaling exponents α for both polymers using two initial configurations: minimum energy, and 'steady-state'. For forced translocation, Rouse polymers (no hydrodynamic interactions), shows a large dependence of α on initial configuration and voltage. Higher voltages result in crowding at the nanopore exit and reduced α. When the radius of gyration is in equilibrium at the beginning and end of translocation, α = 1 + υ where υ is the Flory exponent. For Zimm polymers (including hydrodynamic interactions), crowding is reduced and α = 2υ. Increased pore diameter does not affect α at moderate voltages that reduce diffusion effects. For unforced translocation using narrow pores, both polymers give α = 1 + 2υ. Due to increased polymer-pore interactions in the narrow pore, hydrodynamic drag effects are reduced, resulting in identical scaling.

Two-dimensional homogeneous isotropic fluid turbulence with polymer additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Anupam; Perlekar, Prasad; Pandit, Rahul

2015-03-01

We carry out an extensive and high-resolution direct numerical simulation of homogeneous, isotropic turbulence in two-dimensional fluid films with air-drag-induced friction and with polymer additives. Our study reveals that the polymers (a) reduce the total fluid energy, enstrophy, and palinstrophy; (b) modify the fluid energy spectrum in both inverse- and forward-cascade régimes; (c) reduce small-scale intermittency; (d) suppress regions of high vorticity and strain rate; and (e) stretch in strain-dominated regions. We compare our results with earlier experimental studies and propose new experiments.

Electro-Osmosis and Water Uptake in Polymer Electrolytes in Equilibrium with Water Vapor at Low Temperatures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallagher, K. G.; Pivovar, B. S.; Fuller, T. F.

2009-01-01

Water uptake and electro-osmosis are investigated to improve the understanding and aid the modeling of water transport in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) below 0 C. Measurements of water sorption isotherms show a significant reduction in the water capacity of polymer electrolytes below 0 C. This reduced water content is attributed to the lower vapor pressure of ice compared to supercooled liquid water. At -25 C, 1100 equivalent weight Nafion in equilibrium with vapor over ice has 8 moles of water per sulfonic acid group. Measurements of the electro-osmotic drag coefficient for Nafion and both random and multiblock copolymer sulfonatedmore » poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPSH) chemistries are reported for vapor equilibrated samples below 0 C. The electro-osmotic drag coefficient of BPSH chemistries is found to be {approx}0.4, and that of Nafion is {approx}1. No significant temperature effect on the drag coefficient is found. The implication of an electro-osmotic drag coefficient less than unity is discussed in terms of proton conduction mechanisms. Simulations of the ohmically limited current below 0 C show that a reduced water uptake below 0 C results in a significant decrease in PEMFC performance.« less

Influence of polymer additive on flow past a hydrofoil: A numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Yongliang; Peng, Sai; Yang, Dan; Duan, Juan; Wang, Limin

2018-01-01

Flows of dilute polymer solutions past a hydrofoil (NACA0012) are examined by direct numerical simulation to investigate the modification of the wake pattern due to the addition of polymer. The influence of polymer additive is modeled by the FENE-P model in order to simulate a non-linear modulus of elasticity and a finite extendibility of the polymer macromolecules. Simulations were carried out at a Reynolds number of 1000 with the angle of attack varying from 0° to 20°. The results show that the influence of polymer on the flow behavior of the flow past a hydrofoil exhibits different flow regimes. In general, the addition of polymer modifies the wake patterns for all angles of attack in this study. Consequently, both drag and lift forces are changed as the Weissenberg number increases while the drag of the hydrofoil is enhanced at small angles of attack and reduced at large angles of attack. As the Weissenberg number increases, two attached recirculation bubbles or two columns of shedding vortices downstream tend to be symmetric, and the polymer tends to make the flow less sensitive to the variation of the angle of attack.

Turbulent drag reduction by flexible and rodlike polymers: Crossover effects at small concentrations.

PubMed

Ching, Emily S C; Lo, T S; Procaccia, Itamar

2006-08-01

Drag reduction by polymers is bounded between two universal asymptotes, the von Kármán log law of the law and the maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. It is theoretically understood why the MDR asymptote is universal, independent of whether the polymers are flexible or rodlike. The crossover behavior from the Newtonian von Kármán log law to the MDR is, however, not universal, showing different characteristics for flexible and rodlike polymers. In this paper we provide a theory for this crossover phenomenology.

Reexamination of the Classical View of how Drag-Reducing Polymer Solutions Modify the Mean Velocity Profile: Baseline Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farsiani, Yasaman; Baade, Jacquelyne; Elbing, Brian

2016-11-01

Recent numerical and experimental data have shown that the classical view of how drag-reducing polymer solutions modify the mean turbulent velocity profile is incorrect. The classical view is that the log-region is unmodified from the traditional law-of-the-wall for Newtonian fluids, though shifted outward. Thus the current study reexamines the modified velocity distribution and its dependence on flow and polymer properties. Based on previous work it is expected that the behavior will depend on the Reynolds number, Weissenberg number, ratio of solvent viscosity to the zero-shear viscosity, and the ratio between the coiled and fully extended polymer chain lengths. The long-term objective for this study includes a parametric study to assess the velocity profile sensitivity to each of these parameters. This study will be performed using a custom design water tunnel, which has a test section that is 1 m long with a 15.2 cm square cross section and a nominal speed range of 1 to 10 m/s. The current presentation focuses on baseline (non-polymeric) measurements of the velocity distribution using PIV, which will be used for comparison of the polymer modified results. Preliminary polymeric results will also be presented. This work was supported by NSF Grant 1604978.

Modification of the mean near-wall velocity profile of a high-Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer with the injection of drag-reducing polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian R.; Perlin, Marc; Dowling, David R.; Ceccio, Steven L.

2013-08-01

The current study explores the influence of polymer drag reduction on the near-wall velocity distribution in a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) and its dependence on Reynolds number. Recent moderate Reynolds number direct numerical simulation and experimental studies presented in White et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 021701 (2012)], 10.1063/1.3681862 have challenged the classical representation of the logarithmic dependence of the velocity profile for drag-reduced flows, especially at drag reduction levels above 40%. In the present study, high Reynolds number data from a drag reduced TBL is presented and compared to the observations of White et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 021701 (2012)], 10.1063/1.3681862. Data presented here were acquired in the TBL flow on a 12.9-m-long flat plate at speeds to 20.3 m s-1, achieving momentum thickness based Reynolds number to 1.5 × 105, which is an order of magnitude greater than that available in the literature. Polyethylene oxide solutions with an average molecular weight of 3.9 × 106 g mol-1 were injected into the flow at various concentrations and volumetric fluxes to achieve a particular level of drag reduction. The resulting mean near-wall velocity profiles show distinctly different behavior depending on whether they fall in the low drag reduction (LDR) or the high drag reduction (HDR) regimes, which are nominally divided at 40% drag reduction. In the LDR regime, the classical view that the logarithmic slope remains constant at the Newtonian value and the intercept constant increases with increasing drag reduction appears to be valid. However, in the HDR regime the behavior is no longer universal. The intercept constant continues to increase linearly in proportion to the drag reduction level until a Reynolds-number-dependent threshold is achieved, at which point the intercept constant rapidly decreases to that predicted by the ultimate profile. The rapid decrease in the intercept constant is due to the corresponding increase in the profile slope in the HDR regime. There was significant scatter in the observed slope in the HDR regime, but the scatter did not appear to be Reynolds number dependent. Finally, the ultimate profiles for flows at maximum drag reduction were examined and did not exhibit a logarithmic functional relationship, which is the classical empirical relationship suggested by Virk [J. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng. 21, 625-656 (1975)], 10.1002/aic.690210402.

Identifying hydrodynamic interaction effects in tethered polymers in uniform flow.

PubMed

Kienle, Diego; Rzehak, Roland; Zimmermann, Walter

2011-06-01

Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we investigate how hydrodynamic interaction (HI) affects the behavior of tethered polymers in uniform flow. While it is expected that the HI within the polymer will lead to a dependency of the polymer's drag coefficient on the flow velocity, the interchain HI causes additional screening effects. For the case of two polymers in uniform flow with their tether points a finite distance apart, it is shown that the interchain HI not only causes a further reduction of the drag per polymer with decreasing distance between the tether points but simultaneously induces a polymer-polymer attraction as well. This attraction exhibits a characteristic maximum at intermediate flow velocities when the drag forces are of the order of the entropic forces. The effects uniquely attributed to the presence of HI can be verified experimentally.

Simple framework for understanding the universality of the maximum drag reduction asymptote in turbulent flow of polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chang-Feng; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna; Khomami, Bamin

2015-10-01

Self-consistent direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flows of dilute polymer solutions exhibiting friction drag reduction (DR) show that an effective Deborah number defined as the ratio of polymer relaxation time to the time scale of fluctuations in the vorticity in the mean flow direction remains O (1) from the onset of DR to the maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. However, the ratio of the convective time scale associated with streamwise vorticity fluctuations to the vortex rotation time decreases with increasing DR, and the maximum drag reduction asymptote is achieved when these two time scales become nearly equal. Based on these observations, a simple framework is proposed that adequately describes the influence of polymer additives on the extent of DR from the onset of DR to MDR as well as the universality of the MDR in wall-bounded turbulent flows with polymer additives.

Simple framework for understanding the universality of the maximum drag reduction asymptote in turbulent flow of polymer solutions.

PubMed

Li, Chang-Feng; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna; Khomami, Bamin

2015-10-01

Self-consistent direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flows of dilute polymer solutions exhibiting friction drag reduction (DR) show that an effective Deborah number defined as the ratio of polymer relaxation time to the time scale of fluctuations in the vorticity in the mean flow direction remains O(1) from the onset of DR to the maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. However, the ratio of the convective time scale associated with streamwise vorticity fluctuations to the vortex rotation time decreases with increasing DR, and the maximum drag reduction asymptote is achieved when these two time scales become nearly equal. Based on these observations, a simple framework is proposed that adequately describes the influence of polymer additives on the extent of DR from the onset of DR to MDR as well as the universality of the MDR in wall-bounded turbulent flows with polymer additives.

Additive equivalence in turbulent drag reduction by flexible and rodlike polymers.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; Ching, Emily S C; Lo, T S; L'vov, Victor S; Procaccia, Itamar

2005-07-01

We address the additive equivalence discovered by Virk and co-workers: drag reduction affected by flexible and rigid rodlike polymers added to turbulent wall-bounded flows is limited from above by a very similar maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. Considering the equations of motion of rodlike polymers in wall-bounded turbulent ensembles, we show that although the microscopic mechanism of attaining the MDR is very different, the macroscopic theory is isomorphic, rationalizing the interesting experimental observations.

Manifestations of drag reduction by polymer additives in decaying, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence.

PubMed

Perlekar, Prasad; Mitra, Dhrubaditya; Pandit, Rahul

2006-12-31

The existence of drag reduction by polymer additives, well established for wall-bounded turbulent flows, is controversial in homogeneous, isotropic turbulence. To settle this controversy, we carry out a high-resolution direct numerical simulation of decaying, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence with polymer additives. Our study reveals clear manifestations of drag-reduction-type phenomena: On the addition of polymers to the turbulent fluid, we obtain a reduction in the energy-dissipation rate, a significant modification of the fluid energy spectrum especially in the deep-dissipation range, a suppression of small-scale intermittency, and a decrease in small-scale vorticity filaments.

A Study of the Drag Characteristics and Polymer Diffusion in the Boundary Layer of an Axisymmetric Body

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-12

Reduction in Pipe Flow at R =14xl03 (from Hoyt (1972)) Guar Gum Karaya Polyox WSR 301 400 850 10 Polyacrylamide, Polyhall-250 20 21 ■.I...shown to be effec- tive drag reducers. Polysaccharides ( Guar ), polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamides, and sodium carboxymethyl...sifting the premeasured polyox powder onto the surface of the carefully weighed water which was being slowly stirred by a magnetic mixing bar. After a

Polymer dynamics in turbulent flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthukumar, Murugappan

2014-03-01

Presence of dilute amounts of high-molecular weight polymers in liquids undergoing turbulent wall-bounded shear flows leads to significant drag reduction. There are two major proposed mechanisms of drag reduction in the literature. One is based on enhanced viscosity due to chain extension; the other is based on the assumption that elastic energy stored in polymer conformations is comparable to the kinetic energy in some eddies. Using the Navier-Stokes equation for the fluid and the Kirkwood-Riseman-Zimm equation for polymer chains, we have addressed the coupling between the near-wall turbulence dynamics and polymer dynamics. Our theoretical results show that the torque associated with polymer conformations contributes more significantly than the chain stretching and that the characteristic dimensions of polymer coils are much smaller than eddy sizes required for possible exchange of energy. We thus emphasize an additional mechanism to the existing two schools of thought in the search of an understanding of drag reduction.

Shear-Resistant Drag Reduction Polymers. Part 1. Molecular Investigations of Polymer Drag Reduction and the Development of Laboratory Screening Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-14

systems was established and the influence of such variables on PAA drag reduction was evaluated using these flow systems. Guar gum , alleged to be a...studies of the shear resistance of two polymer systems, polyacrylic acid and guar gum (neither of which turned out to have the required characteristics...PAA is twice as efficient as that of guar gum . The outcome of this testing is of special importance, because there has been a common belief in guar gum

Of hemorrhagic shock, spherical cows and Aloe vera

PubMed Central

Gutierrez, Guillermo; Fuller, Stephanie P

2004-01-01

The central question explored in this commentary is whether the beneficial effects of an Aloe vera derived drag-reducing polymer during hemorrhagic shock is due to its O2 radical scavenging properties or to changes in blood rheology. PMID:15566601

[The action of high-molecular linear polymers on the circulatory system].

PubMed

Grigorian, S S; Sokolova, I A; Shakhnazarov, A A

1995-01-01

An analysis of the hemodynamic consequences of the injections of long linear polymers with high molecular weight is introduced. These injections lead to an increase of the cardiac output, to a decrease of the blood pressure, and hence cause a reduction of the resistance to blood flow. It follows that such kind of polymers is able to normalize hemodynamics under some pathophysiological conditions, e.g., during experimental atherosclerosis, ischemic state, hemorrhagic shock. An addition of drag-reducing polymers into the blood system is associated with a modification of the blood flow microstructure itself.

Drag reduction in the turbulent Kolmogorov flow.

PubMed

Boffetta, Guido; Celani, Antonio; Mazzino, Andrea

2005-03-01

We investigate the phenomenon of drag reduction in a viscoelastic fluid model of dilute polymer solutions. By means of direct numerical simulations of the three-dimensional turbulent Kolmogorov flow we show that drag reduction takes place above a critical Reynolds number Re(c). An explicit expression for the dependence of Re(c) on polymer elasticity and diffusivity is derived. The values of the drag coefficient obtained for different fluid parameters collapse onto a universal curve when plotted as a function of the rescaled Reynolds number Re/ Re(c). The analysis of the momentum budget allows us to gain some insight on the physics of drag reduction, and suggests the existence of a Re-independent value of the drag cofficient--lower than the Newtonian one--for large Reynolds numbers.

Development of a shear stress sensor to analyse the influence of polymers on the turbulent wall shear stress.

PubMed

Nottebrock, Bernardo; Grosse, Sebastian; Schröder, Wolfgang

2011-05-11

The drag reducing effect of polymers in a channel flow is well known and it is assumed that the polymer filaments interfere with the turbulent structures in the very near-wall flow. To analyse their precise effect, a micro-pillar shear stress sensor (MPS³) measurement system is developed which allows the detection of wall shear stress at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Different manufacturing techniques for the required micro-pillars are discussed and their influence on the flow is investigated evidencing the non-intrusive character of the pillars. Subsequently, a complete calibration is presented to relate the recorded deflection to wall shear stress values and to assure the correct detection over the whole expected frequency spectrum. A feasibility study about the ability to visualize the two-dimensional wall shear stress distribution completes the discussion about the validity of MPS³. In the last step, the drag reduction of a polymer filament grafted on a micro-pillar compared to a plain pillar and the application of MPS³ in an ocean-type polymer solution are investigated. The results confirm the expected behaviour found in the literature.

Research Advances: DRPS--Let The Blood Flow!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Angela G.

2007-01-01

A team from the University of Pittsburgh's McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine has shown the potential for clinical use of the drag-reducing polymer (DRP) poly(N-vinylformamide), or PNVF. The high molecular weight PNVF is shown to reduce resistance to turbulent flow in a pipe and to enhance blood flow in animal models and it also…

Dynamics on the laminar-turbulent boundary and the origin of the maximum drag reduction asymptote.

PubMed

Xi, Li; Graham, Michael D

2012-01-13

Dynamical trajectories on the boundary in state space between laminar and turbulent plane channel flow-edge states-are computed for Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids. Viscoelasticity has a negligible effect on the properties of these solutions, and, at least at a low Reynolds number, their mean velocity profiles correspond closely to experimental observations for polymer solutions in the maximum drag reduction regime. These results confirm the existence of weak turbulence states that cannot be suppressed by polymer additives, explaining the fact that there is an upper limit for polymer-induced drag reduction.

Dynamics of hairpin vortices and polymer-induced turbulent drag reduction.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoungyoun; Adrian, Ronald J; Balachandar, S; Sureshkumar, R

2008-04-04

It has been known for over six decades that the dissolution of minute amounts of high molecular weight polymers in wall-bounded turbulent flows results in a dramatic reduction in turbulent skin friction by up to 70%. First principles simulations of turbulent flow of model polymer solutions can predict the drag reduction (DR) phenomenon. However, the essential dynamical interactions between the coherent structures present in turbulent flows and polymer conformation field that lead to DR are poorly understood. We examine this connection via dynamical simulations that track the evolution of hairpin vortices, i.e., counter-rotating pairs of quasistreamwise vortices whose nonlinear autogeneration and growth, decay and breakup are centrally important to turbulence stress production. The results show that the autogeneration of new vortices is suppressed by the polymer stresses, thereby decreasing the turbulent drag.

Maximum drag reduction simulation using rodlike polymers.

PubMed

Gillissen, J J J

2012-10-01

Simulations of maximum drag reduction (MDR) in channel flow using constitutive equations for suspensions of noninteracting rods predict a few-fold larger turbulent kinetic energy than in experiments using rodlike polymers. These differences are attributed to the neglect of interactions between polymers in the simulations. Despite these inconsistencies the simulations correctly reproduce the essential features of MDR, with universal profiles of the mean flow and the shear stress budgets that do not depend on the polymer concentration.

DRAG REDUCING POLYMER ENCHANCES MICROVASCULAR PERFUSION IN THE TRAUMATIZED BRAIN WITH INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION

PubMed Central

Bragin, Denis E.; Thomson, Susan; Bragina, Olga; Statom, Gloria; Kameneva, Marina V.; Nemoto, Edwin M.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Current treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI) have not focused on improving microvascular perfusion. Drag-reducing polymers (DRP), linear, long-chain, blood soluble non-toxic macromolecules, may offer a new approach to improving cerebral perfusion by primary alteration of the fluid dynamic properties of blood. Nanomolar concentrations of DRP have been shown to improve hemodynamics in animal models of ischemic myocardium and limb, but have not yet been studied in the brain. Recently, we demonstrated that that DRP improved microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in a normal rat brain. We hypothesized that DRP could restore microvascular perfusion in hypertensive brain after TBI. Using the in-vivo 2-photon laser scanning microscopy we examined the effect of DRP on microvascular blood flow and tissue oxygenation in hypertensive rat brains with and without TBI. DRP enhanced and restored capillary flow, decreased microvascular shunt flow and, as a result, reduced tissue hypoxia in both un-traumatized and traumatized rat brains at high ICP. Our study suggests that DRP could be an effective treatment for improving microvascular flow in brain ischemia caused by high ICP after TBI. PMID:27165871

Drag reduction in homogeneous turbulence by scale-dependent effective viscosity.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; Ching, Emily S C; Procaccia, Itamar

2004-08-01

We demonstrate, by using suitable shell models, that drag reduction in homogeneous turbulence is usefully discussed in terms of a scale-dependent effective viscosity. The essence of the phenomenon of drag reduction found in models that couple the velocity field to the polymers can be recaptured by an "equivalent" equation of motion for the velocity field alone, with a judiciously chosen scale-dependent effective viscosity that succinctly summarizes the important aspects of the interaction between the velocity and the polymer fields. Finally, we clarify the differences between drag reduction in homogeneous and in wall bounded flows.

Toward a structural understanding of turbulent drag reduction: nonlinear coherent states in viscoelastic shear flows.

PubMed

Stone, Philip A; Waleffe, Fabian; Graham, Michael D

2002-11-11

Nontrivial steady flows have recently been found that capture the main structures of the turbulent buffer layer. We study the effects of polymer addition on these "exact coherent states" (ECS) in plane Couette flow. Despite the simplicity of the ECS flows, these effects closely mirror those observed experimentally: Structures shift to larger length scales, wall-normal fluctuations are suppressed while streamwise ones are enhanced, and drag is reduced. The mechanism underlying these effects is elucidated. These results suggest that the ECS are closely related to buffer layer turbulence.

The DARPA High-Performance Polymer Program. Volume 1. Program Background and Highlights of the Program Review Held on 14-15 January 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

conducting polyaniline for military systems is extensive and ranges from lightning-strike protection to utilization in honeycomb structures in aircraft...Conducting polyanilines are representative of a new class of materials known as synthetic metals. This technology is still discovering new and varied...metals using polyaniline chemistry 2" High-definition liquid crystal displays 3 Polymeric piezoelectric materials 4 Drag-reducing polymers for ship

Turbulence scalings in pipe flows exhibiting polymer-induced drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zadrazil, Ivan; Markides, Christos

2014-11-01

Non-intrusive laser based diagnostics technique, namely Particle Image Velocimetry, was used to in detail characterise polymer induced drag reduction in a turbulent pipe flow. The effect of polymer additives was investigated in a pneumatically-driven flow facility featuring a horizontal pipe test section of inner diameter 25.3 mm and length 8 m. Three high molecular weight polymers (2, 4 and 8 MDa) at concentrations of 5 - 250 wppm were used at Reynolds numbers from 35000 to 210000. The PIV derived results show that the level of drag reduction scales with different normalised turbulence parameters, e.g. streamwise and spanwise velocity fluctuations, vorticity or Reynolds stresses. These scalings are dependent of the distance from the wall, however, are independent of the Reynolds numbers range investigated.

Elasto-Inertial Turbulence: From Subcritical Turbulence to Maximum Drag Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubief, Yves; Sid, Samir; Egan, Raphael; Terrapon, Vincent

2015-11-01

Elasto Inertial Turbulence (EIT) is a turbulence state found so far in polymer solutions. Upon the appropriate initial perturbation, an autonomous regeneration cycle emerges between polymer dynamics, pressure and velocity fluctuations. This cycle is best explained by the Poisson equation derived from viscoelastic flow models such as FENE-P (used in this study). This presentation provides an overview of the structure of EIT in 2D channel flows for Reynolds numbers ranging from Reτ = 10 to 100 and for 3D simulations up to Ret au = 300 . For flows below the Newtonian critical Reynolds number, EIT increases the drag. For higher Reynolds numbers, EIT is surmised to be the energetic bound of Maximum Drag Reduction (MDR), the asymptotic state of drag reduction in polymer solutions. The very existence of EIT at low Reynolds numbers (Reτ < 60) highlights a backward energy transfer from the small scale polymer dynamics to larger flow scales. Similar dynamics is identified at higher Reynolds numbers, which could explain why polymer flows never become fully laminar. The authors acknowledge computational resources from CÉCI (F.R.S.-FNRS grant No.2.5020.11), the PRACE infrastructure, and the Vermont Advanced Computing Core.

Role of Elasto-Inertial Turbulence in Polymer Drag Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubief, Yves; Sid, Samir; Terrapon, Vincent

2017-11-01

Elasto-Inertial Turbulence (EIT) is a peculiar state of turbulence found in dilute polymer solutions flowing in parallel wall flows over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. At subcritical Reynolds numbers, appropriate boundary conditions trigger EIT, a self-sustaining cycle of energy transfers between thin sheets of stretched polymers and velocity perturbations, which translates into an increase of friction drag. For critical and supercritical Reynolds numbers, polymer additives may lead to significant drag reduction, bounded by the asymptotic state known as Maximum Drag Reduction (MDR). The present research investigates the role of EIT in the dynamics of critical and supercritical Reynolds number wall flows. Using high-fidelity direct numerical simulations of channel flows and the FENE-P model, we establish that (i) EIT is two-dimensional, (ii) the scales essential to the existence of EIT are sub-Kolmogorov, and (iii) EIT drives MDR at low and possibly moderate Reynolds number turbulent flows. These findings were validated in two different codes and using unprecedented resolutions for polymer flows. YD is grateful for the support of Binational Science Foundation. SS and VT acknowledges Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), MarieCurie Career Integration Grant and computing allocation from University of Liege and PRACE.

Application of drag-reducing polymer solutions as test fluids for in vitro evaluation of potential blood damage in blood pumps.

PubMed

Daly, Amanda R; Sobajima, Hideo; Olia, Salim E; Takatani, Setsuo; Kameneva, Marina V

2010-01-01

In vitro evaluation of the potential of a circulatory-assist device to damage blood cells has generally been performed using blood from various species. Problems with this approach include the variability of blood sensitivity to mechanical stress in different species, preparation of blood including the adjustment of hematocrit to a standard value, changes in the mechanical properties of blood that occur during storage, and necessity to pool blood samples to obtain an adequate amount of blood for in vitro circulating systems. We investigated whether the mechanical degradation of a drag-reducing polymer (DRP) solution resulting in the loss of drag-reducing ability can indicate the degree of shear-induced blood damage within blood pumps. DRP solution (polyethylene oxide, 4,500 kDa, 1,000 ppm) or porcine blood were driven through a turbulent flow system by a centrifugal pump, either the Bio-Pump BPX-80 (Medtronic, Inc.) or CentriMag (Levitronix LLC) at a constant pressure gradient of 300 mm Hg for 120 minutes. DRP mechanical degradation was evaluated by reduction of flow rate and solution viscosity. A proposed index of DRP mechanical degradation (PDI) is similar to the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) typically used to quantify the results of in vitro testing of blood pumps. Results indicate that the mechanical degradation of DRP solutions may provide a sensitive standard method for the evaluation of potential blood trauma produced by blood pumps without the use of blood.

Application of Drag-Reducing Polymer Solutions as Test Fluids for In Vitro Evaluation of Potential Blood Damage in Blood Pumps

PubMed Central

Daly, Amanda R.; Sobajima, Hideo; Olia, Salim E.; Takatani, Setsuo; Kameneva, Marina V.

2011-01-01

In vitro evaluation of the potential of a circulatory-assist device to damage blood cells has generally been performed using blood from various species. Problems with this approach include the variability of blood sensitivity to mechanical stress in different species, preparation of blood including the adjustment of hematocrit to a standard value, changes in the mechanical properties of blood that occur during storage, and necessity to pool blood samples to obtain an adequate amount of blood for in vitro circulating systems. We investigated whether the mechanical degradation of a drag-reducing polymer (DRP) solution resulting in the loss of drag-reducing ability can indicate the degree of shear-induced blood damage within blood pumps. DRP solution (polyethylene oxide, 4,500 kDa, 1,000 ppm) or porcine blood were driven through a turbulent flow system by a centrifugal pump, either the Bio-Pump BPX-80 (Medtronic, Inc.) or CentriMag (Levitronix LLC) at a constant pressure gradient of 300 mm Hg for 120 minutes. DRP mechanical degradation was evaluated by reduction of flow rate and solution viscosity. A proposed index of DRP mechanical degradation (PDI) is similar to the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) typically used to quantify the results of in vitro testing of blood pumps. Results indicate that the mechanical degradation of DRP solutions may provide a sensitive standard method for the evaluation of potential blood trauma produced by blood pumps without the use of blood. PMID:20019596

Drag reducing polymers improve coronary flow reserve through modulation of capillary resistance.

PubMed

Pacella, John J; Kameneva, Marina V; Villanueva, Flordeliza S

2009-01-01

We have shown that drag-reducing polymers (DRP) reduce microvascular resistance and improve myocardial perfusion during coronary stenosis. We used myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and mathematical modeling to define the DRP microvascular effects. A non-flow-limiting left anterior descending (LAD) stenosis was created in 8 dogs. Intramyocardial blood volume, RBC velocity and flow in the LAD and circumflex (CX) beds were obtained from MCE at baseline, and in hyperemia, stenosis, hyperemia + stenosis, and hyperemia + stenosis + DRP. Microvascular resistances were calculated from a lumped-parameter model. During stenosis + hyperemia, LAD bed microvascular resistance increased (p<0.015), and capillary volume (p<0.002) and red cell velocity (p<0.0004) decreased relative to baseline. With DRP, during stenosis and hyperemia, LAD bed microvascular resistance decreased (p<0.04); there was an increase in capillary volume (p<0.007), RBC velocity (p<0.006), and flow (p<0.05). Decreased model-computed capillary resistance accounted for the reduction in LAD bed resistance after DRP. We conclude that DRP improve flow reserve during coronary stenosis by modulating capillary resistance. Primary modification of the rheological properties of blood to affect capillary resistance is a novel approach for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes.

Rheological effects of drag-reducing polymers improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation after traumatic brain injury in rats.

PubMed

Bragin, Denis E; Kameneva, Marina V; Bragina, Olga A; Thomson, Susan; Statom, Gloria L; Lara, Devon A; Yang, Yirong; Nemoto, Edwin M

2017-03-01

Cerebral ischemia has been clearly demonstrated after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, neuroprotective therapies have not focused on improvement of the cerebral microcirculation. Blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), prepared from high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, target impaired microvascular perfusion by altering the rheological properties of blood and, until our recent reports, has not been applied to the brain. We hypothesized that DRP improve cerebral microcirculation and oxygenation after TBI. DRP were studied in healthy and traumatized rat brains and compared to saline controls. Using in-vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy over the parietal cortex, we showed that after TBI, nanomolar concentrations of intravascular DRP significantly enhanced microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in peri-contusional areas, preserved blood-brain barrier integrity and protected neurons. The mechanisms of DRP effects were attributable to reduction of the near-vessel wall cell-free layer which increased near-wall blood flow velocity, microcirculatory volume flow, and number of erythrocytes entering capillaries, thereby reducing capillary stasis and tissue hypoxia as reflected by a reduction in NADH. Our results indicate that early reduction in CBF after TBI is mainly due to ischemia; however, metabolic depression of contused tissue could be also involved.

Intravenous injections of soluble drag-reducing polymers reduce foreign body reaction to implants.

PubMed

Marascalco, Philip J; Blair, Harry C; Nieponice, Alejandro; Robinson, Lisa J; Kameneva, Marina V

2009-01-01

We tested whether soluble viscoelastic drag-reducing polymers (DRPs), which modify blood flow in the macro- and microcirculation, affect host response to implanted biomaterials and control biodegradation and tissue ingrowth processes. Porous poly(L-lactate) (PLLA) implants, which are naturally hydrolyzed by foreign body giant cells, were used to evaluate differences in host response. Intravenous DRPs, high-molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) or poly(mannose) (PMNN), were given biweekly at 0.3-0.4 nM in saline (equivalent volumes of saline in controls) to rats with subcutaneous PLLA implants. After 7 weeks, there was no difference in weight gain or behavior between control and DRP-injected groups. Implanted PLLA scaffolds in controls were almost totally degraded and replaced by giant cell granulomas. On the contrary, PEO- or PMNN-treated animals retained a significant part of the implanted scaffold (p < 0.0001 vs. controls). The foreign body reaction was markedly decreased, and there was an increase in well-oriented collagen deposition within the implanted scaffold area in the animals treated with DRPs. The DRP-mediated effects observed in this study potentially reflect alteration in inflammatory events in response to implanted bioengineered materials, and, thus, warrant further investigation.

Direct simulation of polymer drag reduction in free shear flows and vortex dipoles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orlandi, P.; Homsy, G. M.; Azaiez, J.

1992-01-01

One of the most efficient techniques for drag reduction is the injection of polymers near a wall which can achieve a reduction in drag up to 80 percent. Several experimental observations tend to indicate that polymers modify the turbulence structures within the buffer layer and show that the changes consist of a weakening of the strength of the streamwise vortices. In this paper, we investigate the effects of viscoelasticity on two different types of flows: the vortex dipole impinging walls to model streamwise vortices in a turbulent boundary layer and the mixing layer that represents free shear flows. For this purpose, we examined three different rheological models: the Oldroyd-B model, the Jeffrey's corotational model, and the FENE-P model.

Comparison of theory and direct numerical simulations of drag reduction by rodlike polymers in turbulent channel flows.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; Ching, Emily S C; De Angelis, Elisabetta; Procaccia, Itamar

2008-04-01

Numerical simulations of turbulent channel flows, with or without additives, are limited in the extent of the Reynolds number (Re) and Deborah number (De). The comparison of such simulations to theories of drag reduction, which are usually derived for asymptotically high Re and De, calls for some care. In this paper we present a study of drag reduction by rodlike polymers in a turbulent channel flow using direct numerical simulation and illustrate how these numerical results should be related to the recently developed theory.

Anomalous Drag Reduction and Hydrodynamic Interactions of Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Jaydeep; Begam, Nafisa; Chandran, Sivasurender; Sprung, Michael

2015-03-01

One of the central dogma of fluid physics is the no-slip boundary condition whose validity has come under intense scrutiny, especially in the fields of micro and nanofluidics. Although various studies show the violation of the no-slip condition its effect on flow of colloidal particles in viscous media has been rarely explored. Here we report unusually large reduction of effective drag experienced by polymer grafted nanoparticles moving through a highly viscous film of polymer, well above its glass transition temperature. The extent of drag reduction increases with decreasing temperature and polymer film thickness. We also observe apparent divergence of the wave vector dependent hydrodynamic interaction function of these nanoparticles with an anomalous power law exponent of ~ 2 at the lowest temperatures and film thickness. Such strong hydrodynamic interactions are not expected in polymer melts where these interactions are known to be screened to molecular dimensions. We provide evidence for the presence of large hydrodynamic slip at the nanoparticle-polymer interface and demonstrate its tunability with temperature and confinement. Our study suggests novel physics emerging in dynamics nanoparticles due to confinement and interface wettability in thin films of polymer nanocomposites.

Elliptical, parabolic, and hyperbolic exchanges of energy in drag reducing plane Couette flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Anselmo S.; Mompean, Gilmar; Thompson, Roney L.; Soares, Edson J.

2017-11-01

In the present paper, we investigate the polymer-turbulence interaction by discriminating between the mechanical responses of this system to three different subdomains: elliptical, parabolic, and hyperbolic, corresponding to regions where the magnitude of vorticity is greater than, equal to, or less than the magnitude of the rate of strain, respectively, in accordance with the Q-criterion. Recently, it was recognized that hyperbolic structures play a crucial role in the drag reduction phenomenon of viscoelastic turbulent flows, thanks to the observation that hyperbolic structures, as well as vortical ones, are weakened by the action of polymers in turbulent flows in a process that can be referred to as flow parabolization. We employ direct numerical simulations of a viscoelastic finite extensible nonlinear elastic model with the Peterlin approximation to examine the transient evolution and statistically steady regimes of a plane Couette flow that has been perturbed from a laminar flow at an initial time and developed a turbulent regime as a result of this perturbation. We have found that even more activity is located within the confines of the hyperbolic structures than in the elliptical ones, which highlights the importance of considering the role of hyperbolic structures in the drag reduction mechanism.

Drag reduction by polyethylene glycol in the tail arterial bed of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Bessa, K L; Belletati, J F; Santos, L; Rossoni, L V; Ortiz, J P

2011-08-01

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of drag reducer polymers (DRP) on arteries from normotensive (Wistar) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000 at 5000 ppm) was perfused in the tail arterial bed with (E+) and without endothelium (E-) from male, adult Wistar (N = 14) and SHR (N = 13) animals under basal conditions (constant flow at 2.5 mL/min). In these preparations, flow-pressure curves (1.5 to 10 mL/min) were constructed before and 1 h after PEG 4000 perfusion. Afterwards, the tail arterial bed was fixed and the internal diameters of the arteries were then measured by microscopy and drag reduction was assessed based on the values of wall shear stress (WSS) by computational simulation. In Wistar and SHR groups, perfusion of PEG 4000 significantly reduced pulsatile pressure (Wistar/E+: 17.5 ± 2.8; SHR/E+: 16.3 ± 2.7%), WSS (Wistar/E+: 36; SHR/E+: 40%) and the flow-pressure response. The E- reduced the effects of PEG 4000 on arteries from both groups, suggesting that endothelial damage decreased the effect of PEG 4000 as a DRP. Moreover, the effects of PEG 4000 were more pronounced in the tail arterial bed from SHR compared to Wistar rats. In conclusion, these data demonstrated for the first time that PEG 4000 was more effective in reducing the pressure-flow response as well as WSS in the tail arterial bed of hypertensive than of normotensive rats and these effects were amplified by, but not dependent on, endothelial integrity. Thus, these results show an additional mechanism of action of this polymer besides its mechanical effect through the release and/or bioavailability of endothelial factors.

Completely monodisperse, highly repetitive proteins for bioconjugate capillary electrophoresis: Development and characterization

PubMed Central

Lin, Jennifer S.; Albrecht, Jennifer Coyne; Meagher, Robert J.; Wang, Xiaoxiao; Barron, Annelise E.

2011-01-01

Protein-based polymers are increasingly being used in biomaterial applications due to their ease of customization and potential monodispersity. These advantages make protein polymers excellent candidates for bioanalytical applications. Here we describe improved methods for producing drag-tags for Free-Solution Conjugate Electrophoresis (FSCE). FSCE utilizes a pure, monodisperse recombinant protein, tethered end-on to a ssDNA molecule, to enable DNA size separation in aqueous buffer. FSCE also provides a highly sensitive method to evaluate the polydispersity of a protein drag-tag and thus its suitability for bioanalytical uses. This method is able to detect slight differences in drag-tag charge or mass. We have devised an improved cloning, expression, and purification strategy that enables us to generate, for the first time, a truly monodisperse 20 kDa protein polymer and a nearly monodisperse 38 kDa protein. These newly produced proteins can be used as drag-tags to enable longer read DNA sequencing by free-solution microchannel electrophoresis. PMID:21553840

Probe diffusion of labeled polymers inside polyacrylic acid solutions: A polyelectrolyte effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Banani; Mithra, K.; Khandai, Santripti; Jena, Sidhartha S.

2018-05-01

Probe diffusion of fluorescently labeled Dextran 40 inside polyelectrolyte solution of polyacrylic acid (PAA) was investigated using Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching technique. The crowding and interaction effects on probe diffusion were controlled by tuning background polymer and added external electrolyte concentration. For all the salt concentration, an overall decrease in diffusion coefficient is observed with rise in polymer concentration. The diffusion coefficient decreases with decrease in salt concentration whereas the solution viscosity increases, indicating a competition between viscous drag and electrostatic interaction. A large positive deviation from the ideal Stokes-Einstein relation is observed for high polymer and low salt concentration, which reduces markedly with addition of salt confirming polyelectrolyte effects, plays a major role in deciding the probe diffusion.

Viscous drag reduction in boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, Dennis M. (Editor); Hefner, Jerry N. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The present volume discusses the development status of stability theory for laminar flow control design, applied aspects of laminar-flow technology, transition delays using compliant walls, the application of CFD to skin friction drag-reduction, active-wave control of boundary-layer transitions, and such passive turbulent-drag reduction methods as outer-layer manipulators and complex-curvature concepts. Also treated are such active turbulent drag-reduction technique applications as those pertinent to MHD flow drag reduction, as well as drag reduction in liquid boundary layers by gas injection, drag reduction by means of polymers and surfactants, drag reduction by particle addition, viscous drag reduction via surface mass injection, and interactive wall-turbulence control.

Mechanism of polymer drag reduction using a low-dimensional model.

PubMed

Roy, Anshuman; Morozov, Alexander; van Saarloos, Wim; Larson, Ronald G

2006-12-08

Using a retarded-motion expansion to describe the polymer stress, we derive a low-dimensional model to understand the effects of polymer elasticity on the self-sustaining process that maintains the coherent wavy streamwise vortical structures underlying wall-bounded turbulence. Our analysis shows that at small Weissenberg numbers, Wi, elasticity enhances the coherent structures. At higher Wi, however, polymer stresses suppress the streamwise vortices (rolls) by calming down the instability of the streaks that regenerates the rolls. We show that this behavior can be attributed to the nonmonotonic dependence of the biaxial extensional viscosity on Wi, and identify it as the key rheological property controlling drag reduction.

Drag reduction by polymer additives in decaying turbulence.

PubMed

Kalelkar, Chirag; Govindarajan, Rama; Pandit, Rahul

2005-07-01

We present results from a systematic numerical study of decaying turbulence in a dilute polymer solution by using a shell-model version of the finitely extensible nonlinear elastic and Peterlin equations. Our study leads to an appealing definition of the drag reduction for the case of decaying turbulence. We exhibit several new results, such as the potential-energy spectrum of the polymer, hitherto unobserved features in the temporal evolution of the kinetic-energy spectrum, and characterize intermittency in such systems. We compare our results with the Gledzer-Ohkitani-Yamada shell model for fluid turbulence.

Polymer Fluid Dynamics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, R. Byron

1980-01-01

Problems in polymer fluid dynamics are described, including development of constitutive equations, rheometry, kinetic theory, flow visualization, heat transfer studies, flows with phase change, two-phase flow, polymer unit operations, and drag reduction. (JN)

Rheological effects of drag-reducing polymers improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation after traumatic brain injury in rats

PubMed Central

Kameneva, Marina V; Bragina, Olga A; Thomson, Susan; Statom, Gloria L; Lara, Devon A; Yang, Yirong; Nemoto, Edwin M

2016-01-01

Cerebral ischemia has been clearly demonstrated after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, neuroprotective therapies have not focused on improvement of the cerebral microcirculation. Blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), prepared from high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, target impaired microvascular perfusion by altering the rheological properties of blood and, until our recent reports, has not been applied to the brain. We hypothesized that DRP improve cerebral microcirculation and oxygenation after TBI. DRP were studied in healthy and traumatized rat brains and compared to saline controls. Using in-vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy over the parietal cortex, we showed that after TBI, nanomolar concentrations of intravascular DRP significantly enhanced microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in peri-contusional areas, preserved blood–brain barrier integrity and protected neurons. The mechanisms of DRP effects were attributable to reduction of the near-vessel wall cell-free layer which increased near-wall blood flow velocity, microcirculatory volume flow, and number of erythrocytes entering capillaries, thereby reducing capillary stasis and tissue hypoxia as reflected by a reduction in NADH. Our results indicate that early reduction in CBF after TBI is mainly due to ischemia; however, metabolic depression of contused tissue could be also involved. PMID:28155574

Turbulent drag reduction for external flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, D. M.

1985-01-01

A summary of turbulent drag reduction approaches applicable to external flows is given. Because relatively recent and exhaustive reviews exist for laminar flow control and polymer (hydrodynamic) drag reduction, the focus here is upon the emerging areas of nonplanar geometry and large-eddy alteration. Turbulent control techniques for air generally result in modest (but technologically significant) drag reductions (order of 20 percent or less), whereas hydrodynamic approaches can yield drag reductions the order of 70 percent. Suggestions are included for alternative concepts and optimization of existing approaches.

Turbulent drag reduction for external flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, D. M.

1983-01-01

Paper presents a review and summary of turbulent drag reduction approaches applicable to external flows. Because relatively recent and exhaustive reviews exist for laminar flow control and polymer (hydrodynamic) drag reduction, the paper focuses upon the emerging areas of nonplanar geometry and large eddy alteration. Turbulent control techniques for air generally result in modest (but technologically significant) drag reductions (order of 20 percent or less) whereas hydrodynamic approaches can yield drag reductions the order of 70 percent. Paper also includes suggestions for alternative concepts and optimization of existing approaches.

Effects of Congo red on the drag reduction properties of poly(ethylene oxide) in aqueous solution based on drop impact images.

PubMed

Alkschbirs, Melissa I; Bizotto, Vanessa C; de Oliveira, Marcelo G; Sabadini, Edvaldo

2004-12-21

The presence of very small amounts (ppm) of high-MW polymers in solution produces high levels of drag reduction in a turbulent flow. This phenomenon, often termed as the Toms effect, is highly dependent not only on MW, but also on the flexibility of the macromolecular chain. The Toms effect can be studied through the images of the structures produced after the drop impact against shallow solution surfaces. The splash structures composed of crown, cavity, and Rayleigh jet are highly dependent on the elongational properties of the solution. This work presents the effects of Congo red on the drag reduction properties of poly(ethylene oxide) in aqueous solutions through the analysis of splash structures. Results obtained in this analysis indicate that Congo red molecules act as physical cross-linking agents, decreasing the polymer elasticity and its drag reduction capacity. It was observed that the maximum height of the Rayleigh jet can be used as a sensitive parameter to the complexation between the dye and the polymer molecules.

Protection against atherogenesis with the polymer drag-reducing agent Separan AP-30.

PubMed

Faruqui, F I; Otten, M D; Polimeni, P I

1987-03-01

The inhibitory effect of Separan AP-30, an anionic polyacrylamide, on atherosclerotic plaque formation in aortas of rabbits on a high (2%) cholesterol diet was tested over a period extending from 37 to 170 days. Atherogenesis was quantified morphometrically by application of a computer-assisted image analysis of histologic cross sections of the aorta. The area of vessel wall-atheroma interface, fraction of lumen occluded, and other indexes of atherogenesis were measured in each of 26 segments of aorta excised from the animals, half of which were administered injections (intravenous) of Separan three times a week. Regression analysis of the morphometric data indicates that the polyelectrolyte exerts a powerful antiatherogenic effect in all regions of the aorta, inhibiting the formation of plaque mass to less than half in the aortic arch and about one-fifth in the descending aorta as compared with the aortic plaque masses in untreated rabbits. Results are compatible with the suggestion that a novel hemodynamic principle in vivo, polymer drag reduction, might be effectively applied against atherosclerosis.

Drag reducing polymers decrease hepatic injury and metastases after liver ischemia-reperfusion

PubMed Central

Yazdani, Hamza O.; Sud, Vikas; Goswami, Julie; Loughran, Patricia; Huang, Hai; Simmons, Richard L.; Tsung, Allan

2017-01-01

Introduction Surgery, a crucial therapeutic modality in the treatment of solid tumors, can induce sterile inflammatory processes which can result in metastatic progression. Liver ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury, an inevitable consequence of hepatic resection of metastases, has been shown to foster hepatic capture of circulating cancer cells and accelerate metastatic growth. Efforts to reduce these negative consequences have not been thoroughly investigated. Drag reducing polymers (DRPs) are blood-soluble macromolecules that can, in nanomolar concentrations, increase tissue perfusion, decrease vascular resistance and decrease near-wall microvascular concentration of neutrophils and platelets thereby possibly reducing the inflammatory microenvironment. We hypothesize that DRP can potentially be used to ameliorate metastatic capture of tumor cells and tumor growth within the I/R liver. Methods Experiments were performed utilizing a segmental ischemia model of mice livers. Five days prior or immediately prior to ischemia, murine colon adenocarcinoma cells (MC38) were injected into the spleen. DRP (polyethylene oxide) or a control of low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol without drag reducing properties were administered intraperitoneally at the onset of reperfusion. Results After three weeks from I/R, we observed that liver I/R resulted in an increased ability to capture and foster growth of circulating tumor cells; in addition, the growth of pre-existing micrometastases was accelerated three weeks later. These effects were significantly curtailed when mice were treated with DRPs at the time of I/R. Mechanistic investigations in vivo indicated that DRPs protected the livers from I/R injury as evidenced by significant decreases in hepatocellular damage, neutrophil recruitment into the liver, formation of neutrophil extracellular traps, deposition of platelets, formation of microthrombi within the liver sinusoids and release of inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions DRPs significantly attenuated metastatic tumor development and growth. DRPs warrant further investigation as a potential treatment for liver I/R injury in the clinical setting to improve cancer-specific outcomes. PMID:28938688

Marginal turbulent state of viscoelastic fluids: A polymer drag reduction perspective.

PubMed

Xi, Li; Bai, Xue

2016-04-01

The laminar-turbulent (LT) transition of dilute polymer solutions is of great interest not only for the complex transition dynamics itself, but also for its potential link to the maximum drag reduction (MDR) phenomenon. We present an in-depth investigation of the edge state (ES), an asymptotic solution on the LT boundary, in viscoelastic channel flow. For given Re and simulation domain size, mean flow statistics of the ES do not vary with the introduction of polymers, proving that there is a region of turbulent states not susceptible to polymer drag reduction effects. The dynamics of the ES features low-frequency fluctuations and in the longer domains we studied it is nearly periodic with regular bursts of turbulent activities separated by extended quiescent periods. Its flow field is dominated by elongated vortices and streaks, with very weak extensional and rotational flow motions. Polymer stretching is almost exclusively contributed by the mean shear and polymer-turbulence interaction is minimal. Flow structures and the kinematics of the ES match hibernating turbulence, an MDR-like phase intermittently occurring in turbulent dynamics. Its observation now seems to result from recurrent visits to certain parts of the ES. The ES offers explanations for the existence and universality of MDR, the quantitative magnitude of which, however, still remains unsolved.

Marginal turbulent state of viscoelastic fluids: A polymer drag reduction perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Li; Bai, Xue

2016-04-01

The laminar-turbulent (LT) transition of dilute polymer solutions is of great interest not only for the complex transition dynamics itself, but also for its potential link to the maximum drag reduction (MDR) phenomenon. We present an in-depth investigation of the edge state (ES), an asymptotic solution on the LT boundary, in viscoelastic channel flow. For given Re and simulation domain size, mean flow statistics of the ES do not vary with the introduction of polymers, proving that there is a region of turbulent states not susceptible to polymer drag reduction effects. The dynamics of the ES features low-frequency fluctuations and in the longer domains we studied it is nearly periodic with regular bursts of turbulent activities separated by extended quiescent periods. Its flow field is dominated by elongated vortices and streaks, with very weak extensional and rotational flow motions. Polymer stretching is almost exclusively contributed by the mean shear and polymer-turbulence interaction is minimal. Flow structures and the kinematics of the ES match hibernating turbulence, an MDR-like phase intermittently occurring in turbulent dynamics. Its observation now seems to result from recurrent visits to certain parts of the ES. The ES offers explanations for the existence and universality of MDR, the quantitative magnitude of which, however, still remains unsolved.

Effect of guar gum and salt concentrations on drag reduction and shear degradation properties of turbulent flow of water in a pipe.

PubMed

Sokhal, Kamaljit Singh; Gangacharyulu, Dasaroju; Bulasara, Vijaya Kumar

2018-02-01

Concentrated solutions of guar gum in water (1000-3000ppm) with and without KCl salt (1000-4000ppm) were injected near the wall for a short period (2.5min) to investigate their effect on drag reduction in turbulent flow of water through a pipe (Re≈17000-45000). Relative to bulk solution, the concentrations of polymer and salt were 50-150ppm and 50-200ppm, respectively. A drag reduction of 71.45% was observed for 3000ppm of biopolymer without salt. Guar gum experienced mechanical degradation under high shear conditions and addition of KCl improved shear stability up to 47% (for Re≈45000). A polymer concentration of 3000ppm and salt concentration of 2000ppm in the injection fluid were found to be optimum for achieving the highest drag reduction with better shear stability. Results indicated that boundary layer injection shows better drag reduction ability than pre-mixed solutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Turbulent channel flow under moderate polymer drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsnab, John; Monty, Jason; White, Christopher; Koochesfahani, Manoochehr; Klewicki, Joseph

2017-11-01

Streamwise velocity profiles and their wall-normal derivatives are used to investigate the properties of turbulent channel flow under the moderate polymer drag reduction (DR) conditions of 6-27%. Velocity data were obtained over a friction Reynolds number (Re) from 650-1800 using the single velocity component version of molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV). This adaptation of the MTV technique captures instantaneous profiles at high spatial resolution (>800 data points per profile), thus generating well-resolved derivative information. The mean velocity profiles indicate that the extent of the logarithmic region diminishes with increasing polymer concentration, while the logarithmic profile slope increases for drag reductions greater than about 20%. The measurements allow reconstruction of the mean momentum balance for channel flow that provides additional insights regarding the physics described by previous numerical simulation analyses that examined the mean dynamical structure of polymer laden channel flow at low Re. The present findings indicate that the polymer modifies the onset of the inertial domain, and that the extent of this domain shrinks with increasing DR. Once on the inertial domain, self-similar behaviors occur, but modified (sometimes subtly) by the modified distribution of characteristic y-scaling behavior of the Reynolds stress motions.

Surface friction of hydrogels with well-defined polyelectrolyte brushes.

PubMed

Ohsedo, Yutaka; Takashina, Rikiya; Gong, Jian Ping; Osada, Yoshihito

2004-08-03

Hydrogels of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) with well-defined polyelectrolyte brushes of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PNaSS) of various molecular weights were synthesized, keeping the distance between the polymer brushes constant at ca. 20 nm. The effect of polyelectrolyte brush length on the sliding friction against a glass plate, an electrorepulsive solid substrate, was investigated in water in a velocity range of 7.5 x 10(-5) to 7.5 x 10(-2) m/s. It is found that the presence of polymer brush can dramatically reduce the friction when the polymer brushes are short. With an increase in the length of the polymer brush, this drag reduction effect only works at a low sliding velocity, and the gel with long polymer brushes even shows a higher friction than that of a normal network gel at a high sliding velocity. The strong polymer length and sliding velocity dependence indicate a dynamic mechanism of the polymer brush effect.

Megasupramolecules for safer, cleaner fuel by end association of long telechelic polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Ming-Hsin; Li, Boyu; David, R. L. Ameri; Jones, Simon C.; Sarohia, Virendra; Schmitigal, Joel A.; Kornfield, Julia A.

2015-10-01

We used statistical mechanics to design polymers that defy conventional wisdom by self-assembling into “megasupramolecules” (≥5000 kg/mol) at low concentration (≤0.3 weight percent). Theoretical treatment of the distribution of individual subunits—end-functional polymers—among cyclic and linear supramolecules (ring-chain equilibrium) predicts that megasupramolecules can form at low total polymer concentration if, and only if, the backbones are long (>400 kg/mol) and end-association strength is optimal. Viscometry and scattering measurements of long telechelic polymers having polycyclooctadiene backbones and acid or amine end groups verify the formation of megasupramolecules. They control misting and reduce drag in the same manner as ultralong covalent polymers. With individual building blocks short enough to avoid hydrodynamic chain scission (weight-average molecular weights of 400 to 1000 kg/mol) and reversible linkages that protect covalent bonds, these megasupramolecules overcome the obstacles of shear degradation and engine incompatibility.

Polymer-surfactant complex formation and its effect on turbulent wall shear stress.

PubMed

Suksamranchit, Siriluck; Sirivat, Anuvat; Jamieson, Alexander M

2006-02-01

Turbulent drag reduction in Couette flow was investigated in terms of a decrease in wall shear stress for aqueous solutions of a nonionic polymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC), and their mixtures. Consistent with literature data, drag reduction was observed for PEO solutions above a critical molecular weight, 0.91 x 10(5) < Mc < 3.04 x 10(5) g/mol. Maximum drag reduction occurred at an optimum concentration, c(PEO)*, which scales inversely with molecular weight, and the % maximum drag reduction increases with molecular weight. For aqueous HTAC solutions, wall shear stress decreased with increasing HTAC concentration and leveled off at an optimum concentration, c(HTAC)*, comparable to the critical micelle concentration. For HTAC/PEO mixtures, the critical PEO molecular weight for drag reduction decreases, interpreted as due to an increase in hydrodynamic volume because of binding of HTAC micelles to PEO. Consistent with this interpretation, at fixed PEO concentration, maximum drag reduction was observed at an optimum HTAC concentration, c(HTAC/PEO)*, comparable to the maximum binding concentration, MBC. Also, with HTAC concentration fixed at the MBC, the optimum PEO concentration for drag reduction, c(PEO/HTAC)*, decreases relative to that, c(PEO)*, in the absence of HTAC.

An Experimental Study of Polymer Drag Reduction and Boundary Layer Diffusion Characteristics for Incompressible Flow Over a Flat Plate.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-15

well industry with the use of the plant derivative, Guar Gum . Solutions of the product were used to suspend sand in the high-pressure, sand-water...Polymer Concentration (WPP.) Gum Karaya 850 Guar 400 Polyacrylamide, Polyhall-250 20 Polyox WSR-301 10 Hoyt and Fabula (1964) and Virk (1971) present data...achieved by Elata, Lehner, and Kahanovity (1966) for Guar Gum solutions and Meyer (1966) and Wells (1965) for Polyox. Many authors have described drag

High Reynolds Number Micro-Bubble and Polymer Drag Reduction Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

systems . Researchers have known for more than fifty years that the presence of high molecular weight polymers in the near-wall region of a turbulent...drag reduction (ALDR) (see Winkel, 2006). We present here a brief review of BDR and ALDR research . A seminal study of BDR was conducted 35 years ago when...SR830 DSP LIA, Stanford Research Systems ) and a signal generator. (8904A multifunction synthesizer, HP) were used to excite and balance the bridge as

Drag reducing polymers improve tissue perfusion via modification of the RBC traffic in microvessels.

PubMed

Marhefka, J N; Zhao, R; Wu, Z J; Velankar, S S; Antaki, J F; Kameneva, M V

2009-01-01

This paper reports a novel, physiologically significant, microfluidic phenomenon generated by nanomolar concentrations of drag-reducing polymers (DRP) dissolved in flowing blood, which may explain previously demonstrated beneficial effects of DRP on tissue perfusion. In microfluidic systems used in this study, DRP additives were found to significantly modify traffic of red blood cells (RBC) into microchannel branches as well as reduce the near-wall cell-free layer, which normally is found in microvessels with a diameter smaller than 0.3 mm. The reduction in plasma layer size led to attenuation of the so-called "plasma skimming" effect at microchannel bifurcations, increasing the number of RBC entering branches. In vivo, these changes in RBC traffic may facilitate gas transport by increasing the near vessel wall concentration of RBC and capillary hematocrit. In addition, an increase in near-wall viscosity due to the redirection of RBC in this region may potentially decrease vascular resistance as a result of increased wall shear stress, which promotes endothelium mediated vasodilation. These microcirculatory phenomena can explain the previously reported beneficial effects of DRP on hemodynamics in vivo observed in many animal studies. We also report here our finding that DRP additives reduce flow separations at microchannel expansions, deflecting RBC closer to the wall and eliminating the plasma recirculation zone. Although the exact mechanism of the DRP effects on RBC traffic in microchannels is yet to be elucidated, these findings may further DRP progress toward clinical use.

Drag reducing polymers improve tissue perfusion via modification of the RBC traffic in microvessels

PubMed Central

Marhefka, J.N.; Zhao, R.; Wu, Z.; Velankar, S.S.; Antaki, J.F.; Kameneva, M.V.

2011-01-01

This paper reports a novel, physiologically significant, microfluidic phenomenon generated by nanomolar concentrations of drag-reducing polymers (DRP) dissolved in flowing blood, which may explain previously demonstrated beneficial effects of DRP on tissue perfusion. In microfluidic systems used in this study, DRP additives were found to significantly modify traffic of red blood cells (RBC) into microchannel branches as well as reduce the near-wall cell-free layer, which normally is found in microvessels with a diameter smaller than 0.3 mm. The reduction in plasma layer size led to attenuation of the so-called “plasma skimming” effect at microchannel bifurcations, increasing the number of RBC entering branches. In vivo, these changes in RBC traffic may facilitate gas transport by increasing the near vessel wall concentration of RBC and capillary hematocrit. In addition, an increase in near-wall viscosity due to the redirection of RBC in this region may potentially decrease vascular resistance as a result of increased wall shear stress, which promotes endothelium mediated vasodilation. These microcirculatory phenomena may explain the previously reported beneficial effects of DRP on hemodynamics in vivo observed in many animal studies. We also report here our finding that DRP additives reduce flow separations at microchannel expansions, deflecting RBC closer to the wall and eliminating the plasma recirculation zone. Although the exact mechanism of the DRP effects on RBC traffic in microchannels is yet to be elucidated, these findings may further DRP progress toward clinical use. PMID:19721190

Diffusion of Drag-Reducing Polymers within a High-Reynolds-Number, Rough-Wall Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian; Perlin, Marc; Dowling, David; Solomon, Michael; Ceccio, Steven

2008-11-01

Two experiments were conducted to investigate polymer drag reduction (PDR) within high Reynolds number (to 200 million based on downstream distance), rough-wall turbulent boundary layers. The first experiment was conducted at the U.S. Navy's Large Cavitation Channel on a 12.9 m long flat-plate at speeds to 20 m/s with the surface hydraulically smooth and fully rough. Local skin-friction measurements on the smooth and rough surfaces had maximum PDR levels of 65 and 75 percent, respectively. However, PDR decreased with increasing downstream distance and flow speed more rapidly on the rough surface, and at the top speed no measureable level of PDR was observed. The roughness-induced increased diffusion was quantified with near-wall concentration measurements and the second experiment, which measured concentration profiles on a 0.94 m long flat-plate with three surface conditions: smooth, 240-grit, and 60-grit sandpaper. The increased diffusion does not fully explain the smooth-rough PDR differences observed in the first experiment. Rheological analysis of drawn samples from the first experiment indicates that polymer degradation (chain scission) could be responsible for the remaining loss of rough-wall PDR. These results have implications for the cost effectiveness of PDR for surface ships.

Identification and calculation of the universal asymptote for drag reduction by polymers in wall bounded turbulence.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; De Angelis, Elisabetta; L'vov, Victor S; Procaccia, Itamar

2005-11-04

Drag reduction by polymers in wall turbulence is bounded from above by a universal maximal drag reduction (MDR) velocity profile that is a log law, estimated experimentally by Virk as V+(y+) approximately 11.7logy+ - 17. Here V+(y+) and y+ are the mean streamwise velocity and the distance from the wall in "wall" units. In this Letter we propose that this MDR profile is an edge solution of the Navier-Stokes equations (with an effective viscosity profile) beyond which no turbulent solutions exist. This insight rationalizes the universality of the MDR and provides a maximum principle which allows an ab initio calculation of the parameters in this law without any viscoelastic experimental input.

Nonuniform concentration - A mechanism for drag reduction.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivard, W. C.; Kulinski, E. S.

1972-01-01

A large reduction in drag coefficient has been observed in certain external flows of aqueous solutions with high molecular weight polymer additives. A change in the near wake configuration is phenomenologically responsible for the drag reduction, but the underlying mechanism is presently unknown. An analogy to known phenomena in particulate suspensions is drawn which suggests nonuniform concentration of the polymer additive as an explanation. An analysis of the boundary layer on a sphere with varying viscosity was made to investigate the effect. The results indicate early transition to turbulence for concentration variations whose length scale is small compared with the momentum boundary layer thickness. Stabilization and delayed transition are indicated for thicker concentration layers. Observations are suggested for the thin concentration layers.

Stabilization of hydrodynamic flows by small viscosity variations.

PubMed

Govindarajan, Rama; L'vov, Victor S; Procaccia, Itamar; Sameen, A

2003-02-01

Motivated by the large effect of turbulent drag reduction by minute concentrations of polymers, we study the effects of a weakly space-dependent viscosity on the stability of hydrodynamic flows. In a recent paper [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 174501, (2001)], we exposed the crucial role played by a localized region where the energy of fluctuations is produced by interactions with the mean flow (the "critical layer"). We showed that a layer of a weakly space-dependent viscosity placed near the critical layer can have a very large stabilizing effect on hydrodynamic fluctuations, retarding significantly the onset of turbulence. In this paper we extend these observations in two directions: first we show that the strong stabilization of the primary instability is also obtained when the viscosity profile is realistic (inferred from simulations of turbulent flows with a small concentration of polymers). Second, we analyze the secondary instability (around the time-dependent primary instability) and find similar strong stabilization. Since the secondary instability develops around a time-dependent solution and is three dimensional, this brings us closer to the turbulent case. We reiterate that the large effect is not due to a modified dissipation (as is assumed in some theories of drag reduction), but due to reduced energy intake from the mean flow to the fluctuations. We propose that similar physics act in turbulent drag reduction.

Experimental Results from a Flat Plate, Turbulent Boundary Layer Modified for the Purpose of Drag Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian R.

2006-11-01

Recent experiments on a flat plate, turbulent boundary layer at high Reynolds numbers (>10^7) were performed to investigate various methods of reducing skin friction drag. The methods used involved injecting either air or a polymer solution into the boundary layer through a slot injector. Two slot injectors were mounted on the model with one located 1.4 meters downstream of the nose and the second located 3.75 meters downstream. This allowed for some synergetic experiments to be performed by varying the injections from each slot and comparing the skin friction along the plate. Skin friction measurements were made with 6 shear stress sensors flush mounted along the stream-wise direction of the model.

Fabrication of a Polymer Micro Needle Array by Mask-Dragging X-Ray Lithography and Alignment X-Ray Lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi-Gui; Yang, Chun-Sheng; Liu, Jing-Quan; Sugiyama, Susumu

2011-03-01

Polymer materials such as transparent thermoplastic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been of great interest in the research and development of integrated circuits and micro-electromechanical systems due to their relatively low cost and easy process. We fabricated PMMA-based polymer hollow microneedle arrays by mask-dragging and aligning x-ray lithography. Techniques for 3D micromachining by direct lithography using x-rays are developed. These techniques are based on using image projection in which the x-ray is used to illuminate an appropriate gold pattern on a polyimide film mask. The mask is imaged onto the PMMA sample. A pattern with an area of up to 100 × 100mm2 can be fabricated with sub-micron resolution and a highly accurate order of a few microns by using a dragging mask. The fabrication technology has several advantages, such as forming complex 3D micro structures, high throughput and low cost.

Active viscoelastic matter: from bacterial drag reduction to turbulent solids.

PubMed

Hemingway, E J; Maitra, A; Banerjee, S; Marchetti, M C; Ramaswamy, S; Fielding, S M; Cates, M E

2015-03-06

A paradigm for internally driven matter is the active nematic liquid crystal, whereby the equations of a conventional nematic are supplemented by a minimal active stress that violates time-reversal symmetry. In practice, active fluids may have not only liquid-crystalline but also viscoelastic polymer degrees of freedom. Here we explore the resulting interplay by coupling an active nematic to a minimal model of polymer rheology. We find that adding a polymer can greatly increase the complexity of spontaneous flow, but can also have calming effects, thereby increasing the net throughput of spontaneous flow along a pipe (a "drag-reduction" effect). Remarkably, active turbulence can also arise after switching on activity in a sufficiently soft elastomeric solid.

Active Viscoelastic Matter: From Bacterial Drag Reduction to Turbulent Solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemingway, E. J.; Maitra, A.; Banerjee, S.; Marchetti, M. C.; Ramaswamy, S.; Fielding, S. M.; Cates, M. E.

2015-03-01

A paradigm for internally driven matter is the active nematic liquid crystal, whereby the equations of a conventional nematic are supplemented by a minimal active stress that violates time-reversal symmetry. In practice, active fluids may have not only liquid-crystalline but also viscoelastic polymer degrees of freedom. Here we explore the resulting interplay by coupling an active nematic to a minimal model of polymer rheology. We find that adding a polymer can greatly increase the complexity of spontaneous flow, but can also have calming effects, thereby increasing the net throughput of spontaneous flow along a pipe (a "drag-reduction" effect). Remarkably, active turbulence can also arise after switching on activity in a sufficiently soft elastomeric solid.

Statistical comparison of coherent structures in fully developed turbulent pipe flow with and without drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sogaro, Francesca; Poole, Robert; Dennis, David

2014-11-01

High-speed stereoscopic particle image velocimetry has been performed in fully developed turbulent pipe flow at moderate Reynolds numbers with and without a drag-reducing additive (an aqueous solution of high molecular weight polyacrylamide). Three-dimensional large and very large-scale motions (LSM and VLSM) are extracted from the flow fields by a detection algorithm and the characteristics for each case are statistically compared. The results show that the three-dimensional extent of VLSMs in drag reduced (DR) flow appears to increase significantly compared to their Newtonian counterparts. A statistical increase in azimuthal extent of DR VLSM is observed by means of two-point spatial autocorrelation of the streamwise velocity fluctuation in the radial-azimuthal plane. Furthermore, a remarkable increase in length of these structures is observed by three-dimensional two-point spatial autocorrelation. These results are accompanied by an analysis of the swirling strength in the flow field that shows a significant reduction in strength and number of the vortices for the DR flow. The findings suggest that the damping of the small scales due to polymer addition results in the undisturbed development of longer flow structures.

Dynamics and structures of transitional viscoelastic turbulence in channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shekar, Ashwin; Wang, Sung-Ning; Graham, Michael

2017-11-01

Introducing a trace amount of polymer into turbulent flows can result in a substantial reduction of drag. However, the mechanism is not fully understood at high levels of drag reduction. In this work we perform direct numerical simulations (DNS) of viscoelastic channel flow turbulence using a scheme that guarantees the positive-definiteness of polymer conformation tensor without artificial diffusion. Here we present the results of two parametric studies with the bulk Reynolds number fixed at 2000. First, the Weissenberg number (Wi) is kept at 100 and we vary the viscosity ratio (ratio ratio of the solvent viscosity and the total viscosity). Maximum drag reduction (MDR) is observed with viscosity ratio <0.95. As we decrease the viscosity ratio, i.e. increase polymer concentration, the mean velocity profile is almost invariant. However, this is accompanied by a decrease in velocity fluctuations but the flow stays turbulent. Turbulent kinetic energy budget analysis shows that, in this parameter regime, polymer becomes the major source of velocity fluctuations, replacing the energy transfer from the mean flow. In the second study, we fix the viscosity ratio at 0.95 and trace the Wi up to this regime and present the accompanying changes in flow quantities and structures.

Effect of Surface Roughness on Polymer Drag Reduction with a High-Reynolds-Number Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian; Dowling, David; Solomon, Michael; Bian, Sherry; Ceccio, Steven

2007-11-01

A recent experiment at the U.S. Navy's Large Cavitation Channel (LCC) investigated the effect of wall roughness on wall-injection polymer drag reduction (PDR) within a high-Reynolds-number (10^7 to 2x10^8 based on downstream distance) turbulent boundary layer (TBL). Testing was performed in two parts: 1) PDR experiment on a 12.9 m long, 3.05 m wide hydro-dynamically smooth flat plate and 2) PDR experiment on the same model with the entire surface roughened. The roughness was produced by blowing glass beads into epoxy paint that was applied to the entire model. The roughened model had an average roughness height ranging between 307 and 1154 μm. Drag reduction was determined using six, stream-wise located integrated skin-friction balances. In addition to skin-friction measurements, sampling was performed at three stream-wise located ports. The sampling ports were used to determine the amount of degradation, if any, caused by the turbulent flow on the polymer. Both the skin-friction measurements and sampling analysis indicates that wall roughness in a turbulent boundary layer significantly increases degradation of the polymer solution.

Free-solution electrophoretic separations of DNA–drag-tag conjugates on glass microchips with no polymer network and no loss of resolution at increased electric field strength

PubMed Central

Albrecht, Jennifer Coyne; Kerby, Matthew B.; Niedringhaus, Thomas P.; Lin, Jennifer S.; Wang, Xiaoxiao; Barron, Annelise E.

2012-01-01

Here, we demonstrate the potential for high-resolution electrophoretic separations of ssDNA-protein conjugates in borosilicate glass microfluidic chips, with no sieving media and excellent repeatability. Using polynucleotides of two different lengths conjugated to moderately cationic protein polymer drag-tags, we measured separation efficiency as a function of applied electric field. In excellent agreement with prior theoretical predictions of Slater et al., resolution is found to remain constant as applied field is increased up to 700 V/cm, the highest field we were able to apply. This remarkable result illustrates the fundamentally different physical limitations of Free-Solution Conjugate Electrophoresis (FSCE)-based DNA separations relative to matrix-based DNA electrophoresis. Single-stranded DNA separations in “gels” have always shown rapidly declining resolution as the field strength is increased; this is especially true for ssDNA > 400 bases in length. FSCE’s ability to decouple DNA peak resolution from applied electric field suggests the future possibility of ultra-rapid FSCE sequencing on chips. We investigated sources of peak broadening for FSCE separations on borosilicate glass microchips, using six different protein polymer drag-tags. For drag-tags with four or more positive charges, electrostatic and adsorptive interactions with pHEA-coated microchannel walls led to appreciable band-broadening, while much sharper peaks were seen for bioconjugates with nearly charge-neutral protein drag-tags. PMID:21500207

Worm-like micelles of CTAB and sodium salicylate under turbulent flow.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Roberta K; da Silva, Marcelo A; Sabadini, Edvaldo

2008-12-16

Polymers with high molecular weight and worm-like micelles are drag-reducing agents under turbulent flow. However, in contrast to the polymeric systems, the worm-like micelles do not undergo mechanical degradation due to the turbulence, because their macromolecular structure can be spontaneously restored. This very favorable property, together with their drag-reduction capability, offer the possibility to use such worm-like micelles in heating and cooling systems to recirculate water while expending less energy. The formation, growth, and stability of worm-like micelles formed by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium salicylate (NaSal) were investigated using the self-fluorescence of salicylate ions and the ability of the giant micelles to promote hydrodynamic drag reduction under turbulent flow. The turbulence in solutions of CTAB-Sal was produced within the double-gap cell of a rotational rheometer. Detailed diagrams were obtained for different ratios of Sal and CTAB, which revealed transitions associated with the thermal stability of giant micelles under turbulent flow.

Megasupramolecules for safer, cleaner fuel by end association of long telechelic polymers.

PubMed

Wei, Ming-Hsin; Li, Boyu; David, R L Ameri; Jones, Simon C; Sarohia, Virendra; Schmitigal, Joel A; Kornfield, Julia A

2015-10-02

We used statistical mechanics to design polymers that defy conventional wisdom by self-assembling into "megasupramolecules" (≥5000 kg/mol) at low concentration (≤0.3 weight percent). Theoretical treatment of the distribution of individual subunits—end-functional polymers—among cyclic and linear supramolecules (ring-chain equilibrium) predicts that megasupramolecules can form at low total polymer concentration if, and only if, the backbones are long (>400 kg/mol) and end-association strength is optimal. Viscometry and scattering measurements of long telechelic polymers having polycyclooctadiene backbones and acid or amine end groups verify the formation of megasupramolecules. They control misting and reduce drag in the same manner as ultralong covalent polymers. With individual building blocks short enough to avoid hydrodynamic chain scission (weight-average molecular weights of 400 to 1000 kg/mol) and reversible linkages that protect covalent bonds, these megasupramolecules overcome the obstacles of shear degradation and engine incompatibility. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Viscous flow drag reduction; Symposium, Dallas, Tex., November 7, 8, 1979, Technical Papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hough, G. R.

1980-01-01

The symposium focused on laminar boundary layers, boundary layer stability analysis of a natural laminar flow glove on the F-111 TACT aircraft, drag reduction of an oscillating flat plate with an interface film, electromagnetic precipitation and ducting of particles in turbulent boundary layers, large eddy breakup scheme for turbulent viscous drag reduction, blowing and suction, polymer additives, and compliant surfaces. Topics included influence of environment in laminar boundary layer control, generation rate of turbulent patches in the laminar boundary layer of a submersible, drag reduction of small amplitude rigid surface waves, and hydrodynamic drag and surface deformations generated by liquid flows over flexible surfaces.

Separation efficiency of free-solution conjugated electrophoresis with drag-tags incorporating a synthetic amino acid.

PubMed

Seo, Kyung-Ho; Chu, Hun-Su; Yoo, Tae Hyeon; Lee, Sun-Gu; Won, Jong-In

2016-03-01

DNA sequencing or separation by conventional capillary electrophoresis with a polymer matrix has some inherent drawbacks, such as the expense of polymer matrix and limitations in sequencing read length. As DNA fragments have a linear charge-to-friction ratio in free solution, DNA fragments cannot be separated by size. However, size-based separation of DNA is possible in free-solution conjugate electrophoresis (FSCE) if a "drag-tag" is attached to DNA fragments because the tag breaks the linear charge-to-friction scaling. Although several previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of DNA separation by free-solution conjugated electrophoresis, generation of a monodisperse drag-tag and identification of a strong, site-specific conjugation method between a DNA fragment and a drag-tag are challenges that still remain. In this study, we demonstrate an efficient FSCE method by conjugating a biologically synthesized elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) to DNA fragments. In addition, to produce strong and site-specific conjugation, a methionine residue in drag-tags is replaced with homopropargylglycine (Hpg), which can be conjugated specifically to a DNA fragment with an azide site. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Drag-reducing polymers diminish near-wall concentration of platelets in microchannel blood flow

PubMed Central

Zhao, R.; Marhefka, J.N.; Antaki, J.F.; Kameneva, M.V.

2011-01-01

The accumulation of platelets near the blood vessel wall or artificial surface is an important factor in the cascade of events responsible for coagulation and/or thrombosis. In small blood vessels and flow channels this phenomenon has been attributed to the blood phase separation that creates a red blood cell (RBC)-poor layer near the wall. We hypothesized that blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), which were previously shown to lessen the near-wall RBC depletion layer in small channels, may consequently reduce the near-wall platelet excess. This study investigated the effects of DRP on the lateral distribution of platelet-sized fluorescent particles (diam. = 2 µm, 2.5 × 108/ml) in a glass square microchannel (width and depth = 100 µm). RBC suspensions in PBS were mixed with particles and driven through the microchannel at flow rates of 6–18 ml/h with and without added DRP (10 ppm of PEO, MW = 4500 kDa). Microscopic flow visualization revealed an elevated concentration of particles in the near-wall region for the control samples at all tested flow rates (between 2.4 ± 0.8 times at 6 ml/h and 3.3 ± 0.3 times at 18 ml/h). The addition of a minute concentration of DRP virtually eliminated the near-wall particle excess, effectively resulting in their even distribution across the channel, suggesting a potentially significant role of DRP in managing and mitigating thrombosis. PMID:21084744

Flow drag and heat transfer characteristics of drag-reducing nanofluids with CuO nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping-Yang; Wang, Xue-Jiao; Liu, Zhen-Hua

2017-02-01

A new kind of aqueous CuO nanofluid with drag-reducing performance was developed. The new working fluid was an aqueous CTAC (cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride) solution with CuO nanoparticles added and has both special effects of drag-reducing and heat transfer enhancement. An experiment was carried out to investigate the forced convective flow and heat transfer characteristics of conventional drag reducing fluid (aqueous CTAC solution) and the new drag-reducing nanofluid in a test tube with an inner diameter of 25.6 mm. Results indicated that there were no obvious differences of the drag-reducing characteristics between conventional drag reducing fluid and new drag-reducing nanofluid. However, their heat transfer characteristics were obvious different. The heat transfer characteristics of the new drag-reducing nanofluid significantly depend on the liquid temperature, the nanoparticle concentration and the CTAC concentration. The heat transfer enhancement technology of nanofluid could be applied to solve the problem of heat transfer deterioration for conventional drag-reducing fluids.

Low-drag events in transitional wall-bounded turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whalley, Richard D.; Park, Jae Sung; Kushwaha, Anubhav; Dennis, David J. C.; Graham, Michael D.; Poole, Robert J.

2017-03-01

Intermittency of low-drag pointwise wall shear stress measurements within Newtonian turbulent channel flow at transitional Reynolds numbers (friction Reynolds numbers 70 - 130) is characterized using experiments and simulations. Conditional mean velocity profiles during low-drag events closely approach that of a recently discovered nonlinear traveling wave solution; both profiles are near the so-called maximum drag reduction profile, a general feature of turbulent flow of liquids containing polymer additives (despite the fact that all results presented are for Newtonian fluids only). Similarities between temporal intermittency in small domains and spatiotemporal intermittency in large domains is thereby found.

Modulation of Pre-capillary Arteriolar Pressure with Drag Reducing Polymers: A Novel Method for Enhancing Microvascular Perfusion

PubMed Central

Pacella, John J.; Kameneva, Marina V.; Brands, Judith; Lipowsky, Herbert H.; Vink, Hans; Lavery, Linda L.; Villanueva, Flordeliza S.

2012-01-01

Objective We have shown that drag reducing polymers (DRP) enhance capillary perfusion during severe coronary stenosis and increase RBC velocity in capillaries, through uncertain mechanisms. We hypothesize that DRP decreases pressure loss from the aorta to the arteriolar compartment. Methods Intravital microscopy of the rat cremaster muscle and measurement of pressure in arterioles (diameters 20–132 µm) was performed in 24 rats. DRP (polyethylene oxide, 1 ppm) was infused i.v. and measurements were made at baseline and 20 minutes after completion of DRP infusion. In a 10 rat subset, additional measurements were made 3 minutes after the start, and 1–5 and 10 minutes after completion of DRP. Results Twenty minutes after the completion of DRP mean arteriolar pressure was 22% higher than baseline (from 42±3 to 49±3 mmHg, p<0.005, n=24). DRP decreased the pressure loss from the aorta to the arterioles by 24% (from 35±6 to 27±5 mmHg, p=0.001, n=10). In addition, there was a strong trend towards an increase in pressure at 10 minutes after the completion of DRP (n=10). Conclusions DRP diminishes pressure loss between the aorta and the arterioles. This results in a higher pre-capillary pressure and likely explains the observed DRP enhancement in capillary perfusion. PMID:22578102

New Insights into the Microvascular Mechanisms of Drag Reducing Polymers: Effect on the Cell-Free Layer

PubMed Central

Brands, Judith; Kliner, Dustin; Lipowsky, Herbert H.; Kameneva, Marina V.; Villanueva, Flordeliza S.; Pacella, John J.

2013-01-01

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) significantly increase blood flow, tissue perfusion, and tissue oxygenation in various animal models. In rectangular channel microfluidic systems, DRPs were found to significantly reduce the near-wall cell-free layer (CFL) as well as modify traffic of red blood cells (RBC) into microchannel branches. In the current study we further investigated the mechanism by which DRP enhances microvascular perfusion. We studied the effect of various concentrations of DRP on RBC distribution in more relevant round microchannels and the effect of DRP on CFL in the rat cremaster muscle in vivo. In round microchannels hematocrit was measured in parent and daughter branch at baseline and after addition of DRP. At DRP concentrations of 5 and 10 ppm, the plasma skimming effect in the daughter branch was eliminated, as parent and daughter branch hematocrit were equivalent, compared to a significantly lowered hematocrit in the daughter branch without DRPs. In anesthetized rats (N=11) CFL was measured in the cremaster muscle tissue in arterioles with a diameter of 32.6 ± 1.7 µm. In the control group (saline, N=6) there was a significant increase in CFL in time compared to corresponding baseline. Addition of DRP at 1 ppm (N=5) reduced CFL significantly compared to corresponding baseline and the control group. After DRP administration the CFL reduced to about 85% of baseline at 5, 15, 25 and 35 minutes after DRP infusion was complete. These in vivo and in vitro findings demonstrate that DRPs induce a reduction in CFL width and plasma skimming in the microvasculature. This may lead to an increase of RBC flux into the capillary bed, and thus explain previous observations of a DRP mediated enhancement of capillary perfusion. PMID:24124610

New insights into the microvascular mechanisms of drag reducing polymers: effect on the cell-free layer.

PubMed

Brands, Judith; Kliner, Dustin; Lipowsky, Herbert H; Kameneva, Marina V; Villanueva, Flordeliza S; Pacella, John J

2013-01-01

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) significantly increase blood flow, tissue perfusion, and tissue oxygenation in various animal models. In rectangular channel microfluidic systems, DRPs were found to significantly reduce the near-wall cell-free layer (CFL) as well as modify traffic of red blood cells (RBC) into microchannel branches. In the current study we further investigated the mechanism by which DRP enhances microvascular perfusion. We studied the effect of various concentrations of DRP on RBC distribution in more relevant round microchannels and the effect of DRP on CFL in the rat cremaster muscle in vivo. In round microchannels hematocrit was measured in parent and daughter branch at baseline and after addition of DRP. At DRP concentrations of 5 and 10 ppm, the plasma skimming effect in the daughter branch was eliminated, as parent and daughter branch hematocrit were equivalent, compared to a significantly lowered hematocrit in the daughter branch without DRPs. In anesthetized rats (N=11) CFL was measured in the cremaster muscle tissue in arterioles with a diameter of 32.6 ± 1.7 µm. In the control group (saline, N=6) there was a significant increase in CFL in time compared to corresponding baseline. Addition of DRP at 1 ppm (N=5) reduced CFL significantly compared to corresponding baseline and the control group. After DRP administration the CFL reduced to about 85% of baseline at 5, 15, 25 and 35 minutes after DRP infusion was complete. These in vivo and in vitro findings demonstrate that DRPs induce a reduction in CFL width and plasma skimming in the microvasculature. This may lead to an increase of RBC flux into the capillary bed, and thus explain previous observations of a DRP mediated enhancement of capillary perfusion.

Ultrafast DNA sequencing on a microchip by a hybrid separation mechanism that gives 600 bases in 6.5 minutes.

PubMed

Fredlake, Christopher P; Hert, Daniel G; Kan, Cheuk-Wai; Chiesl, Thomas N; Root, Brian E; Forster, Ryan E; Barron, Annelise E

2008-01-15

To realize the immense potential of large-scale genomic sequencing after the completion of the second human genome (Venter's), the costs for the complete sequencing of additional genomes must be dramatically reduced. Among the technologies being developed to reduce sequencing costs, microchip electrophoresis is the only new technology ready to produce the long reads most suitable for the de novo sequencing and assembly of large and complex genomes. Compared with the current paradigm of capillary electrophoresis, microchip systems promise to reduce sequencing costs dramatically by increasing throughput, reducing reagent consumption, and integrating the many steps of the sequencing pipeline onto a single platform. Although capillary-based systems require approximately 70 min to deliver approximately 650 bases of contiguous sequence, we report sequencing up to 600 bases in just 6.5 min by microchip electrophoresis with a unique polymer matrix/adsorbed polymer wall coating combination. This represents a two-thirds reduction in sequencing time over any previously published chip sequencing result, with comparable read length and sequence quality. We hypothesize that these ultrafast long reads on chips can be achieved because the combined polymer system engenders a recently discovered "hybrid" mechanism of DNA electromigration, in which DNA molecules alternate rapidly between repeating through the intact polymer network and disrupting network entanglements to drag polymers through the solution, similar to dsDNA dynamics we observe in single-molecule DNA imaging studies. Most importantly, these results reveal the surprisingly powerful ability of microchip electrophoresis to provide ultrafast Sanger sequencing, which will translate to increased system throughput and reduced costs.

Ultrafast DNA sequencing on a microchip by a hybrid separation mechanism that gives 600 bases in 6.5 minutes

PubMed Central

Fredlake, Christopher P.; Hert, Daniel G.; Kan, Cheuk-Wai; Chiesl, Thomas N.; Root, Brian E.; Forster, Ryan E.; Barron, Annelise E.

2008-01-01

To realize the immense potential of large-scale genomic sequencing after the completion of the second human genome (Venter's), the costs for the complete sequencing of additional genomes must be dramatically reduced. Among the technologies being developed to reduce sequencing costs, microchip electrophoresis is the only new technology ready to produce the long reads most suitable for the de novo sequencing and assembly of large and complex genomes. Compared with the current paradigm of capillary electrophoresis, microchip systems promise to reduce sequencing costs dramatically by increasing throughput, reducing reagent consumption, and integrating the many steps of the sequencing pipeline onto a single platform. Although capillary-based systems require ≈70 min to deliver ≈650 bases of contiguous sequence, we report sequencing up to 600 bases in just 6.5 min by microchip electrophoresis with a unique polymer matrix/adsorbed polymer wall coating combination. This represents a two-thirds reduction in sequencing time over any previously published chip sequencing result, with comparable read length and sequence quality. We hypothesize that these ultrafast long reads on chips can be achieved because the combined polymer system engenders a recently discovered “hybrid” mechanism of DNA electromigration, in which DNA molecules alternate rapidly between reptating through the intact polymer network and disrupting network entanglements to drag polymers through the solution, similar to dsDNA dynamics we observe in single-molecule DNA imaging studies. Most importantly, these results reveal the surprisingly powerful ability of microchip electrophoresis to provide ultrafast Sanger sequencing, which will translate to increased system throughput and reduced costs. PMID:18184818

Analysis of Drag Reduction Methods and Mechanisms of Turbulent.

PubMed

Yunqing, Gu; Tao, Liu; Jiegang, Mu; Zhengzan, Shi; Peijian, Zhou

2017-01-01

Turbulent flow is a difficult issue in fluid dynamics, the rules of which have not been totally revealed up to now. Fluid in turbulent state will result in a greater frictional force, which must consume great energy. Therefore, it is not only an important influence in saving energy and improving energy utilization rate but also an extensive application prospect in many fields, such as ship domain and aerospace. Firstly, bionic drag reduction technology is reviewed and is a hot research issue now, the drag reduction mechanism of body surface structure is analyzed, such as sharks, earthworms, and dolphins. Besides, we make a thorough study of drag reduction characteristics and mechanisms of microgrooved surface and compliant wall. Then, the relevant drag reduction technologies and mechanisms are discussed, focusing on the microbubbles, the vibrant flexible wall, the coating, the polymer drag reduction additives, superhydrophobic surface, jet surface, traveling wave surface drag reduction, and the composite drag reduction methods. Finally, applications and advancements of the drag reduction technology in turbulence are prospected.

Analysis of Drag Reduction Methods and Mechanisms of Turbulent

PubMed Central

Tao, Liu; Jiegang, Mu; Zhengzan, Shi; Peijian, Zhou

2017-01-01

Turbulent flow is a difficult issue in fluid dynamics, the rules of which have not been totally revealed up to now. Fluid in turbulent state will result in a greater frictional force, which must consume great energy. Therefore, it is not only an important influence in saving energy and improving energy utilization rate but also an extensive application prospect in many fields, such as ship domain and aerospace. Firstly, bionic drag reduction technology is reviewed and is a hot research issue now, the drag reduction mechanism of body surface structure is analyzed, such as sharks, earthworms, and dolphins. Besides, we make a thorough study of drag reduction characteristics and mechanisms of microgrooved surface and compliant wall. Then, the relevant drag reduction technologies and mechanisms are discussed, focusing on the microbubbles, the vibrant flexible wall, the coating, the polymer drag reduction additives, superhydrophobic surface, jet surface, traveling wave surface drag reduction, and the composite drag reduction methods. Finally, applications and advancements of the drag reduction technology in turbulence are prospected. PMID:29104425

Energy transfer and drag reduction in elasto-inertial turbulence laden with elongated contravariant and covariant polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiuti, Kiyosi

2015-11-01

We study elongation and energy-transfer process of polymers released in the homogeneous isotropic turbulence by connecting mesoscopic Brownian description of elastic dumbbells to macroscopic description for the solvent (DNS). The dumbbells are allowed to be advected either affinely with the macroscopically-imposed deformation (contravariant) or completely non-affinely (covariant). We consider the elasto-inertial regime in which the relaxation time of polymer is in the order of the eddy turnover time. Highly-elongated contravariant polymers remove more energy from the large scales than they can dissipate and transfer the excess energy back into the solvent as in P.C. Valente et al. (2014). By deriving the approximate solution of the constitutive equation for the polymer stress (Horiuti et al. 2013), we identified the term responsible for causing this transfer. The skewness of the strain-rate tensor (SikSklSli) in the elastic energy production term transfer the elastic energy back into the smallest scale of the solvent and increase the dissipation. In the covariant polymers, this trend is reversed and leads to enhancement of drag reduction, in accordance with the hypothesis that stretched polymers may behave like rods and exhibit rigidity (de Gennes 1986).

Conformal Lightweight Antenna Structures for Aeronautical Communication Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Mary Ann

2017-01-01

This project is to develop antennas which enable beyond line of sight (BLOS) command and control for UAVs. We will take advantage of newly assigned provisional Ku-band spectrum for UAVs and use unique antenna designs to avoid interference with ground systems. This will involve designing antennas with high isotropic effective radiated power (EIRP) and ultra-low sidelobes. The antennas will be made with polymer aerogel as a substrate to both reduce weight and improve performance, as demonstrated in an Aero Seedling. In addition, designing the antennas to be conformal to the aircraft fuselage will reduce drag.

Multi-scale study on process of contravariant and covariant polymer elongation and drag reduction in viscoelastic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiuti, Kiyosi; Suzuki, Shu

2014-11-01

We study the elongation process of polymers released in the Newtonian homogeneous isotropic turbulence by connecting a mesoscopic description of ensemble of elastic dumbbells using Brownian dynamics (BDS) to the macroscopic description for the fluid using DNS. The dumbbells are allowed to be advected non-affinely with the macroscopically-imposed deformation. More drastic drag reduction is achieved when non-affinity is maximum than in the complete affine case. In the former case, the dumbbell is convected as a covariant vector, and in the latter as a contravariant vector. We derive the exact solution for the governing equation of the motion of dumbbells. The maximum stretching of dumbbell is achieved when the dumbbell aligns in the direction of vorticity in the contravariant case, and when the dumbbell directs outward perpendicularly on the vortex sheet in the covariant case. Alignment in the BDS-DNS data agrees with the theoretical results. In the mixture of contravariant and covariant dumbbells, the covariant dumbbells are transversely aligned with the contravariant dumbbells. Compared with the cases without mixture, stretching of covariant dumbbell is enhanced, while that of contravariant dumbbell is reduced. Application of this phenomenon is discussed.

Mechanics of fluid flow over compliant wrinkled polymeric surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raayai, Shabnam; McKinley, Gareth; Boyce, Mary

2014-03-01

Skin friction coefficients (based on frontal area) of sharks and dolphins are lower than birds, fish and swimming beetles. By either exploiting flow-induced changes in their flexible skin or microscale textures, dolphins and sharks can change the structure of the fluid flow around them and thus reduce viscous drag forces on their bodies. Inspired by this ability, investigators have tried using compliant walls and riblet-like textures as drag reduction methods in aircraft and marine industries and have been able to achieve reductions up to 19%. Here we investigate flow-structure interaction and wrinkling of soft polymer surfaces that can emulate shark riblets and dolphin's flexible skin. Wrinkling arises spontaneously as the result of mismatched deformation of a thin stiff coating bound to a thick soft elastic substrate. Wrinkles can be fabricated by controlling the ratio of the stiffness of the coating and substrate, the applied displacement and the thickness of the coating. In this work we will examine the evolution in the kinematic structures associated with steady viscous flow over the polymer wrinkled surfaces and in particular compare the skin friction with corresponding results for flow over non-textured and rigid surfaces.

Progress in Frictional Drag Reduction Summer 1971 to Summer 1972

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-01-01

directed at achieving •nprovey sea wnd Air ii .- wa for•ted in March 1967 by merging the David Taylor Madei Basin at CizIeniAir, ’ýplr/t]La with ihe...means. Greskovich and Shrier (50) show that polymers also provide drag reduction in two-phase systems such as gas-liquid systems. Medical applications...May 1971). 50. Greskovich, E. J. and A. J. Shrier , "Drag Reduction in Two- Phase Flows," Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (Fundamentals), Vol. 10

Ligase Detection Reaction for the Analysis of Point Mutations using Free Solution Conjugate Electrophoresis in a Polymer Microfluidic Device

PubMed Central

Sinville, Rondedrick; Coyne, Jennifer; Meagher, Robert J.; Cheng, Yu-Wei; Barany, Francis; Barron, Annelise; Soper, Steven A.

2010-01-01

We have developed a new method for the analysis of low abundant point mutations in genomic DNA using a combination of an allele-specific ligase detection reaction (LDR) with free-solution conjugate electrophoresis (FSCE) to generate and analyze the genetic products. FSCE eliminates the need for a polymer sieving matrix by conjugating chemically synthesized polyamide “drag-tags” onto the LDR primers. The additional drag of the charge-neutral drag-tag breaks the linear scaling of the charge-to-friction ratio of DNA and enables size-based separations of DNA in free solution using electrophoresis with no sieving matrix. We successfully demonstrate the conjugation of polyamide drag-tags onto a set of four LDR primers designed to probe the K-ras oncogene for mutations highly associated with colorectal cancer, the simultaneous generation of fluorescently-labeled LDR/drag-tagged (LDR-dt) products in a multiplexed, single-tube format with mutant:wild-type ratios as low as 1:100, respectively, and the single-base, high-resolution separation of all four LDR-dt products. Separations were conducted in free solution with no polymer network using both a commercial capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) system and a poly(methylmethacrylate), PMMA, microchip replicated via hot-embossing with only a Tris-based running buffer containing additives to suppress the electroosmotic flow (EOF). Typical analysis times for LDR-dt conjugates were 11 min using the CAE system and as low as 85 s for the PMMA microchips. With resolution comparable to traditional gel-based CAE, FSCE along with microchip electrophoresis decreased the separation time by more than a factor of 40. PMID:19053073

Geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor in viscoelastic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameduddin, Ismail; Meneveau, Charles; Zaki, Tamer A.; Gayme, Dennice F.

2018-05-01

This work introduces a mathematical approach to analysing the polymer dynamics in turbulent viscoelastic flows that uses a new geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor, along with associated scalar measures of the polymer fluctuations. The approach circumvents an inherent difficulty in traditional Reynolds decompositions of the conformation tensor: the fluctuating tensor fields are not positive-definite and so do not retain the physical meaning of the tensor. The geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor yields both mean and fluctuating tensor fields that are positive-definite. The fluctuating tensor in the present decomposition has a clear physical interpretation as a polymer deformation relative to the mean configuration. Scalar measures of this fluctuating conformation tensor are developed based on the non-Euclidean geometry of the set of positive-definite tensors. Drag-reduced viscoelastic turbulent channel flow is then used an example case study. The conformation tensor field, obtained using direct numerical simulations, is analysed using the proposed framework.

Protective effects of drag-reducing polymers in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Wang, Yali; Hu, Feng; Mu, Xiaoyan; Wu, Feng; Yang, Dechun; Zheng, Guixiang; Sun, Xiaoning; Gong, Kaizheng; Zhang, Zhengang

2016-01-27

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) are blood-soluble macromolecules which may increase blood flow and reduce vascular resistance. The purpose of the present study was to observe the effect of DRPs on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the rat model. A total of 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (pulmonary hypertension model + DRP treatment); Group II (pulmonary hypertension model + saline treatment); Group III (control + DRP treatment); Group IV (control + saline treatment). After five weeks, comparisons were made of the following indices: survival rate, body weight, blood pressure, right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, wall thickness of pulmonary arteries, the internal diameter of small pulmonary arteries, plasma IL-1β and IL-6. The survival rate after 5 weeks varied significantly across all groups (P=0.013), but the survival rates of Groups I and II were not statistically significantly different. Administration of DRP (intravenous injection twice weekly) attenuated the PH-induced increase in right ventricular systolic pressure and suppressed the increases in right ventricular (RV) weight and the ratio of right ventricular weight to left ventricle plus septum weight (RV/LV + S). DRP treatment also significantly decreased the wall thickness of pulmonary arteries, augmented the internal diameter of small pulmonary arteries, and suppressed increases in the plasma levels of IL-1β and IL-6. DRP treatment with intravenous injection effectively inhibited the development of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in the rat model. DRPs may have potential application for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.

Elasto-inertial turbulence in straight pipes at low Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choueiri, George; Hof, Björn

2017-11-01

An early point of contention in the study of polymer drag reduction had been whether polymers delay transition to turbulence or cause it to occur at earlier Reynolds numbers (Re). Recent results have shown that at low polymer concentrations, the subcritical transition to Newtonian type turbulence (NTT) is delayed; however at higher concentrations an elastic instability is encountered which results in a distinct flow state dubbed elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT). Here transition is continuous, fluctuation and friction levels are considerably lower than those for NTT and flow structures are qualitatively different. Several factors can influence the necessary Re for transition to occur for a specific polymer concentration; these include the type of polymer, its molecular weight, the solution viscosity and the proximity of the wall boundaries. By controlling these factors, we have found that chaotic motions can be measured at Re of the order of 1 even in straight smooth pipes as opposed to curved microchannels where curved streamlines cause a purely elastic instability. Furthermore we found that low-Re EIT is closely connected to turbulence that exists on the maximum drag reduction asymptote for polymer solutions with Re several orders of magnitude higher.

Preparation, anti-biofouling and drag-reduction properties of a biomimetic shark skin surface

PubMed Central

Pu, Xia; Li, Guangji; Huang, Hanlu

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Shark skin surfaces show non-smoothness characteristics due to the presence of a riblet structure. In this study, biomimetic shark skin was prepared by using the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-embedded elastomeric stamping (PEES) method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the surface microstructure and fine structure of shark skin and biomimetic shark skin. To analyse the hydrophobic mechanism of the shark skin surface microstructure, the effect of biomimetic shark skin surface microstructure on surface wettability was evaluated by recording water contact angle. Additionally, protein adhesion experiments and anti-algae adhesion performance testing experiments were used to investigate and evaluate the anti-biofouling properties of the surface microstructure of biomimetic shark skin. The recorded values of the water contact angle of differently microstructured surfaces revealed that specific microstructures have certain effects on surface wettability. The anti-biofouling properties of the biomimetic shark skin surface with microstructures were superior to a smooth surface using the same polymers as substrates. Moreover, the air layer fixed on the surface of the biomimetic shark skin was found to play a key role in their antibiont adhesion property. An experiment into drag reduction was also conducted. Based on the experimental results, the microstructured surface of the prepared biomimetic shark skin played a significant role in reducing drag. The maximum of drag reduction rate is 12.5%, which is higher than the corresponding maximum drag reduction rate of membrane material with a smooth surface. PMID:26941105

Preparation, anti-biofouling and drag-reduction properties of a biomimetic shark skin surface.

PubMed

Pu, Xia; Li, Guangji; Huang, Hanlu

2016-04-15

Shark skin surfaces show non-smoothness characteristics due to the presence of a riblet structure. In this study, biomimetic shark skin was prepared by using the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-embedded elastomeric stamping (PEES) method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the surface microstructure and fine structure of shark skin and biomimetic shark skin. To analyse the hydrophobic mechanism of the shark skin surface microstructure, the effect of biomimetic shark skin surface microstructure on surface wettability was evaluated by recording water contact angle. Additionally, protein adhesion experiments and anti-algae adhesion performance testing experiments were used to investigate and evaluate the anti-biofouling properties of the surface microstructure of biomimetic shark skin. The recorded values of the water contact angle of differently microstructured surfaces revealed that specific microstructures have certain effects on surface wettability. The anti-biofouling properties of the biomimetic shark skin surface with microstructures were superior to a smooth surface using the same polymers as substrates. Moreover, the air layer fixed on the surface of the biomimetic shark skin was found to play a key role in their antibiont adhesion property. An experiment into drag reduction was also conducted. Based on the experimental results, the microstructured surface of the prepared biomimetic shark skin played a significant role in reducing drag. The maximum of drag reduction rate is 12.5%, which is higher than the corresponding maximum drag reduction rate of membrane material with a smooth surface. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Drag reduction of nata de coco suspensions in circular pipe flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warashina, J.; Ogata, S.

2015-04-01

Reducing pipe friction by adding a drag-reducing agent has attracted interest as a means to reduce energy consumption. In addition to reducing drag, these agents are required to have a low environmental load and conserve natural resources. However, no drag-reducing agent currently satisfies both these conditions. We focused on nata de coco and found that the nata de coco fiber reduced drag by up to 25%. With respect to the mechanism of drag reduction by nata de coco fiber, the relationship between drag-reduction phenomena and the fiber form of nata de coco was investigated by visualization. We also found that the drag-reduction effect appeared to be due to the formation of networks of tangled fibers of nata de coco. However, drag reduction did not occur in the case in which fibers of nata de coco did not form networks.

Effects of a drag-reducing polyelectrolyte of microscopic linear dimension (Separan AP-273) on rat hemodynamics.

PubMed

Coleman, P B; Ottenbreit, B T; Polimeni, P I

1987-12-01

Separan AP-273, a polydisperse, high molecular weight (10(5)-10(7) dalton range), anionic polyacrylamide, demonstrates polymer drag reduction (Toms effect) in the flows of several substances including blood. That is, under appropriate conditions, pipe flow can be increased markedly for a given pressure gradient, sometimes threefold or more, by nanomolar concentrations of linear macropolymers. The effect of intact and degraded Separan was tested in the open-chest, anesthetized rat, and left ventricular and carotid pressures, aortic blood flow (electromagnetic flow probe on ascending aorta), and the electrocardiogram were recorded. The results indicate that aortic flow, which in control animals was about half the flow reported for conscious rats, increases markedly after injection of Separan. The effect on blood pressure after an initial fall was variable, but the slope of arterial diastolic pressure was consistently steepened. Electrocardiographic changes were unremarkable except for a slow decline in heart rate. Although secondary reflexes undoubtedly influenced the results, the primary mechanism of the polymer appears to involve a reduced resistance to flow. The results are compatible with the proposal that the Toms effect, or some variant of it, is operative in vivo under favorable conditions. If this view is correct, then Separan and two other chemically different macropolymers with similar hemodynamic effects and physical attributes, i.e., linearity and molecular lengths approaching 100 micron, might be prototypes of a novel category of cardiovascular drugs.

Spatial-Temporal dynamics of Newtonian and viscoelastic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sung-Ning; Graham, Michael

2015-11-01

Introducing a trace amount of polymer into liquid turbulent flows can result in substantial reduction of friction drag. This phenomenon has been widely used in fluid transport, such as the Alaska crude oil pipeline. However, the mechanism is not well understood. We conduct direct numerical simulations of Newtonian and viscoelastic turbulence in large domains, in which the flow shows different characteristics in different regions. In some areas the drag is low and vortex motions are quiescent, while in other areas the drag is higher and the motions are more active. To identify these regions, we apply a statistical method, k-means clustering, which partitions the observations into k clusters by assigning each observation to its nearest centroid. The resulting partition maximizes the between-cluster variance. In the simulations, the observations are the instantaneous wall shear rate. Regions with different levels of drag are automatically identified by the partitioning algorithm. We find that the velocity profiles of the centroids exhibit characteristics similar to the individual coherent structures observed in minimal domain simulations. In addition, as viscoelasticity increases, polymer stretch becomes strongly correlated with wall shear stress. This work was supported by NSF grant CBET-1510291.

Effect of polymer additives on characteristics of direct-current motor with liquid dielectric filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V. I.; Bashkatova, S. T.; Lubsanova, A. A.; Tokarev, S. B.; Zadaroshnaya, G. N.; Pastukhova, I. N.

1984-11-01

In d.c. motors filled with dielectric of the hydrocarbon kind hydrodynamic losses can constitute up to 40% of the total losses. Consequently, a study was made to determine the proper additive and amount to reduce the hydraulic drag without dehomogenizing the liquid filler over long operating periods. Two polymethacrylates, never before used for this application were selected. Two motors of different size, a 0.8 kW DPK and a 6 kW DPK, were tested in kerosene with 0.005-1.0 wt% of these additives. An evaluation of the data, including the hydraulic drag coefficient as a function of the Reynolds number and the temperature rise at critical motor components (armature winding in slots, armature endturns on drive side, armature teeth, liquid in interpolar space, field winding, pole pieces) with or without additive, has yielded the optimum range of additive concentration for each motor size. An evaluation of the heat transfer at critical surfaces, with the aid of dimensional analysis, has yielded the semiempirical relation Nu=CRe0.65Pr0.4Km (C- constant factor different for each surface, Km- constant factor with exponent different for each additive polymer materials). The results can be extended to transformer oil and diesel oil as liquid motor-filling medium.

Mega-supramolecules for safer, cleaner fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornfield, Julie

Guided by the statistical mechanics of ring-chain equilibrium, we designed and synthesized polymers that self-assemble into ``mega-supramolecules'' (>=5,000 kg/mol) at low concentration (<=0.3%wt) in hydrocarbon liquids. Experimental results accord with model predictions that end-functional polymers, which distribute among cyclic and linear supramolecules, can form a significant population of mega-supramolecules at low total polymer concentration--if, and only if , the backbones are long (>400 kg/mol) and end-association strength is optimal (16-18kT). Hydrocarbon liquid fuels are the world's dominant power source (34% of global energy consumption). Transportation relies heavily on such liquids, presenting the risk of explosive post-impact fires. The collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 inspired us to revisit polymers for mist control to mitigate post-impact fuel explosions. Rheological and both light and neutron scattering measurements of long end-functional polymers having polycyclooctadiene backbones and acid or amine end groups verify formation of mega-supramolecules. Post-impact flame propagations experiments show that mega-supramolecules control misting. Turbulent flow measurements show that mega-supramolecules reduce drag like ultra-long covalent polymers. With individual building blocks short enough to avoid hydrodynamic chain scission (400

Biochemical And Genetic Modification Of Polysaccharides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kern, Roger G.; Petersen, Gene R.; Richards, Gil F.

1993-01-01

Bacteriophages producing endopolysaccharase-type enzymes used to produce, isolate, and purify high yields of modified polysaccharides from polysaccharides produced by, and incorporated into capsules of, certain bacteria. Bacteriophages used in conversion of native polysaccharide materials into polymers of nearly uniform high molecular weight or, alternatively, into highly pure oligosaccharides. Also used in genetic selection of families of polysaccharides structurally related to native polysaccharide materials, but having altered properties. Resulting new polysaccharides and oligosaccharides prove useful in variety of products, including pharmaceutical chemicals, coating materials, biologically active carbohydrates, and drag-reducing additives for fluids.

A novel hydrodynamic approach of drag-reducing polymers to improve left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinlu; Wang, Xu; Hu, Feng; Zhou, Boda; Chen, Hai-Bin; Zha, Daogang; Liu, Yili; Guo, Yansong; Zheng, Lemin; Xiu, Jiancheng

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs), when added in minute concentrations, have been shown to decrease peripheral vascular resistance. In this study, the effect of DRPs on the hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling was evaluated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Male SHR and age-matched Wistar rats were divided into four groups and received intravenous injection of normal saline (NS) or DRPs. Body weight (BW), heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the changes in left ventricle (LV) function and global wall motion. The LV and aorta were stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Cell size of cardiomyocytes and aortic medial thickness were evaluated for each section. The expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) of LV and aorta was examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. There was no significant difference in the increase of SBP among SHR + NS, SHR + 10DRP and SHR + 20DRP groups. SHR + NS group had markedly smaller left ventricular end-systolic diameter and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter but bigger anterior and posterior systolic wall thicknesses, while there was no significant difference in fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of cardiomyocytes and the medial thickness of the aorta in SHR + 10 (ppm) DRP and SHR + 20 (ppm) DRP groups were significantly reduced compared with SHR + NS group. The expression of ET-1 in SHR + 10DRP and SHR + 20DRP groups was significantly attenuated. These results suggest that chronic treatment with DRPs can protect against left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling. DRPs may offer a new approach to the treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling caused by hypertension.

A novel hydrodynamic approach of drag-reducing polymers to improve left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xinlu; Wang, Xu; Hu, Feng; Zhou, Boda; Chen, Hai-Bin; Zha, Daogang; Liu, Yili; Guo, Yansong; Zheng, Lemin; Xiu, Jiancheng

2016-01-01

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs), when added in minute concentrations, have been shown to decrease peripheral vascular resistance. In this study, the effect of DRPs on the hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling was evaluated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Male SHR and age-matched Wistar rats were divided into four groups and received intravenous injection of normal saline (NS) or DRPs. Body weight (BW), heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the changes in left ventricle (LV) function and global wall motion. The LV and aorta were stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Cell size of cardiomyocytes and aortic medial thickness were evaluated for each section. The expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) of LV and aorta was examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. There was no significant difference in the increase of SBP among SHR + NS, SHR + 10DRP and SHR + 20DRP groups. SHR + NS group had markedly smaller left ventricular end-systolic diameter and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter but bigger anterior and posterior systolic wall thicknesses, while there was no significant difference in fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of cardiomyocytes and the medial thickness of the aorta in SHR + 10 (ppm) DRP and SHR + 20 (ppm) DRP groups were significantly reduced compared with SHR + NS group. The expression of ET-1 in SHR + 10DRP and SHR + 20DRP groups was significantly attenuated. These results suggest that chronic treatment with DRPs can protect against left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling. DRPs may offer a new approach to the treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic remodeling caused by hypertension. PMID:28008249

Ciliary propulsion of objects in tubes: wall drag on swimming Tetrahymena (Ciliata) in the presence of mucin and other long-chain polymers.

PubMed

Winet, H

1976-04-01

The lubrication effect of three long-chain polymers - mucin, methylcellulose and Ficoll - on ciliary propulsion in tubes is measured by plotting the relative velocities of swimming cilitates as a function of the tube bore diameter. Mucin shows the most unequivocal lubrication, which is found at concentrations between 0% and 9.1% (w/v). This observation, coupled with viscometric measurements which show that ciliary tip shear rates are sufficient to solate mucin, serve as the groundwork for a model of mucin lubrication which explains the optimized lubrication behaviour of thixotropic gelating polymers as an expression of the response to shear by the various stages of polymer clustering during the gelatin process. In addition to the lubricative effect, another wall drag reduction effect by mucin was measured in the clearance region beyond the lubrication layer. This apparent viscosity reduction is optimized in the concentration range between I.7% and 4.I% mucin and may also be explained in terms of the properties of gel clustering.

Dynamics and Control of Newtonian and Viscoelastic Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieu, Binh K.

Transition to turbulence represents one of the most intriguing natural phenomena. Flows that are smooth and ordered may become complex and disordered as the flow strength increases. This process is known as transition to turbulence. In this dissertation, we develop theoretical and computational tools for analysis and control of transition and turbulence in shear flows of Newtonian, such as air and water, and complex viscoelastic fluids, such as polymers and molten plastics. Part I of the dissertation is devoted to the design and verification of sensor-free and feedback-based strategies for controlling the onset of turbulence in channel flows of Newtonian fluids. We use high fidelity simulations of the nonlinear flow dynamics to demonstrate the effectiveness of our model-based approach to flow control design. In Part II, we utilize systems theoretic tools to study transition and turbulence in channel flows of viscoelastic fluids. For flows with strong elastic forces, we demonstrate that flow fluctuations can experience significant amplification even in the absence of inertia. We use our theoretical developments to uncover the underlying physical mechanism that leads to this high amplification. For turbulent flows with polymer additives, we develop a model-based method for analyzing the influence of polymers on drag reduction. We demonstrate that our approach predicts drag reducing trends observed in full-scale numerical simulations. In Part III, we develop mathematical framework and computational tools for calculating frequency responses of spatially distributed systems. Using state-of-the-art automatic spectral collocation techniques and new integral formulation, we show that our approach yields more reliable and accurate solutions than currently available methods.

Copolymers for Drag Reduction in Marie Propulsion: New Molecular Structures with Enhanced Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-31

Soluble Polymers: Synthesis, Solution Properties, and Applications, ACS Symposium Series 467, Chapter 22, page 338 (1991). "Molecular- Weight -Distribution...Mississippi 39406-0076 at room temperature to remove low molecular weight polymers and excess KOH. The final products were obtained by freeze-drying...polyelectrolytes due to the presence of the were conducted on a Contraves LS 30 low shear rheometer at a shear long hydrophobic side chains in the polymer

Wind-Tunnel Investigations of Blunt-Body Drag Reduction Using Forebody Surface Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Sprague, Stephanie; Naughton, Jonathan W.; Curry, Robert E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper presents results of wind-tunnel tests that demonstrate a novel drag reduction technique for blunt-based vehicles. For these tests, the forebody roughness of a blunt-based model was modified using micomachined surface overlays. As forebody roughness increases, boundary layer at the model aft thickens and reduces the shearing effect of external flow on the separated flow behind the base region, resulting in reduced base drag. For vehicle configurations with large base drag, existing data predict that a small increment in forebody friction drag will result in a relatively large decrease in base drag. If the added increment in forebody skin drag is optimized with respect to base drag, reducing the total drag of the configuration is possible. The wind-tunnel tests results conclusively demonstrate the existence of a forebody dragbase drag optimal point. The data demonstrate that the base drag coefficient corresponding to the drag minimum lies between 0.225 and 0.275, referenced to the base area. Most importantly, the data show a drag reduction of approximately 15% when the drag optimum is reached. When this drag reduction is scaled to the X-33 base area, drag savings approaching 45,000 N (10,000 lbf) can be realized.

Dynamics of Nanoparticles in Entangled Polymer Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nath, Pooja; Mangal, Rahul; Kohle, Ferdinand

The mean square displacement < r 2 > of nanoparticle probes dispersed in simple isotropic liquids and in polymer solutions is interrogated using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single-particle tracking (SPT) experiments. Probe dynamics in different regimes of particle diameter (d), relative to characteristic polymer length scales, including the correlation length (ξ), the entanglement mesh size (a), and the radius of gyration (R g), are investigated. In simple fluids and for polymer solutions in which d >> R g, long-time particle dynamics obey random-walk statistics < r 2 >:t, with the bulk zero-shear viscosity of the polymer solution determining the frictionalmore » resistance to particle motion. In contrast, in polymer solutions with d < R g, polymer molecules in solution exert noncontinuum resistances to particle motion and nanoparticle probes appear to interact hydrodynamically only with a local fluid medium with effective drag comparable to that of a solution of polymer chain segments with sizes similar to those of the nanoparticle probes. Under these conditions, the nanoparticles exhibit orders of magnitude faster dynamics than those expected from continuum predictions based on the Stokes–Einstein relation. SPT measurements further show that when d > a, nanoparticle dynamics transition from diffusive to subdiffusive on long timescales, reminiscent of particle transport in a field with obstructions. This last finding is in stark contrast to the nanoparticle dynamics observed in entangled polymer melts, where X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy measurements reveal faster but hyperdiffusive dynamics. As a result, we analyze these results with the help of the hopping model for particle dynamics in polymers proposed by Cai et al. and, on that basis, discuss the physical origins of the local drag experienced by the nanoparticles in entangled polymer solutions.« less

Dynamics of Nanoparticles in Entangled Polymer Solutions

DOE PAGES

Nath, Pooja; Mangal, Rahul; Kohle, Ferdinand; ...

2017-12-01

The mean square displacement < r 2 > of nanoparticle probes dispersed in simple isotropic liquids and in polymer solutions is interrogated using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single-particle tracking (SPT) experiments. Probe dynamics in different regimes of particle diameter (d), relative to characteristic polymer length scales, including the correlation length (ξ), the entanglement mesh size (a), and the radius of gyration (R g), are investigated. In simple fluids and for polymer solutions in which d >> R g, long-time particle dynamics obey random-walk statistics < r 2 >:t, with the bulk zero-shear viscosity of the polymer solution determining the frictionalmore » resistance to particle motion. In contrast, in polymer solutions with d < R g, polymer molecules in solution exert noncontinuum resistances to particle motion and nanoparticle probes appear to interact hydrodynamically only with a local fluid medium with effective drag comparable to that of a solution of polymer chain segments with sizes similar to those of the nanoparticle probes. Under these conditions, the nanoparticles exhibit orders of magnitude faster dynamics than those expected from continuum predictions based on the Stokes–Einstein relation. SPT measurements further show that when d > a, nanoparticle dynamics transition from diffusive to subdiffusive on long timescales, reminiscent of particle transport in a field with obstructions. This last finding is in stark contrast to the nanoparticle dynamics observed in entangled polymer melts, where X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy measurements reveal faster but hyperdiffusive dynamics. As a result, we analyze these results with the help of the hopping model for particle dynamics in polymers proposed by Cai et al. and, on that basis, discuss the physical origins of the local drag experienced by the nanoparticles in entangled polymer solutions.« less

Method for reducing the drag of blunt-based vehicles by adaptively increasing forebody roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A. (Inventor); Saltzman, Edwin J. (Inventor); Moes, Timothy R. (Inventor); Iliff, Kenneth W. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A method for reducing drag upon a blunt-based vehicle by adaptively increasing forebody roughness to increase drag at the roughened area of the forebody, which results in a decrease in drag at the base of this vehicle, and in total vehicle drag.

A Reassessment of Heavy-Duty Truck Aerodynamic Design Features and Priorities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Edwin J.; Meyer, Robert R., Jr.

1999-01-01

Between 1973 and 1982, the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center conducted "coast-down" tests demonstrating means for reducing the drag of trucks, buses, and motor homes. Numerous configurations were evaluated using a box-shaped test van, a two-axle truck, and a tractor-semitrailer combination. Results from three configurations of the test van are of interest now in view of a trucking industry goal of a 0.25 drag coefficient for tractor-semitrailer combinations. Two test van configurations with blunt-base geometry, similar to present day trucks (one configuration has square front comers and the other has rounded front comers), quantify the base drag increase associated with reduced forebody drag. Hoemer's equations predict this trend; however, test van results, reinforced by large-scale air vehicle data, indicate that Hoemer's formula greatly underestimates this dependence of base drag on forebody efficiency. The demonstrated increase in base drag associated with forebody refinement indicates that the goal of a 0.25 drag coefficient will not be achieved without also reducing afterbody drag. A third configuration of the test van had a truncated boattail to reduce afterbody drag and achieved a drag coefficient of 0.242. These results are included here and references are identified for other means of reducing afterbody drag.

Maximum drag reduction asymptotes and the cross-over to the Newtonian plug

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benzi, R.; de Angelis, E.; L'Vov, V. S.; Procaccia, I.; Tiberkevich, V.

2006-03-01

We employ the full FENE-P model of the hydrodynamics of a dilute polymer solution to derive a theoretical approach to drag reduction in wall-bounded turbulence. We recapture the results of a recent simplified theory which derived the universal maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote, and complement that theory with a discussion of the cross-over from the MDR to the Newtonian plug when the drag reduction saturates. The FENE-P model gives rise to a rather complex theory due to the interaction of the velocity field with the polymeric conformation tensor, making analytic estimates quite taxing. To overcome this we develop the theory in a computer-assisted manner, checking at each point the analytic estimates by direct numerical simulations (DNS) of viscoelastic turbulence in a channel.

Method for Reducing the Drag of Increasing Forebody Roughness Blunt-Based Vehicles by Adaptively Increasing Forebody Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A. (Inventor); Saltzman, Edwin J. (Inventor); Moes, Timothy R. (Inventor); Iliff, Kenneth W. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A method for reducing drag upon a blunt-based vehicle by adaptively increasing forebody roughness to increase drag at the roughened area of the forebody, which results in a decrease in drag at the base of this vehicle, and in total vehicle drag.

Reducing cylinder drag by adding a plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, Vladimir A.; Kozlova, Anna S.

2017-10-01

Reducing the drag of bodies is a central problem of modern aerohydrodynamics. The paper presents theoretical and experimental studies of a new method for reducing the drag of a circular cylinder. To reduce the drag we propose to install a flat plate along the flow in front of the cylinder. The theoretical investigation of the drag was carried out using FlowSimulation software. An experimental study of the body drag was performed in an open wind tunnel. The drag coefficient results of the cylinder depended on the different locations of the flat plate relative to the cylinder. The following geometric characteristics of the cylinder/plate are studied: the width of the gap between the cylinder and the plate and the meridional angle of the plate with respect to the cylinder. On the basis of Numerical and Physical Modeling, the values of the drag coefficient for the cylinder/plate are presented. The results included establishment the locations of the cylinder/plate which give the value of the drag coefficient for the combination of the two bodies. That total drag coefficient of the cylinder/plate can be less than the cylinder alone.

On the mechanism of elasto-inertial turbulence.

PubMed

Dubief, Yves; Terrapon, Vincent E; Soria, Julio

2013-11-01

Elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) is a new state of turbulence found in inertial flows with polymer additives. The dynamics of turbulence generated and controlled by such additives is investigated from the perspective of the coupling between polymer dynamics and flow structures. Direct numerical simulations of channel flow with Reynolds numbers ranging from 1000 to 6000 (based on the bulk and the channel height) are used to study the formation and dynamics of elastic instabilities and their effects on the flow. The flow topology of EIT is found to differ significantly from Newtonian wall-turbulence. Structures identified by positive (rotational flow topology) and negative (extensional/compressional flow topology) second invariant Q a isosurfaces of the velocity gradient are cylindrical and aligned in the spanwise direction. Polymers are significantly stretched in sheet-like regions that extend in the streamwise direction with a small upward tilt. The Q a cylindrical structures emerge from the sheets of high polymer extension, in a mechanism of energy transfer from the fluctuations of the polymer stress work to the turbulent kinetic energy. At subcritical Reynolds numbers, EIT is observed at modest Weissenberg number ( Wi , ratio polymer relaxation time to viscous time scale). For supercritical Reynolds numbers, flows approach EIT at large Wi . EIT provides new insights on the nature of the asymptotic state of polymer drag reduction (maximum drag reduction), and explains the phenomenon of early turbulence, or onset of turbulence at lower Reynolds numbers than for Newtonian flows observed in some polymeric flows.

On the mechanism of elasto-inertial turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubief, Yves; Terrapon, Vincent E.; Soria, Julio

2013-11-01

Elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) is a new state of turbulence found in inertial flows with polymer additives. The dynamics of turbulence generated and controlled by such additives is investigated from the perspective of the coupling between polymer dynamics and flow structures. Direct numerical simulations of channel flow with Reynolds numbers ranging from 1000 to 6000 (based on the bulk and the channel height) are used to study the formation and dynamics of elastic instabilities and their effects on the flow. The flow topology of EIT is found to differ significantly from Newtonian wall-turbulence. Structures identified by positive (rotational flow topology) and negative (extensional/compressional flow topology) second invariant Qa isosurfaces of the velocity gradient are cylindrical and aligned in the spanwise direction. Polymers are significantly stretched in sheet-like regions that extend in the streamwise direction with a small upward tilt. The Qa cylindrical structures emerge from the sheets of high polymer extension, in a mechanism of energy transfer from the fluctuations of the polymer stress work to the turbulent kinetic energy. At subcritical Reynolds numbers, EIT is observed at modest Weissenberg number (Wi, ratio polymer relaxation time to viscous time scale). For supercritical Reynolds numbers, flows approach EIT at large Wi. EIT provides new insights on the nature of the asymptotic state of polymer drag reduction (maximum drag reduction), and explains the phenomenon of early turbulence, or onset of turbulence at lower Reynolds numbers than for Newtonian flows observed in some polymeric flows.

On the mechanism of elasto-inertial turbulence

PubMed Central

Dubief, Yves; Terrapon, Vincent E.; Soria, Julio

2013-01-01

Elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) is a new state of turbulence found in inertial flows with polymer additives. The dynamics of turbulence generated and controlled by such additives is investigated from the perspective of the coupling between polymer dynamics and flow structures. Direct numerical simulations of channel flow with Reynolds numbers ranging from 1000 to 6000 (based on the bulk and the channel height) are used to study the formation and dynamics of elastic instabilities and their effects on the flow. The flow topology of EIT is found to differ significantly from Newtonian wall-turbulence. Structures identified by positive (rotational flow topology) and negative (extensional/compressional flow topology) second invariant Qa isosurfaces of the velocity gradient are cylindrical and aligned in the spanwise direction. Polymers are significantly stretched in sheet-like regions that extend in the streamwise direction with a small upward tilt. The Qa cylindrical structures emerge from the sheets of high polymer extension, in a mechanism of energy transfer from the fluctuations of the polymer stress work to the turbulent kinetic energy. At subcritical Reynolds numbers, EIT is observed at modest Weissenberg number (Wi, ratio polymer relaxation time to viscous time scale). For supercritical Reynolds numbers, flows approach EIT at large Wi. EIT provides new insights on the nature of the asymptotic state of polymer drag reduction (maximum drag reduction), and explains the phenomenon of early turbulence, or onset of turbulence at lower Reynolds numbers than for Newtonian flows observed in some polymeric flows. PMID:24170968

Spatial-temporal dynamics of Newtonian and viscoelastic turbulence in channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sung-Ning; Shekar, Ashwin; Graham, Michael

2016-11-01

Introducing a trace amount of polymer into liquid turbulent flows can result in substantial reduction of friction drag. This phenomenon has been widely used in fluid transport; however, the mechanism is not well understood. Past studies have found that in minimal domain turbulent simulations, there areoccasional time periods when flow exhibits features such as weaker vortices, lower friction drag and larger log-law slope; these have been denoted as "hibernatingturbulence". Here we address the question of whether similar behavior arises spatio-temporally in extended domains, focusing on turbulence at friction Reynolds numbers near transition and Weissenberg numbers resulting in low-medium drag reduction. By using image analysis and conditional sampling tools, we identify the hibernating states in extended domains and show that they display striking similarity as those in minimal domains. The hibernating states among different Weissenberg numbers exhibit similar flow statistics, suggesting they are unaltered by low to medium viscoelasticity. In addition, the polymer is much less stretched during hibernation. Finally, these hibernating states vanish as Reynolds number increases. However, they reoccur and gradually become dominant with increasing viscoelasticity.

Temporal and spatial intermittencies within Newtonian turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushwaha, Anubhav; Graham, Michael

2015-11-01

Direct numerical simulations of a pressure driven turbulent flow are performed in a large rectangular channel. Intermittent high- and low-drag regimes within turbulence that have earlier been found to exist temporally in minimal channels have been observed both spatially and temporally in full-size turbulent flows. These intermittent regimes, namely, ''active'' and ''hibernating'' turbulence, display very different structural and statistical features. We adopt a very simple sampling technique to identify these intermittent intervals, both temporally and spatially, and present differences between them in terms of simple quantities like mean-velocity, wall-shear stress and flow structures. By conditionally sampling of the low wall-shear stress events in particular, we show that the Maximum Drag Reduction (MDR) velocity profile, that occurs in viscoelastic flows, can also be approached in a Newtonian-fluid flow in the absence of any additives. This suggests that the properties of polymer drag reduction are inherent to all flows and their occurrence is just enhanced by the addition of polymers. We also show how the intermittencies within turbulence vary with Reynolds number. The work was supported by AFOSR grant FA9550-15-1-0062.

Analysis and design of planar and non-planar wings for induced drag minimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straussfogel, Dennis M.; Maughmer, Mark D.

1991-01-01

Improvements in the aerodynamic efficiency of commercial transport aircraft will reduce fuel usage with subsequent reduced cost, both monetary and environmental. To this end, the current research is aimed at reducing the overall drag of these aircraft with specific emphasis on reducing the drag generated by the lifting surfaces. The ultimate goal of this program is to create a wing design methodology which optimizes the geometry of the wing for lowest total drag within the constraints of a particular design specification. The components of drag which must be considered include profile drag, and wave drag. Profile drag is dependent upon, among other things, the airfoil section and the total wetted area. Induced drag, which is manifested as energy left in the wake by the trailing vortex system is mostly a function of wing span, but also depends on other geometric wing parameters. Wave drag of the wing, important in the transonic flight regime, is largely affected by the airfoil section, wing sweep, and so forth. The optimization problem is that of assessing the various parameters which contribute to the different components of wing drag, and determining the wing geometry which generates the best overall performance for a given aircraft mission. The primary thrust of the research effort to date was in the study of induced drag. Results from the study are presented.

Quantifying polymer deformation in viscoelastic turbulence: the geometric decomposition and a Riemannian approach to scalar measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameduddin, Ismail; Meneveau, Charles; Zaki, Tamer; Gayme, Dennice

2017-11-01

We develop a new framework to quantify the fluctuating behaviour of the conformation tensor in viscoelastic turbulent flows. This framework addresses two shortcomings of the classical approach based on Reynolds decomposition: the fluctuating part of the conformation tensor is not guaranteed to be positive definite and it does not consistently represent polymer expansions and contractions about the mean. Our approach employs a geometric decomposition that yields a positive-definite fluctuating conformation tensor with a clear physical interpretation as a deformation to the mean conformation. We propose three scalar measures of this fluctuating conformation tensor, which respect the non-Euclidean Riemannian geometry of the manifold of positive-definite tensors: fluctuating polymer volume, geodesic distance from the mean, and an anisotropy measure. We use these scalar quantities to investigate drag-reduced viscoelastic turbulent channel flow. Our approach establishes a systematic method to study viscoelastic turbulence. It also uncovers interesting phenomena that are not apparent using traditional analysis tools, including a logarithmic decrease in anisotropy of the mean conformation tensor away from the wall and polymer fluctuations peaking beyond the buffer layer. This work has been partially funded by the following NSF Grants: CBET-1652244, OCE-1633124, CBET-1511937.

Improving the durability of a drag-reducing nanocoating by enhancing its mechanical stability.

PubMed

Cheng, Mengjiao; Zhang, Songsong; Dong, Hongyu; Han, Shihui; Wei, Hao; Shi, Feng

2015-02-25

The durability of superhydrophobic surface is a major problem to restrict industrial application of superhydrophobic materials from laboratory research, which can be attributed to a more general issue of mechanical stability for superhydrophobic coatings. Therefore, in order to handle this issue, we have fabricated a mechanically stable drag-reducing coating composed of elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and hydrophobic copper particles on model ships, which can resist mechanical abrasion and has displayed a durable drag-reducing effect. In comparison with normal Au superhydrophobic coatings, the as-prepared PDMS/copper coatings showed durable drag reduction performance with a similar drag-reducing rate before (26%) and after (24%) mechanical abrasion. The mechanism for the enhanced mechanical stability and maintained drag reduction of the superhydrophobic surfaces was investigated through characterizations of surface morphology, surface wettability, and water adhesive force evaluation before and after abrasion. This is the first demonstration to realize the application of durable drag reduction by improving the mechanical stability of superhydrophobic coatings. We do believe that superhydrophobic surfaces with good resistance to mechanical abrasion or scratching may draw wide attention and gain significant applications with durable drag-reducing properties.

Chitosan and alginate types of bio-membrane in fuel cell application: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaari, N.; Kamarudin, S. K.

2015-09-01

The major problems of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell technology that need to be highlighted are fuel crossovers (e.g., methanol or hydrogen leaking across fuel cell membranes), CO poisoning, low durability, and high cost. Chitosan and alginate-based biopolymer membranes have recently been used to solve these problems with promising results. Current research in biopolymer membrane materials and systems has focused on the following: 1) the development of novel and efficient biopolymer materials; and 2) increasing the processing capacity of membrane operations. Consequently, chitosan and alginate-based biopolymers seek to enhance fuel cell performance by improving proton conductivity, membrane durability, and reducing fuel crossover and electro-osmotic drag. There are four groups of chitosan-based membranes (categorized according to their reaction and preparation): self-cross-linked and salt-complexed chitosans, chitosan-based polymer blends, chitosan/inorganic filler composites, and chitosan/polymer composites. There are only three alginate-based membranes that have been synthesized for fuel cell application. This work aims to review the state-of-the-art in the growth of chitosan and alginate-based biopolymer membranes for fuel cell applications.

Numerical simulation of non-Newtonian free shear flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homsy, G. M.; Azaiez, J.

1993-01-01

Free shear flows, like those of mixing layers, are encountered in aerodynamics, in the atmosphere, and in the ocean as well as in many industrial applications such as flow reactors or combustion chambers. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the mechanisms governing the process of transition to turbulence in order to predict and control the evolution of the flow. Delaying transition to turbulence as far downstream as possible allows a gain in energy expenditure while accelerating the transition can be of interest in processes where high mixing is desired. Various methods, including the use of polymer additives, can be effective in controlling fluid flows. The drag reduction obtained by the addition of small amounts of high polymers has been an active area of research for the last three decades. It is now widely believed that polymer additives can affect the stability of a large variety of flows and that dilute solutions of these polymers have been shown to produce drag reductions of over 80 percent in internal flows and over 60 percent in external flows under a wide range of conditions. The major thrust of this work is to study the effects of polymer additives on the stability of the incompressible mixing layer through large scale numerical simulations. In particular, we focus on the two dimensional flow and examine how the presence of viscoelasticity may affect the typical structures of the flow, namely roll-up and pairing of vortices.

Strong polymer-turbulence interactions in viscoelastic turbulent channel flow.

PubMed

Dallas, V; Vassilicos, J C; Hewitt, G F

2010-12-01

This paper is focused on the fundamental mechanism(s) of viscoelastic turbulence that leads to polymer-induced turbulent drag reduction phenomenon. A great challenge in this problem is the computation of viscoelastic turbulent flows, since the understanding of polymer physics is restricted to mechanical models. An effective state-of-the-art numerical method to solve the governing equation for polymers modeled as nonlinear springs, without using any artificial assumptions as usual, was implemented here on a three-dimensional channel flow geometry. The capability of this algorithm to capture the strong polymer-turbulence dynamical interactions is depicted on the results, which are much closer qualitatively to experimental observations. This allowed a more detailed study of the polymer-turbulence interactions, which yields an enhanced picture on a mechanism resulting from the polymer-turbulence energy transfers.

Turbulence of polymer solutions.

PubMed

Balkovsky, E; Fouxon, A; Lebedev, V

2001-11-01

We investigate high-Reynolds-number turbulence in dilute polymer solutions. We show the existence of a critical value of the Reynolds number, which separates two different regimes. In the first regime, below the transition, the influence of the polymer molecules on the flow is negligible, so they can be regarded as passively embedded in the flow. This case admits a detailed investigation of the statistics of the polymer elongations. The second state is realized when the Reynolds number is larger than the critical value. This regime is characterized by the strong back reaction of polymers on the flow. We establish some properties of the statistics of the stress and velocity in this regime and discuss its relation to the drag reduction phenomenon.

Flight tests of external modifications used to reduce blunt base drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, Sheryll Goecke

1988-01-01

The effectiveness of a trailing disk (the trapped vortex concept) in reducing the blunt base drag of an 8-in diameter body of revolution was studied from measurements made both in flight and in full-scale wind-tunnel tests. The experiment demonstrated the significant base drag reduction capability of the trailing disk to Mach 0.93. The maximum base drag reduction obtained from a cavity tested on the flight body of revolution was not significant. The effectiveness of a splitter plate and a vented-wall cavity in reducing the base drag of a quasi-two-dimensional fuselage closure was studied from base pressure measurements made in flight. The fuselage closure was between the two engines of the F-111 airplane; therefore, the base pressures were in the presence of jet engine exhaust. For Mach numbers from 1.10 to 1.51, significant base drag reduction was provided by the vented-wall cavity configuration. The splitter plate was not considered effective in reducing base drag at any Mach number tested.

Drag reduction of a hairy disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Jun; Hu, David L.

2011-10-01

We investigate experimentally the hydrodynamics of a hairy disk immersed in a two-dimensional flowing soap film. Drag force is measured as a function of hair length, density, and coating area. An optimum combination of these parameters yields a drag reduction of 17%, which confirms previous numerical predictions (15%). Flow visualization indicates the primary mechanism for drag reduction is the bending, adhesion, and reinforcement of hairs trailing the disk, which reduces wake width and traps "dead water." Thus, the use of hairy coatings can substantially reduce an object's drag while negligibly increasing its weight.

Underwater drag-reducing effect of superhydrophobic submarine model.

PubMed

Zhang, Songsong; Ouyang, Xiao; Li, Jie; Gao, Shan; Han, Shihui; Liu, Lianhe; Wei, Hao

2015-01-01

To address the debates on whether superhydrophobic coatings can reduce fluid drag for underwater motions, we have achieved an underwater drag-reducing effect of large superhydrophobic submarine models with a feature size of 3.5 cm × 3.7 cm × 33.0 cm through sailing experiments of submarine models, modified with and without superhydrophobic surface under similar power supply and experimental conditions. The drag reduction rate reached as high as 15%. The fabrication of superhydrophobic coatings on a large area of submarine model surfaces was realized by immobilizing hydrophobic copper particles onto a precross-linked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. The pre-cross-linking time was optimized at 20 min to obtain good superhydrophobicity for the underwater drag reduction effect by investigating the effect of pre-cross-linking on surface wettability and water adhesive property. We do believe that superhydrophobic coatings may provide a promising application in the field of drag-reducing of vehicle motions on or under the water surface.

A Ground-Based Research Vehicle for Base Drag Studies at Subsonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diebler, Corey; Smith, Mark

2002-01-01

A ground research vehicle (GRV) has been developed to study the base drag on large-scale vehicles at subsonic speeds. Existing models suggest that base drag is dependent upon vehicle forebody drag, and for certain configurations, the total drag of a vehicle can be reduced by increasing its forebody drag. Although these models work well for small projectile shapes, studies have shown that they do not provide accurate predictions when applied to large-scale vehicles. Experiments are underway at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to collect data at Reynolds numbers to a maximum of 3 x 10(exp 7), and to formulate a new model for predicting the base drag of trucks, buses, motor homes, reentry vehicles, and other large-scale vehicles. Preliminary tests have shown errors as great as 70 percent compared to Hoerner's two-dimensional base drag prediction. This report describes the GRV and its capabilities, details the studies currently underway at NASA Dryden, and presents preliminary results of both the effort to formulate a new base drag model and the investigation into a method of reducing total drag by manipulating forebody drag.

Effect of polymer additives on hydrodynamics and oxygen transfer in a bubble column bioreactor.

PubMed

Kawase, Y

1993-01-01

The influence of polymer additives (polyethylene oxide and polyacrylamide) on the hydrodynamics and oxygen transfer in a bubble column bioreactor was examined. The addition of small amounts of these polymers has been known to cause significant drag reduction in turbulent flow circumstances. The gas hold-up was slightly decreased and the liquid-phase mixing was somewhat enhanced due to the addition of the polymers. The addition of polymer additives brought about a reduction of the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient by about 40%. In dilute polymer solutions, large bubbles formed by bubble coalescence moved with high rise velocities in the presence of many small bubbles and the bubble size distributions were less uniform compared with those in water. The complicated changes in bubble hydrodynamic characteristics were examined to give possible explanations for oxygen transfer reduction.

Experimental assessment of spanwise-oscillating dielectric electroactive surfaces for turbulent drag reduction in an air channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, Davide; Güttler, Andreas; Frohnapfel, Bettina; Tropea, Cameron

2015-05-01

In the present work, wall oscillations for turbulent skin friction drag reduction are realized in an air turbulent duct flow by means of spanwise-oscillating active surfaces based on dielectric electroactive polymers. The actuator system produces spanwise wall velocity oscillations of 820 mm/s semi-amplitude at its resonance frequency of 65 Hz while consuming an active power of a few 100 mW. The actuators achieved a maximum integral drag reduction of 2.4 %. The maximum net power saving, budget of the power benefit and cost of the control, was measured for the first time with wall oscillations. Though negative, the net power saving is order of magnitudes higher than what has been estimated in previous studies. Two new direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow show that the finite size of the actuator only partially explains the lower values of integral drag reduction typically achieved in laboratory experiments compared to numerical simulations.

Numerical calculation of boundary layers and wake characteristics of high-speed trains with different lengths

PubMed Central

Zhou, Dan; Niu, Jiqiang

2017-01-01

Trains with different numbers of cars running in the open air were simulated using the delayed detached-eddy simulation (DDES). The numbers of cars included in the simulation are 3, 4, 5 and 8. The aim of this study was to investigate how train length influences the boundary layer, the wake flow, the surface pressure, the aerodynamic drag and the friction drag. To certify the accuracy of the mesh and methods, the drag coefficients from numerical simulation of trains with 3 cars were compared with those from the wind tunnel test, and agreement was obtained. The results show that the boundary layer is thicker and the wake vortices are less symmetric as the train length increases. As a result, train length greatly affects pressure. The upper surface pressure of the tail car reduced by 2.9%, the side surface pressure of the tail car reduced by 8.3% and the underneath surface pressure of the tail car reduced by 19.7% in trains that included 3 cars to those including 8 cars. In addition, train length also has a significant effect on the friction drag coefficient and the drag coefficient. The friction drag coefficient of each car in a configuration decreases along the length of the train. In a comparison between trains consisting of 3 cars to those consisting of 8 cars, the friction drag coefficient of the tail car reduced by 8.6% and the drag coefficient of the tail car reduced by 3.7%. PMID:29261758

Kevlar/PMR-15 reduced drag DC-9 reverser stang fairing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kawai, R. T.

1982-01-01

A reduced drag fairing for the afterbody enclosing the thrust reverser actuators on the DC-9 has been developed with Kevlar-49/PMR-15 advanced composite material. The improved fairing reduces airplane drag 1% compared to the production baseline. Use of composites reduces weight 40% compared to an equivalent metal fairing. The Kevlar-49/PMR-15 advanced composite is an organic matrix material system that can be used at temperatures up to 500 F.

Dynamics of falling droplet and elongational properties of dilute nonionic surfactant solutions with drag-reducing ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamano, Shinji; Ohashi, Yota; Morinishi, Yohei

2017-05-01

The dynamics of the falling droplet through a nozzle for dilute nonionic surfactant (oleyl-dimethylamine oxide, ODMAO) aqueous solutions with viscoelastic and drag-reducing properties were investigated at different concentrations of ODMAO solutions Cs = 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm by weight. The effects of the flow rate and tube outer diameter on the length of the filament, which was the distance between the tube exit and the lower end of a droplet at the instant when the droplet almost detached from the tube, were clarified by flow visualization measurements by a high-speed video camera. Two types of breaking-off processes near the base of the droplet and within the filament were classified by the Ohnesorge number Oh and the Weber number We. In the regime of the higher Oh and We, the length of the filament became drastically larger at Cs = 1000 and 1500 ppm, whose high spinnability represented the strong viscoelasticity of ODMAO solutions. In the case where the filament was broken up near the lower end of the neck and thinning in time, the thinning of the diameter of the filament was measured by a light-emitting diode micrometer. As for the elasto-capillary thinning of dilute nonionic surfactant solutions, the initial necking process was similar to that of Newtonian fluids and then followed the exponential thinning like polymer solutions. The apparent elongational viscosity of the dilute nonionic surfactant solution was evaluated in the elasto-capillary thinning regime, in which the elongation rate was almost constant. At Cs = 1000 and 1500 ppm, the Trouton ratio, which was the ratio of the apparent elongational viscosity to the shear viscosity, was found to be several orders of magnitude larger than that of Newtonian fluids, while the shear viscosity measured by the capillary viscometer was almost the same order of the Newtonian fluids. The higher elongational property would be closely related to the higher drag-reducing ability of dilute nonionic surfactant solutions.

Bioinspired air-retaining nanofur for drag reduction.

PubMed

Kavalenka, Maryna N; Vüllers, Felix; Lischker, Simone; Zeiger, Claudia; Hopf, Andreas; Röhrig, Michael; Rapp, Bastian E; Worgull, Matthias; Hölscher, Hendrik

2015-05-27

Bioinspired nanofur, covered by a dense layer of randomly distributed high aspect ratio nano- and microhairs, possesses superhydrophobic and air-retaining properties. Nanofur is fabricated using a highly scalable hot pulling method in which softened polymer is elongated with a heated sandblasted plate. Here we investigate the stability of the underwater air layer retained by the irregular nanofur topography by applying hydraulic pressure to the nanofur kept underwater, and evaluate the gradual changes in the air-covered area. Furthermore, the drag reduction resulting from the nanofur air retention is characterized by measuring the pressure drop across channels with and without nanofur.

Applications of a direct/iterative design method to complex transonic configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Leigh Ann; Campbell, Richard L.

1992-01-01

The current study explores the use of an automated direct/iterative design method for the reduction of drag in transport configurations, including configurations with engine nacelles. The method requires the user to choose a proper target-pressure distribution and then develops a corresponding airfoil section. The method can be applied to two-dimensional airfoil sections or to three-dimensional wings. The three cases that are presented show successful application of the method for reducing drag from various sources. The first two cases demonstrate the use of the method to reduce induced drag by designing to an elliptic span-load distribution and to reduce wave drag by decreasing the shock strength for a given lift. In the second case, a body-mounted nacelle is added and the method is successfully used to eliminate increases in wing drag associated with the nacelle addition by designing to an arbitrary pressure distribution as a result of the redesigning of a wing in combination with a given underwing nacelle to clean-wing, target-pressure distributions. These cases illustrate several possible uses of the method for reducing different types of drag. The magnitude of the obtainable drag reduction varies with the constraints of the problem and the configuration to be modified.

Performance study of winglets on tapered wing with curved trailing edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ara, Ismat; Ali, Mohammad; Islam, Md. Quamrul; Haque, M. Nazmul

2017-06-01

Induced drag is the result of wingtip vortex produced from generating lift by finite wing. It is one of the main drags that an aircraft wing encounters during flight. It hampers aircraft performance by increasing fuel consumption and reducing endurance, range and speed. Winglets are used to reduce the induced drag. They weakens wingtip vortex and thus reduces induced drag. This paper represents the experimental investigation to reduce induced drag using winglet at the wingtip. A model of tapered wing with curved trailing edge (without winglet) as well as two similar wings with blended winglet and double blended winglet are prepared using NACA 4412 aerofoil in equal span and surface area. All the models are tested in a closed circuit subsonic wind tunnel at air speed of 108 km/h (0.09 Mach). Reynolds number of the flow is 2.28 × 105 on the basis of average chord length of the wings. The point surface static pressures at different angles of attack from -4° to 24° are measured for each of the wing and winglet combinations through different pressure tapings by using a multi-tube water manometer. From the static pressure distribution, lift coefficient, drag coefficient and lift to drag ratio of all models are calculated. From the analysis of calculated values, it is found that both winglets are able to minimize induced drag; however, the tapered curved trailing edge span with blended winglet provides better aerodynamic performance.

14 CFR 23.937 - Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... actuated after engine power loss, can move the propeller blades toward the feather position to reduce... General § 23.937 Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems. (a) Turbopropeller-powered airplane propeller-drag... normal or emergency operation results in propeller drag in excess of that for which the airplane was...

14 CFR 23.937 - Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... actuated after engine power loss, can move the propeller blades toward the feather position to reduce... General § 23.937 Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems. (a) Turbopropeller-powered airplane propeller-drag... normal or emergency operation results in propeller drag in excess of that for which the airplane was...

14 CFR 23.937 - Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... actuated after engine power loss, can move the propeller blades toward the feather position to reduce... General § 23.937 Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems. (a) Turbopropeller-powered airplane propeller-drag... normal or emergency operation results in propeller drag in excess of that for which the airplane was...

14 CFR 23.937 - Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... actuated after engine power loss, can move the propeller blades toward the feather position to reduce... General § 23.937 Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems. (a) Turbopropeller-powered airplane propeller-drag... normal or emergency operation results in propeller drag in excess of that for which the airplane was...

14 CFR 23.937 - Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... actuated after engine power loss, can move the propeller blades toward the feather position to reduce... General § 23.937 Turbopropeller-drag limiting systems. (a) Turbopropeller-powered airplane propeller-drag... normal or emergency operation results in propeller drag in excess of that for which the airplane was...

Lubricant-impregnated surfaces for drag reduction in viscous laminar flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Brian; Khalil, Karim; Varanasi, Kripa; MIT Team

2013-11-01

For the first time, we explore the potential of lubricant impregnated surfaces (LIS) in reducing drag. LIS, inspired by the surface of the Nepenthes pitcher plant, have been introduced as a novel way of functionalizing a surface. LIS are characterized by extremely low contact angle hysteresis and have been show to effectively repel various liquids including water, oils, ketchup and blood. Motivated by the slippery nature of such surfaces, we explore the potential of LIS to reduce drag in internal flows. We observe a reduction in drag for LIS surfaces in a viscous laminar drag flow and model the impact of relevant system parameters (lubricant viscosity, working fluid viscosity, solid fraction, depth of texture, etc.).

Polymer translocation through a nanopore: a showcase of anomalous diffusion.

PubMed

Milchev, A; Dubbeldam, Johan L A; Rostiashvili, Vakhtang G; Vilgis, Thomas A

2009-04-01

We investigate the translocation dynamics of a polymer chain threaded through a membrane nanopore by a chemical potential gradient that acts on the chain segments inside the pore. By means of diverse methods (scaling theory, fractional calculus, and Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations), we demonstrate that the relevant dynamic variable, the transported number of polymer segments, s(t), displays an anomalous diffusive behavior, both with and without an external driving force being present. We show that in the absence of drag force the time tau, needed for a macromolecule of length N to thread from the cis into the trans side of a cell membrane, scales as tauN(2/alpha) with the chain length. The anomalous dynamics of the translocation process is governed by a universal exponent alpha= 2/(2nu + 2 - gamma(1)), which contains the basic universal exponents of polymer physics, nu (the Flory exponent) and gamma(1) (the surface entropic exponent). A closed analytic expression for the probability to find s translocated segments at time t in terms of chain length N and applied drag force f is derived from the fractional Fokker-Planck equation, and shown to provide analytic results for the time variation of the statistical moments and . It turns out that the average translocation time scales as tau proportional, f(-1)N(2/alpha-1). These results are tested and found to be in perfect agreement with extensive Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics computer simulations.

Evaluation of Skin Friction Drag for Liner Applications in Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerhold, Carl H.; Brown, Martha C.; Jasinski, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

A parameter that is gaining significance in the evaluation of acoustic liner performance is the skin friction drag induced by air flow over the liner surface. Estimates vary widely regarding the amount of drag the liner induces relative to a smooth wall, from less than a 20% increase to nearly 100%, and parameters such as face sheet perforate hole diameter, percent open area, and sheet thickness are expected to figure prominently in the skin friction drag. Even a small increase in liner drag can impose an economic penalty, and current research is focused on developing 'low drag' liner concepts, with the goal being to approach the skin friction drag of a smooth wall. The issue of skin friction drag takes on greater significance as airframe designers investigate the feasibility of putting sound absorbing liners on the non-lifting surfaces of the wings and fuselage, for the purpose of reducing engine noise reflected and scattered toward observers on the ground. Researchers at the NASA Langley Research Center have embarked on investigations of liner skin friction drag with the aims of: developing a systematic drag measurement capability, establishing the drag of current liners, and developing liners that produce reduced drag without compromising acoustic performance. This paper discusses the experimental procedures that have been developed to calculate the drag coefficient based on the change in momentum thickness and the companion research program being carried out to measure the drag directly using a force balance. Liner samples that are evaluated include a solid wall with known roughness and conventional liners with perforated facesheets of varying hole diameter and percent open area.

Analog VLSI system for active drag reduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, B.; Goodman, R.; Jiang, F.

1996-10-01

In today`s cost-conscious air transportation industry, fuel costs are a substantial economic concern. Drag reduction is an important way to reduce costs. Even a 5% reduction in drag translates into estimated savings of millions of dollars in fuel costs. Drawing inspiration from the structure of shark skin, the authors are building a system to reduce drag along a surface. Our analog VLSI system interfaces with microfabricated, constant-temperature shear stress sensors. It detects regions of high shear stress and outputs a control signal to activate a microactuator. We are in the process of verifying the actual drag reduction by controlling microactuatorsmore » in wind tunnel experiments. We are encouraged that an approach similar to one that biology employs provides a very useful contribution to the problem of drag reduction. 9 refs., 21 figs.« less

Fairing Well: Aerodynamic Truck Research at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. From Shoebox to Bat Truck and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelzer, Christian

2011-01-01

In 1973 engineers at Dryden began investigating ways to reduce aerodynamic drag on land vehicles. They began with a delivery van whose shape they changed dramatically, finally reducing its aerodynamic drag by more than 5 percent. They then turned their attention to tracator-trailers, modifying a cab-over and reducing its aerodynamic drag by nearly 25 percent. Further research identified additional areas worth attention, but in the intervening decades few of those changes have appeared.

Rheological observation of glassy dynamics of dilute polymer solutions near the coil-stretch transition in elongational flows.

PubMed

Sridhar, T; Nguyen, D A; Prabhakar, R; Prakash, J Ravi

2007-04-20

It has long been conjectured that the macroscopic dynamics of dilute polymer solutions may exhibit a glasslike slowdown caused by ergodicity breaking, in the vicinity of the coil-stretch transition in elongational flows. We report experimental observations using a filament stretching rheometer that confirm the existence of such glassy states. It is observed that different time-dependent elongational strain-rate profiles lead to a pronounced history dependence and aging effects within a narrow range of strain rates. The results have a direct bearing on the analysis and design of processes employing dilute polymer solutions, such as ink-jet printing, surface coating, and turbulent-drag reduction.

Effects of extensional rates on characteristic scales of two-dimensional turbulence in polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidema, R.

2014-08-01

In order to study the effects of extensional viscosities on turbulent drag reduction, experimental studies using two-dimensional turbulence have been made. Anisotropic structures and variations of energy transfer induced by polymers are considered. Polyethyleneoxide and hydroxypropyl cellulose having different flexibility, which is due to different characteristics of extensional viscosity, are added to 2D turbulence. Variations of the turbulence were visualized by interference patterns of 2D flow, and were analysed by an image processing. The effects of polymers on turbulence in the streamwise and normal directions were also analysed by 2D Fourier transform. In addition, characteristic scales in 2D turbulence were analysed by wavelet transform.

Development of a Kevlar/PMR-15 reduced drag DC-9 nacelle fairing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kawai, R. T.; Hrach, F. J.

1980-01-01

The paper describes an advanced composite fairing designed to reduce drag on DC-9 nacelles as a part of the NASA Engine Component Improvement Program. This fairing is the aft enclosure for the thrust reverser actuator system on JT8D engine nacelles and is subjected to a 500 F exhaust flow during the reverse thrust. A reduced-drag configuration was developed by using in-flight tuft surveys for flow visualization in order to identify areas with low-quality flow, and then modifying the aerodynamic lines to improve the flow. A fabrication method for molding the part in an autoclave was developed; this material system is suitable for 500 F. The resultant composite fairing reduces the overall aircraft drag 1% with a weight reduction of 40% when compared with a metal component.

Longhorn Business Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Developed in NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency program and manufactured by Gates Learjet Corporation, the winglet is an aerodynamic innovation designed to reduce fuel consumption and improve airplane performance. Winglets are lifting surfaces designed to operate in the "vortex" or air whirlpool which occurs at an airplane's wingtip. Complex flow of air around wingtip creates drag which retards the plane's progress. Winglet reduces strength of vortex and thereby reduces strength of drag. Additionally, winglet generates its own lift, producing forward thrust in the manner of a boat's sail. Combination of reduced drag and additional thrust adds up to significant improvement in fuel efficiency.

Business Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Learjet Inc.'s Learjet 31 and Learjet 55C both feature NASA developed winglets, nearly vertical extensions of the wing designed to reduce fuel consumption and generally improve airplane's performance. Winglets are lifting surfaces designed to operate in the vortex or air whirlpool that occurs at an airplanes wingtip. This complex flow of air creates air drag; the winglets job is to reduce the strength of the vortex and thereby substantially reduce drag, additionally the winglet generates its own lift producing forward thrust in the manner of a sailboat's sail. Combination of reduced drag and additional thrust adds up to improvement in fuel efficiency.

Surface adhesive forces: a metric describing the drag-reducing effects of superhydrophobic coatings.

PubMed

Cheng, Mengjiao; Song, Mengmeng; Dong, Hongyu; Shi, Feng

2015-04-08

Nanomaterials with superhydrophobic properties are promising as drag-reducing coatings. However, debates regarding whether superhydrophobic surfaces are favorable for drag reduction require further clarification. A quantified water adhesive force measurement is proposed as a metric and its effectiveness demonstrated using three typical superhydrophobic coatings on model ships with in situ sailing tests. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transport studies in polymer electrolyte fuel cell with porous metallic flow field at ultra high current density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srouji, Abdul-Kader

Achieving cost reduction for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) requires a simultaneous effort in increasing power density while reducing precious metal loading. In PEFCs, the cathode performance is often limiting due to both the slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and mass transport limitation caused by limited oxygen diffusion and liquid water flooding at high current density. This study is motivated by the achievement of ultra-high current density through the elimination of the channel/land (C/L) paradigm in PEFC flow field design. An open metallic element (OME) flow field capable of operating at unprecedented ultra-high current density (3 A/cm2) introduces new advantages and limitations for PEFC operation. The first part of this study compares the OME with a conventional C/L flow field, through performance and electrochemical diagnostic tools such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate the uniqueness of the OME's mass transport improvement. No sign of operation limitation due to flooding is noted. The second part specifically examines water management at high current density using the OME flow field. A unique experimental setup is developed to measure steady-state and transient net water drag across the membrane, in order to characterize the fundamental aspects of water transport at high current density with the OME. Instead of flooding, the new limitation is identified to be anode side dry-out of the membrane, caused by electroosmotic drag. The OME improves water removal from the cathode, which immediately improves oxygen transport and performance. However, the low water content in the cathode reduces back diffusion of water to the membrane, and electroosmotic drag dominates at high current density, leading to dry-out. The third part employs the OME flow field as a tool that avoids C/L effects endemic to a typical flow field, in order to study oxygen transport resistance at the catalyst layer of a PEFC. In open literature, a resistance of unknown origin, was shown to directly or indirectly scale with Pt loading. A lack of understanding of the mechanism responsible for such resistance is noted, and several possible theories have been proposed. This lack of fundamental understanding of the origins of this resistance adds complexity to computational models which are designed to capture performance behavior with ultra-low loading electrodes. By employing the OME flow field as a tool to study this phenomena, the origins of the transport resistance appearing at ultra-low Platinum (Pt) loading is proposed to be an increase in oxygen dilution resistance through water film.

A fundamental approach to the sticking of insect residues to aircraft wings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yi, O.; Eiss, N. S.; Wightman, J. P.

1988-01-01

The aircraft industry is concerned with the increase of drag on planes due to the sticking of insects on critical airfoil areas. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of surface energy and elasticity on the number of insects sticking onto the polymer coatings on a modified aircraft wing and to determine the mechanism by which insects stick onto surfaces during high velocity impact. Analyses including scanning electron microscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and contact angle measurements of uncoated and polymer coated aluminum surfaces were performed. A direct relation between the number of insects sticking on a sample and its surface energy was obtained. Since the sticky liquid from a burst open insect will not spread on the low energy surface, it will ball up providing poor adhesion between the insect debris and the surface. The incoming air flow can easily blow off the insect debris and thus reducing the number of insects that remain stuck on the surface. Also a direct relation between the number of insect sticking onto a surface and their modulus of elasticity was obtained.

Effect of the PTFE content in the gas diffusion layer on water transport in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortazavi, Mehdi; Tajiri, Kazuya

2014-01-01

The dynamic behavior of a liquid water droplet emerging and detaching from the surface of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) is investigated. The droplet growth and detachment are studied for different polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) contents within the GDL and for different superficial gas velocities flowing in the gas channel. To simulate the droplet behavior in the cathode and anode of an operating polymer electrolyte fuel cell, separate experiments are conducted with air and hydrogen being supplied in the gas channel, respectively. Both the superficial gas velocity and the PTFE content within the GDL are found to impact the droplet detachment diameter. Increasing the superficial gas velocity increases the drag force applied on the droplet sitting on the GDL surface. It is observed that the droplet detaches at a smaller diameter for higher superficial gas velocities. The droplets also detach at smaller diameters from GDLs with a higher amount of PTFE. Such observation is justified according to two different points of view: (1) heterogeneous through-plane PTFE distribution through the GDL and (2) reduced GDL surface roughness caused by PTFE loading.

Effects of polymers on the spatial structure of turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinhuber, Michael; Ballouz, Joseph G.; Ouellette, Nicholas T.

2017-11-01

It is well known that the addition of minor amounts of polymers to a turbulent water flow can significantly change its properties. One of the most prominent effects is the observed drastic reduction of drag in wall-bounded flows that is utilized in many engineering applications. Much of the research on polymers in turbulence has focused on their influence on the turbulent energy cascade and their interaction with the energy transfer processes. Much less investigated are their effects on the spatial structure of turbulent flows. In a classical von-Kárman swirling flow setup, we used Lagrangian particle tracking to obtain three-dimensional particle trajectories, velocities, and accelerations and find that polymers have a significant effect on Lagrangian measures of the turbulence structure such as radial distribution functions and the curvature of particle trajectories. We find that not only do the statistical distributions change, but also that polymers appear to affect the spatial statistics well beyond the size of the polymers themselves.

The ‘W’ Prawn-Trawl with Emphasised Drag-Force Transfer to Its Centre Line to Reduce Overall System Drag

PubMed Central

Balash, Cheslav; Sterling, David; Binns, Jonathan; Thomas, Giles; Bose, Neil

2015-01-01

For prawn trawling systems, drag reduction is a high priority as the trawling process is energy intensive. Large benefits have occurred through the use of multiple-net rigs and thin twine in the netting. An additional positive effect of these successful twine-area reduction strategies is the reduced amount of otter board area required to spread the trawl systems, which leads to further drag reduction. The present work investigated the potential of redirecting the drag-strain within a prawn trawl away from the wings and the otter boards to the centre line of the trawl, where top and bottom tongues have been installed, with an aim to minimise the loading/size of the otter boards required to spread the trawl. In the system containing the new ‘W’ trawl, the drag redirected to the centre-line tongues is transferred forward through a connected sled and towing wires to the trawler. To establish the extent of drag redirection to the centre-line tongues and the relative drag benefits of the new trawl system, conventional and ‘W’ trawls of 3.65 m headline length were tested firstly over a range of spread ratios in the flume tank, and subsequently at optimum spread ratio in the field. The developed ‘W’ trawl effectively directed 64% of netting-drag off the wings and onto the centre tongues, which resulted in drag savings in the field of ∼20% for the associated ‘W’ trawl/otter-board/sled system compared to the traditional trawl/otter-board arrangement in a single trawl or twin rig configuration. Furthermore, based on previously published data, the new trawl when used in a twin rig system is expected to provide approximately 12% drag reduction compared to quad rig. The twin ‘W’ trawl system also has benefits over quad rig in that a reduced number of cod-end/By-catch Reduction Device units need to be installed and attended each tow. PMID:25751251

Discovery of riblets in a bird beak (Rynchops) for low fluid drag

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Riblet structures found on fast-swimming shark scales, such as those found on a mako shark, have been shown to reduce fluid drag. In previous experimental and modelling studies, riblets have been shown to provide drag reduction by lifting vortices formed in turbulent flow, decreasing overall shear stresses. Skimmer birds (Rynchops) are the only birds to catch fish in flight by flying just above the water surface with a submerged beak to fish for food. Because they need to quickly catch prey, reducing drag on their beak is advantageous. For the first time, riblet structures found on the beak of the skimmer bird have been studied experimentally and computationally for low fluid drag properties. In this study, skimmer replicas were studied for drag reduction through pressure drop in closed-channel, turbulent water flow. Pressure drop measurements are compared for black and yellow skimmer beaks in two configurations, and mako shark skin. In addition, two configurations of skimmer beak were modelled to compare drag properties and vortex structures. Results are discussed, and a conceptual model is presented to explain a possible drag reduction mechanism in skimmers. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science’. PMID:27354734

Aerodynamic drag on intermodal railcars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinghorn, Philip; Maynes, Daniel

2014-11-01

The aerodynamic drag associated with transport of commodities by rail is becoming increasingly important as the cost of diesel fuel increases. This study aims to increase the efficiency of intermodal cargo trains by reducing the aerodynamic drag on the load carrying cars. For intermodal railcars a significant amount of aerodynamic drag is a result of the large distance between loads that often occurs and the resulting pressure drag resulting from the separated flow. In the present study aerodynamic drag data have been obtained through wind tunnel testing on 1/29 scale models to understand the savings that may be realized by judicious modification to the size of the intermodal containers. The experiments were performed in the BYU low speed wind tunnel and the test track utilizes two leading locomotives followed by a set of five articulated well cars with double stacked containers. The drag on a representative mid-train car is measured using an isolated load cell balance and the wind tunnel speed is varied from 20 to 100 mph. We characterize the effect that the gap distance between the containers and the container size has on the aerodynamic drag of this representative rail car and investigate methods to reduce the gap distance.

The Role of Rough Topography in Mediating Impacts of Bottom Drag in Eddying Ocean Circulation Models.

PubMed

Trossman, David S; Arbic, Brian K; Straub, David N; Richman, James G; Chassignet, Eric P; Wallcraft, Alan J; Xu, Xiaobiao

2017-08-01

Motivated by the substantial sensitivity of eddies in two-layer quasi-geostrophic (QG) turbulence models to the strength of bottom drag, this study explores the sensitivity of eddies in more realistic ocean general circulation model (OGCM) simulations to bottom drag strength. The OGCM results are interpreted using previous results from horizontally homogeneous, two-layer, flat-bottom, f-plane, doubly periodic QG turbulence simulations and new results from two-layer β -plane QG turbulence simulations run in a basin geometry with both flat and rough bottoms. Baroclinicity in all of the simulations varies greatly with drag strength, with weak drag corresponding to more barotropic flow and strong drag corresponding to more baroclinic flow. The sensitivity of the baroclinicity in the QG basin simulations to bottom drag is considerably reduced, however, when rough topography is used in lieu of a flat bottom. Rough topography reduces the sensitivity of the eddy kinetic energy amplitude and horizontal length scales in the QG basin simulations to bottom drag to an even greater degree. The OGCM simulation behavior is qualitatively similar to that in the QG rough bottom basin simulations in that baroclinicity is more sensitive to bottom drag strength than are eddy amplitudes or horizontal length scales. Rough topography therefore appears to mediate the sensitivity of eddies in models to the strength of bottom drag. The sensitivity of eddies to parameterized topographic internal lee wave drag, which has recently been introduced into some OGCMs, is also briefly discussed. Wave drag acts like a strong bottom drag in that it increases the baroclinicity of the flow, without strongly affecting eddy horizontal length scales.

Supersonic Cruise/Transonic Maneuver Wing Section Development Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

duct. The inlet is contoured to fit the blended forebody and results in a high-aspect-ratio, minimum height duct which facilitates clearance of the...following. Most of the changes were directed toward reducing the supersonic wave drag. The winglet was removed to reduce supersonic volume and camber...drag and skin friction drag. The primary function of the winglet was to provide directional stability at high angles of attack. Analysis of the HiMAT

Drag and heat flux reduction mechanism of blunted cone with aerodisks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Li, Lang-quan; Yan, Li; Zhang, Tian-tian

2017-09-01

The major challenge among a number of design requirements for hypersonic vehicles is the reduction of drag and aerodynamic heating. Of all these techniques of drag and heat flux reduction, application of forward facing aerospike conceived in 1950s is an effective and simpler technique to reduce the drag as well as the heat transfer rate for blunt nosed bodies at hypersonic Mach numbers. In this paper, the flow fields around a blunt cone with and without aerodisk flying at hypersonic Mach numbers are computed numerically, and the numerical simulations are conducted by specifying the freestream velocity, static pressure and static temperatures at the inlet of the computational domain with a three-dimensional, steady, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation. An aerodisk is attached to the tip of the rod to reduce the drag and heat flux further. The influences of the length of rod and the diameter of aerodisk on the drag and heat flux reduction mechanism are analyzed comprehensively, and eight configurations are taken into consideration in the current study. The obtained results show that for all aerodisks, the reduction in drag of the blunt body is proportional to the extent of the recirculation dead air region. For long rods, the aerodisk is found not that beneficial in reducing the drag, and an aerodisk is more effective than an aerospike. The spike produces a region of recirculation separated flow that shields the blunt-nosed body from the incoming flow, and the recirculation region is formed around the root of the spike up to the reattachment point of the flow at the shoulder of the blunt body. The dynamic pressure in the recirculation area is highly reduced and thus leads to the decrease in drag and heat load on the surface of the blunt body. Because of the reattachment of the shear layer on the shoulder of the blunt body, the pressure near that point becomes large.

Influence of Surface Roughness on Polymer Drag Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-30

paint (High Build Semi-Gloss 97-130, Aquapon ) with glass bead grit. The particles were tightly packed producing a sand grain type roughness. Based on the... Aquapon High Build Semi-Gloss Epoxy 97-130) with glass bead grit blown into the epoxy. The particles were tightly packed giving an average roughness height

The FC-1D: The profitable alternative Flying Circus Commercial Aviation Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meza, Victor J.; Alvarez, Jaime; Harrington, Brook; Lujan, Michael A.; Mitlyng, David; Saroughian, Andy; Silva, Alex; Teale, Tim

1994-01-01

The FC-1D was designed as an advanced solution for a low cost commercial transport meeting or exceeding all of the 1993/1994 AIAA/Lockheed request for proposal requirements. The driving philosophy behind the design of the FC-1D was the reduction of airline direct operating costs. Every effort was made during the design process to have the customer in mind. The Flying Circus Commercial Aviation Group targeted reductions in drag, fuel consumption, manufacturing costs, and maintenance costs. Flying Circus emphasized cost reduction throughout the entire design program. Drag reduction was achieved by implementation of the aft nacelle wing configuration to reduce cruise drag and increase cruise speeds. To reduce induced drag, rather than increasing the wing span of the FC-1D, spiroids were included in the efficient wing design. Profile and friction drag are reduced by using riblets in place of paint around the fuselage and empennage of the FC-1D. Choosing a single aisle configuration enabled the Flying Circus to optimize the fuselage diameter. Thus, reducing fuselage drag while gaining high structural efficiency. To further reduce fuel consumption a weight reduction program was conducted through the use of composite materials. An additional quality of the FC-1D is its design for low cost manufacturing and assembly. As a result of this design attribute, the FC-1D will have fewer parts which reduces weight as well as maintenance and assembly costs. The FC-1D is affordable and effective, the apex of commercial transport design.

Reducing drag of a commuter train, using engine exhaust momentum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Dong Keun

The objective of this thesis was to perform numerical investigations of two different methods of injecting fluid momentum into the air flow above a commuter train to reduce its drag. Based on previous aerodynamic modifications of heavy duty trucks in improving fuel efficiency, two structural modifications were designed and applied to a Metrolink Services commuter train in the Los Angeles (LA) County area to reduce its drag and subsequently improve fuel efficiency. The first modification was an L-shaped channel, added to the exhaust cooling fan above the locomotive roof to divert and align the exhaust gases in the axial direction. The second modification was adding an airfoil shaped lid over the L-shape channel, to minimize the drag of the perturbed structure, and thus reduce the overall drag. The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software CCM+ from CD-Adapco with the ?-? turbulence model was used for the simulations. A single train set which consists of three vehicles: one locomotive, one trailer car and one cab car were used. All the vehicles were modeled based on the standard Metrolink fleet train size. The wind speed was at 90 miles per hour (mph), which is the maximum speed for the Orange County Metrolink line. Air was used as the exhaust gas in the simulation. The temperature of the exhausting air emitting out of the cooling fan on the roof was 150 F and the average fan speed was 120 mph. Results showed that with the addition of the lid, momentum injection results in reduced flow separation and pressure recovery behind the locomotive, which reduces the overall drag by at least 30%.

Decreased poststenotic flow disturbance during drag reduction by polyacrylamide infusion without increased aortic blood flow.

PubMed

Hutchison, K J; Campbell, J D; Karpinski, E

1989-07-01

The infusion of polyacrylamide in open chest rats has been reported to increase aortic blood flow and the effect has been ascribed to the "drag reduction" properties of these compounds. In six anesthetized dogs the infusion of polyacrylamide to a total dose of 2 mg/kg caused a reduction in midline and separation zone Doppler spectral broadening in the common carotid artery poststenotic velocity field. This apparent reduction in poststenotic turbulence was interpreted as indicating the presence of a drag reducing effect. Despite this demonstration that polyacrylamide was present in the blood in drag reducing concentrations no increase in aortic blood flow was produced.

Evaluation of WRF Simulations With Different Selections of Subgrid Orographic Drag Over the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Beljaars, A.; Wang, Y.; Huang, B.; Lin, C.; Chen, Y.; Wu, H.

2017-09-01

Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations with different selections of subgrid orographic drag over the Tibetan Plateau have been evaluated with observation and ERA-Interim reanalysis. Results show that the subgrid orographic drag schemes, especially the turbulent orographic form drag (TOFD) scheme, efficiently reduce the 10 m wind speed bias and RMS error with respect to station measurements. With the combination of gravity wave, flow blocking and TOFD schemes, wind speed is simulated more realistically than with the individual schemes only. Improvements are also seen in the 2 m air temperature and surface pressure. The gravity wave drag, flow blocking drag, and TOFD schemes combined have the smallest station mean bias (-2.05°C in 2 m air temperature and 1.27 hPa in surface pressure) and RMS error (3.59°C in 2 m air temperature and 2.37 hPa in surface pressure). Meanwhile, the TOFD scheme contributes more to the improvements than the gravity wave drag and flow blocking schemes. The improvements are more pronounced at low levels of the atmosphere than at high levels due to the stronger drag enhancement on the low-level flow. The reduced near-surface cold bias and high-pressure bias over the Tibetan Plateau are the result of changes in the low-level wind components associated with the geostrophic balance. The enhanced drag directly leads to weakened westerlies but also enhances the a-geostrophic flow in this case reducing (enhancing) the northerlies (southerlies), which bring more warm air across the Himalaya Mountain ranges from South Asia (bring less cold air from the north) to the interior Tibetan Plateau.

Negative effects of commercial mussel dragging on eelgrass beds in Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neckles, H.A.; Short, F.T.; Barker, S.; Kopp, B.S.

2005-01-01

A study by the US Geological Survey, the University of New Hampshire, and the Maine Department of Marine Resources showed that commercial mussel dragging poses a severe and long-lasting threat to eelgrass (Zostera marina). Dragging can damage large areas, with individual drag scars up to 79 acres in size found in Maine eelgrass beds. Dragging activity uproots eelgrass plants completely, removing leaves, rhizomes, and roots. Two independent methods were used to predict the rate of eelgrass recovery in heavily dragged areas. Under the best environmental conditions, complete revegetation of a dragged area would require an average of 11 years. Under conditions less favorable for eelgrass growth, such as reduced water quality, dragged areas could require more than 20 years to recover. Protection of eelgrass from commercial shellfish dragging will preserve important coastal habitat.

A Wind-Tunnel Investigation of a Transonic-Transport Configuration Utilizing Drag-Reducing Devices at Mach Numbers from 0.20 to 1.03

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loving, Donald L.

1961-01-01

The static longitudinal stability and control and lateral characteristics of a transonic-transport model, incorporating recent drag-reducing devices, has been investigated in the Langley 8-foot transonic pressure tunnel. The wing was cambered, had a thickened root and a taper ratio of 0.3. Wing sweepback angles of 45 degrees and 40 degrees were investigated with corresponding aspect ratios of 7 and 8, respectively. Modifications to the model for reducing the drag were: a forward fuselage addition and special bodies (four big enough to house jet engines) added to the upper surface of the wing. Other components and changes investigated included an empennage, a wing-tip body, wing fences, wing trailing-edge flaps, horizontal-tail settings, and wing dihedral angle. The investigation covered the Mach number range from 0.20 to 1.03 for the angle-of-attack range from -5 degrees to 15.4 degrees, and a sideslip angle of -5 degrees, in the Reynolds number range from 0.52 times 10(exp 6) to 1.94 times 10(exp 6) based on the wing mean aerodynamic chord. The various fuselage and wing additions delayed the drag-rise Mach number and greatly reduced the drag beyond the drag rise. The wing bodies markedly alleviated unstable pitch tendencies throughout the test Mach number range. At low landing speeds, the wing bodies exhibited little interference with the ability of trailing-edge flaps to increase the lift near maximum lift coefficient; and the use of fences greatly reduced the severe longitudinal instability trend at landing attitudes. The model with a 6 degree dihedral angle exhibited positive lateral and directional stability characteristics in the presence of the fuselage and wing additions. An increase in drag-rise Mach number associated with the fuselage and wing additions on the 40 degree sweptback wing combination was similar to that for the comparable 45 degree combination. These additions did, however, reduce the drag of the 40 degree sweptback configurations more than the 45 degree configurations in the transonic speed range.

Model systems for single molecule polymer dynamics

PubMed Central

Latinwo, Folarin

2012-01-01

Double stranded DNA (dsDNA) has long served as a model system for single molecule polymer dynamics. However, dsDNA is a semiflexible polymer, and the structural rigidity of the DNA double helix gives rise to local molecular properties and chain dynamics that differ from flexible chains, including synthetic organic polymers. Recently, we developed single stranded DNA (ssDNA) as a new model system for single molecule studies of flexible polymer chains. In this work, we discuss model polymer systems in the context of “ideal” and “real” chain behavior considering thermal blobs, tension blobs, hydrodynamic drag and force–extension relations. In addition, we present monomer aspect ratio as a key parameter describing chain conformation and dynamics, and we derive dynamical scaling relations in terms of this molecular-level parameter. We show that asymmetric Kuhn segments can suppress monomer–monomer interactions, thereby altering global chain dynamics. Finally, we discuss ssDNA in the context of a new model system for single molecule polymer dynamics. Overall, we anticipate that future single polymer studies of flexible chains will reveal new insight into the dynamic behavior of “real” polymers, which will highlight the importance of molecular individualism and the prevalence of non-linear phenomena. PMID:22956980

Hydrodynamic characteristics of sailfish and swordfish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagong, Woong; Jeon, Woo-Pyung; Choi, Haecheon

2009-11-01

The sailfish and swordfish are known as fastest sea animals, reaching their maximum speeds of more than 100km/h. Recently, Sagong et al. (2008, Phys. Fluids) investigated the role of V- shaped protrusions existing on the sailfish skin in the skin-friction reduction but those protrusions did not make a direct role in reducing drag. On the other hand, the long bill has been regarded as a device of reducing drag by separation delay through turbulence generation. In the present study, we investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of sailfish and swordfish by installing the stuffed ones in a wind tunnel and measuring the drag on their bodies and boundary-layer velocities above the body surfaces. The drag coefficients of sailfish and swordfish are 0.0075 and 0.009 based on the free-stream velocity and wetted area, respectively. They are comparable to or smaller than those of other kinds of fish such as the dogfish, tuna and trout. Next, the role of bill on the drag is studied. The drag without bill or with an artificial short bill is lower than that with the original long bill, indicating that the bill does not reduce the drag at all. From the velocity measurement near the body surfaces, we found that flow separation does not occur even without bill, and thus the conjecture that the flow separation is delayed through turbulence generation by the bill is not valid.

Large-eddy simulations of a forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence with polymer additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lu; Cai, Wei-Hua; Li, Feng-Chen

2014-03-01

Large-eddy simulations (LES) based on the temporal approximate deconvolution model were performed for a forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence (FHIT) with polymer additives at moderate Taylor Reynolds number. Finitely extensible nonlinear elastic in the Peterlin approximation model was adopted as the constitutive equation for the filtered conformation tensor of the polymer molecules. The LES results were verified through comparisons with the direct numerical simulation results. Using the LES database of the FHIT in the Newtonian fluid and the polymer solution flows, the polymer effects on some important parameters such as strain, vorticity, drag reduction, and so forth were studied. By extracting the vortex structures and exploring the flatness factor through a high-order correlation function of velocity derivative and wavelet analysis, it can be found that the small-scale vortex structures and small-scale intermittency in the FHIT are all inhibited due to the existence of the polymers. The extended self-similarity scaling law in the polymer solution flow shows no apparent difference from that in the Newtonian fluid flow at the currently simulated ranges of Reynolds and Weissenberg numbers.

Orientation of contravariant and covariant polymers and associated energy transfer in elasto-inertial turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiuti, Kiyosi; Suzuki, Aoi

2016-11-01

It is generally assumed that the polymers in viscoelastic turbulence are advected affinely with the macroscopically-imposed deformation, while de Gennes (1986) hypothesized that stretched polymers may exhibit rigidity. We conduct assessment on this hypothesis in homogeneous isotropic turbulence by connecting mesoscopic Brownian description of elastic dumbbells to macroscopic DNS. The dumbbells are advected either affinely (contravariant) or non-affinely (covariant). We consider the elasto-inertial regime (Valente et al. 2014). Using the approximate solution of the constitutive equation for the polymer stress, we show that when the dumbbells are highly stretched, -SikSklSli term (Sij is strain-rate tensor) governs the transfer of solvent energy either to dissipation or to the elastic energy stored in the polymers. In the contravariant polymer, the elastic energy production term Pe < 0 and the dissipation production term Pɛ > 0 . The elastic energy is transferred backwardly into the solvent and dissipation is enhanced. In the covariant polymer, Pe > 0 and Pɛ > 0 . When the dumbbells are aligned with one of eigenvectors of Sij, Pe predominates Pɛ, and marked reduction of drag is achieved.

Direct measurements of lift and drag on shallowly submerged cobbles in steep streams: Implications for flow resistance and sediment transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Michael P.; Brun, Fanny; Fuller, Brian M.

2017-09-01

Steep mountain streams have higher resistance to flow and lower sediment transport rates than expected by comparison with low gradient rivers, and often these differences are attributed to reduced near-bed flow velocities and stresses associated with form drag on channel forms and immobile boulders. However, few studies have directly measured drag and lift forces acting on bed sediment for shallow flows over coarse sediment, which ultimately control sediment transport rates and grain-scale flow resistance. Here we report on particle lift and drag force measurements in flume experiments using a planar, fixed cobble bed over a wide range of channel slopes (0.004 < S < 0.3) and water discharges. Drag coefficients are similar to previous findings for submerged particles (CD ˜ 0.7) but increase significantly for partially submerged particles. In contrast, lift coefficients decrease from near unity to zero as the flow shallows and are strongly negative for partially submerged particles, indicating a downward force that pulls particles toward the bed. Fluctuating forces in lift and drag decrease with increasing relative roughness, and they scale with the depth-averaged velocity squared rather than the bed shear stress. We find that, even in the absence of complex bed topography, shallow flows over coarse sediment are characterized by high flow resistance because of grain drag within a roughness layer that occupies a significant fraction of the total flow depth, and by heightened critical Shields numbers and reduced sediment fluxes because of reduced lift forces and reduced turbulent fluctuations.

Tomographic PIV investigation on coherent vortex structures over shark-skin-inspired drag-reducing riblets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shao-Qiong; Li, Shan; Tian, Hai-Ping; Wang, Qing-Yi; Jiang, Nan

2016-04-01

Nature has shown us that the microstructure of the skin of fast-swimming sharks in the ocean can reduce the skin friction drag due to the well-known shark-skin effect. In the present study, the effect of shark-skin-inspired riblets on coherent vortex structures in a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) is investigated. This is done by means of tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV) measurements in channel flows over an acrylic plate of drag-reducing riblets at a friction Reynolds number of 190. The turbulent flows over drag-reducing riblets are verified by a planar time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TRPIV) system initially, and then the TPIV measurements are performed. Two-dimensional (2D) experimental results with a drag-reduction rate of around 4.81 % are clearly visible over triangle riblets with a peak-to-peak spacing s+ of 14, indicating from the drag-reducing performance that the buffer layer within the TBL has thickened; the logarithmic law region has shifted upward and the Reynolds shear stress decreased. A comparison of the spatial topological distributions of the spanwise vorticity of coherent vortex structures extracted at different wall-normal heights through the improved quadrant splitting method shows that riblets weaken the amplitudes of the spanwise vorticity when ejection (Q2) and sweep (Q4) events occur at the near wall, having the greatest effect on Q4 events in particular. The so-called quadrupole statistical model for coherent structures in the whole TBL is verified. Meanwhile, their spatial conditional-averaged topological shapes and the spatial scales of quadrupole coherent vortex structures as a whole in the overlying turbulent flow over riblets are changed, suggesting that the riblets dampen the momentum and energy exchange between the regions of near-wall and outer portion of the TBL by depressing the bursting events (Q2 and Q4), thereby reducing the skin friction drag.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheraghian, Goshtasp; Khalili Nezhad, Seyyed Shahram; Kamari, Mosayyeb; Hemmati, Mahmood; Masihi, Mohsen; Bazgir, Saeed

2014-07-01

Nanotechnology has been used in many applications and new possibilities are discovered constantly. Recently, a renewed interest has risen in the application of nanotechnology for the upstream petroleum industry, such as exploration, drilling, production and distribution. In particular, adding nanoparticles to fluids may significantly benefit enhanced oil recovery and improve well drilling, such as changing the properties of the fluid, wettability alternation of rocks, advanced drag reduction, strengthening sand consolidation, reducing the interfacial tension and increasing the mobility of the capillary-trapped oil. In this study, we focus on the roles of clay and silica nanoparticles in adsorption process on reservoir rocks. Polymer-flooding schemes for recovering residual oil have been in general less satisfactory due to loss of chemicals by adsorption on reservoir rocks, precipitation, and resultant changes in rheological properties. Adsorption and rheological property changes are mainly determined by the chemical structure of the polymers, surface properties of the rock, composition of the oil and reservoir fluids, the nature of the polymers added and solution conditions such as salinity, pH and temperature. Because this method relies on the adsorption of a polymer layer onto the rock surface, a deeper understanding of the relevant polymer-rock interactions is of primary importance to develop reliable chemical selection rules for field applications. In this paper, the role of nanoparticles in the adsorption of water-soluble polymers onto solid surfaces of carbonate and sandstone is studied. The results obtained by means of static adsorption tests show that the adsorption is dominated by the nanoclay and nanosilica between the polymer molecules and the solid surface. These results also show that lithology, brine concentration and polymer viscosity are critical parameters influencing the adsorption behavior at a rock interface. On the other hand, in this study, the focus is on viscosity, temperature and salinity of solutions of polyacrylamide polymers with different nanoparticle degrees and molecular weight. The adsorption of nanopolymer solution is always higher in carbonated stones than in sandstones, and polymer solutions containing silica nanoparticles have less adsorption based on weight percent than similar samples containing clay. Based on the area of contact for stone, this behavior is the same regarding adsorption.

Turbulent structures of non-Newtonian solutions containing rigid polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadtabar, M.; Sanders, R. S.; Ghaemi, S.

2017-10-01

The turbulent structure of a channel flow of Xanthan Gum (XG) polymer solution is experimentally investigated and compared with water flow at a Reynolds number of Re = 7200 (based on channel height and properties of water) and Reτ = 220 (based on channel height and friction velocity, uτ0). The polymer concentration is varied from 75, 100, and 125 ppm to reach the point of maximum drag reduction (MDR). Measurements are carried out using high-resolution, two-component Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to capture the inner and outer layer turbulence. The measurements showed that the logarithmic layer shifts away from the wall with increasing polymer concentration. The slopes of the mean velocity profile for flows containing 100 and 125 ppm XG are greater than that measured for XG at 75 ppm, which is parallel with the slope obtained for deionized water. The increase in slope results in thickening buffer layer. At MDR, the streamwise Reynolds stresses are as large as those of the Newtonian flow while the wall-normal Reynolds stresses and Reynolds shear stresses are significantly attenuated. The sweep-dominated region in the immediate vicinity of the wall extends further from the wall with increasing polymer concentration. The near-wall skewness intensifies towards positive streamwise fluctuations and covers a larger wall-normal length at larger drag reduction values. The quadrant analysis at y + 0 = 25 shows that the addition of polymers inclines the principal axis of v versus u plot to almost zero (horizontal) as the joint probability density function of fluctuations becomes symmetric with respect to the u axis at MDR. The reduction of turbulence production is mainly associated with the attenuation of the ejection motions. The spatial-correlation of the fluctuating velocity field shows that increasing the polymer concentration increases the spatial coherence of u fluctuations in the streamwise direction while they appear to have the opposite effect in the wall-normal direction. The proper orthogonal decomposition of velocity fluctuations shows that the inclined shear layer structure of Newtonian wall flows becomes horizontal at the MDR and does not contribute to turbulence production.

Discovery of riblets in a bird beak (Rynchops) for low fluid drag.

PubMed

Martin, Samuel; Bhushan, Bharat

2016-08-06

Riblet structures found on fast-swimming shark scales, such as those found on a mako shark, have been shown to reduce fluid drag. In previous experimental and modelling studies, riblets have been shown to provide drag reduction by lifting vortices formed in turbulent flow, decreasing overall shear stresses. Skimmer birds (Rynchops) are the only birds to catch fish in flight by flying just above the water surface with a submerged beak to fish for food. Because they need to quickly catch prey, reducing drag on their beak is advantageous. For the first time, riblet structures found on the beak of the skimmer bird have been studied experimentally and computationally for low fluid drag properties. In this study, skimmer replicas were studied for drag reduction through pressure drop in closed-channel, turbulent water flow. Pressure drop measurements are compared for black and yellow skimmer beaks in two configurations, and mako shark skin. In addition, two configurations of skimmer beak were modelled to compare drag properties and vortex structures. Results are discussed, and a conceptual model is presented to explain a possible drag reduction mechanism in skimmers.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Roles of size and kinematics in drag reduction for two tandem flexible foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Li-Ming; Zhang, Dong; Pan, Guang

2017-11-01

The effect of size and kinematics difference between two tandem flexible foils on drag reduction have been numerically studied. Compared with single foil, it is found that the kinematics difference between two foils would not play a significant role in reducing drag, while the size difference between two foils significantly affects the drag reduction in this two foil system. For leading foil, it always enjoys drag reduction and the highest drag reduction can be observed at bigger size difference and gap distance between two foil as 22%. For trailing foil, it suffers drag increase when the gap distance between two foils is smaller, while it enjoys drag decrease when the size difference between two foils is bigger enough. The hydrodynamic interaction between such actively undulated foils also has been uncovered and used to explain the mechanisms of drag reduction.

On the theory of compliant wall drag reduction in turbulent boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, R. L.

1974-01-01

A theoretical model has been developed which can explain how the motion of a compliant wall reduces turbulent skin friction drag. Available experimental evidence at low speeds has been used to infer that a compliant surface selectively removes energy from the upper frequency range of the energy containing eddies and through resulting surface motions can produce locally negative Reynolds stresses at the wall. The theory establishes a preliminary amplitude and frequency criterion as the basis for designing effective drag reducing compliant surfaces.

Membrane water-flow rate in electrolyzer cells with a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaojin; Qu, Shuguo; Yu, Hongmei; Hou, Ming; Shao, Zhigang; Yi, Baolian

Water-flow rate across Nafion membrane in SPE electrolyzer cells was measured and modelled. From the analysis of water transport mechanisms in SPE water electrolysis, the water-flow rate through membrane can be described by the electro-osmotic drag. The calculated electro-osmotic drag coefficients, n d, for the membrane in SPE electrolysis cells at different temperatures were compared with literature and in good agreement with those of Ge et al. and Ise et al. To describe the water-flow rate through membrane more accurately, a linear fit of n d as a function of temperature for the membrane in SPE water electrolysis was proposed in this paper. This paper studied the membrane water-flow rate experimentally and mathematically, which is of importance in the designing and optimization of the process of SPE water electrolysis. This paper also provided a novel method for measuring the electro-osmotic drag coefficient of Nafion membrane in contact with liquid water, acid and methanol solutions, etc.

Biomimetic spiroid winglets for lift and drag control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, Joel E.; Maestro, Dario; Bottaro, Alessandro

2012-01-01

In aeronautical engineering, drag reduction constitutes a challenge and there is room for improvement and innovative developments. The drag breakdown of a typical transport aircraft shows that the lift-induced drag can amount to as much as 40% of the total drag at cruise conditions and 80-90% of the total drag in take-off configuration. One way of reducing lift-induced drag is by using wingtip devices. By applying biomimetic abstraction of the principle behind a bird's wingtip feathers, we study spiroid wingtips, which look like an extended blended wingtip that bends upward by 360 degrees to form a large rigid ribbon. The numerical investigation of such a wingtip device is described and preliminary indications of its aerodynamic performance are provided.

Drag increase and drag reduction found in phytoplankton and bacterial cultures in laminar flow: Are cell surfaces and EPS producing rheological thickening and a Lotus-leaf Effect?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkinson, Ian R.; Sun, Jun

2014-03-01

The laminar-flow viscosity of ocean and other natural waters consists of a Newtonian aqueous component contributed by water and salts, and a non-Newtonian one contributed mainly by exopolymeric polymers (EPS) derived largely from planktonic algae and bacteria. Phytoplankton and EPS form thin layers in stratified waters, often associated with density discontinuities. A recent model (Jenkinson and Sun, 2011. J. Plankton Res., 33, 373-383) investigated possible thalassorheological control of pycnocline thickness (PT) by EPS secreted by the harmful dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi. The model, based on published measurements of viscosity increase by this species, found that whether it can influence PT depends on the relationship between increased viscosity, deformation rates/stresses and length scale, which the present work has investigated. To do this, flow rate vs. hydrostatic pressure (and hence wall stress) was measured in cultures (relative to that in reference water) in capillaries of 5 radii 0.35-1.5 mm, close to oceanic-turbulence Kolmogorov length. We compared cultures of the potentially harmful algae, K. mikimotoi, Alexandrium catenella, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Skeletonema costatum, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the bacterium Escherichia coli. Drag increase, ascribed to rheological thickening by EPS, occurred in the smallest capillaries, but drag reduction (DR) occurred in the largest ones. Since this occurred at Reynolds numbers Re too small for turbulence (or turbulent DR) to occur, this was laminar-flow DR. It may have been superhydrophobic DR (SDR), associated with the surfaces of the plankton and bacteria. SDR is associated with the self-cleaning Lotus-leaf Effect, in which water and dirt are repelled from surfaces bearing nm- to μm-sized irregularities coated with hydrophobic polymers. Because DR decreased measured viscosity and EPS thickening increased it, we could not validate the model. DR, however, represents hitherto unknown phenomenon in the oceans. Along with rheological thickening, Laminar-Flow DR may represent a new tool for plankton to manage ambient flow fields.

Well-ordered polymer nano-fibers with self-cleaning property by disturbing crystallization process.

PubMed

Yang, Qin; Luo, Zhuangzhu; Tan, Sheng; Luo, Yimin; Wang, Yunjiao; Zhang, Zhaozhu; Liu, Weimin

2014-01-01

Bionic self-cleaning surfaces with well-ordered polymer nano-fibers are firstly fabricated by disturbing crystallization during one-step coating-curing process. Orderly thin (100 nm) and long (5-10 μm) polymer nano-fibers with a certain direction are fabricated by external macroscopic force (F blow) interference introduced by H2 gas flow, leading to superior superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle (WCA) of 170° and a water sliding angle (WSA) of 0-1°. In contrast, nano-wires and nano-bridges (1-8 μm in length/10-80 nm in width) are generated by "spinning/stretching" under internal microscopic force (F T) interference due to significant temperature difference in the non-uniform cooling medium. The findings provide a novel theoretical basis for controllable polymer "bionic lotus" surface and will further promote practical application in many engineering fields such as drag-reduction and anti-icing.

Well-ordered polymer nano-fibers with self-cleaning property by disturbing crystallization process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qin; Luo, Zhuangzhu; Tan, Sheng; Luo, Yimin; Wang, Yunjiao; Zhang, Zhaozhu; Liu, Weimin

2014-07-01

Bionic self-cleaning surfaces with well-ordered polymer nano-fibers are firstly fabricated by disturbing crystallization during one-step coating-curing process. Orderly thin (100 nm) and long (5-10 μm) polymer nano-fibers with a certain direction are fabricated by external macroscopic force ( F blow) interference introduced by H2 gas flow, leading to superior superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle (WCA) of 170° and a water sliding angle (WSA) of 0-1°. In contrast, nano-wires and nano-bridges (1-8 μm in length/10-80 nm in width) are generated by "spinning/stretching" under internal microscopic force ( F T) interference due to significant temperature difference in the non-uniform cooling medium. The findings provide a novel theoretical basis for controllable polymer "bionic lotus" surface and will further promote practical application in many engineering fields such as drag-reduction and anti-icing.

Approach and Landing Investigation at Lift-Drag Ratios of 2 to 4 Utilizing a Straight-Wing Fighter Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matranga, Gene J.; Armstrong, Neil A.

1959-01-01

A series of landings was performed with a straight-wing airplane to evaluate the effect of low lift-drag ratios on approach and landing characteristics. Landings with a peak lift-drag ratio as low as 3 were performed by altering the airplane configuration (extending speed brakes, flaps, and gear and reducing throttle setting). As lift-drag ratio was reduced, it was necessary either to make the landing pattern tighter or to increase initial altitude, or both. At the lowest lift-drag ratio the pilots believed a 270 deg overhead pattern was advisable because of the greater ease afforded in visually positioning the airplane. The values of the pertinent flare parameters increased with the reduction of lift-drag ratio. These parameters included time required for final flare; speed change during final flare; and altitude, glide slope, indicated airspeed, and vertical velocity at initiation of final flare. The pilots believed that the tolerable limit was reached with this airplane in the present configuration, and that if, because of a further reduction in lift-drag ratio, more severe approaches than those experienced in this program were attempted, additional aids would be required to determine the flare-initiation point.

Visualization of polymer relaxation in viscoelastic turbulent micro-channel flow.

PubMed

Tai, Jiayan; Lim, Chun Ping; Lam, Yee Cheong

2015-11-13

In micro-channels, the flow of viscous liquids e.g. water, is laminar due to the low Reynolds number in miniaturized dimensions. An aqueous solution becomes viscoelastic with a minute amount of polymer additives; its flow behavior can become drastically different and turbulent. However, the molecules are typically invisible. Here we have developed a novel visualization technique to examine the extension and relaxation of polymer molecules at high flow velocities in a viscoelastic turbulent flow. Using high speed videography to observe the fluorescein labeled molecules, we show that viscoelastic turbulence is caused by the sporadic, non-uniform release of energy by the polymer molecules. This developed technique allows the examination of a viscoelastic liquid at the molecular level, and demonstrates the inhomogeneity of viscoelastic liquids as a result of molecular aggregation. It paves the way for a deeper understanding of viscoelastic turbulence, and could provide some insights on the high Weissenberg number problem. In addition, the technique may serve as a useful tool for the investigations of polymer drag reduction.

Titanium compounds as catalysts of higher alpha-olefin-based super-high-molecular polymers synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konovalov, K. B.; Kazaryan, M. A.; Manzhay, V. N.; Vetrova, O. V.

2016-01-01

The synthesis of polymers of 10 million or more molecular weight is a difficult task even in a chemical lab. Higher α-olefin-based polymer agents of such kind have found a narrow but quite important niche, the reduction of drag in the turbulent flow of hydrocarbon fluids such as oil and oil-products. In its turn, searching for a catalytic system capable to produce molecules of such a high length and to synthesize polymers of a low molecular-mass distribution is part of a global task of obtaining a high-quality product. In this paper we had observed a number of industrial catalysts with respect to their suitability for higher poly-α- olefins synthesis. A number samples representing copolymers of 1-hexene with 1-decene obtained on a previous generation catalyst, a microsphere titanium chloride catalytic agent had been compared to samples synthesized using a titanium-magnesium catalyst both in solution and in a polymer medium.

Visualization of polymer relaxation in viscoelastic turbulent micro-channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tai, Jiayan; Lim, Chun Ping; Lam, Yee Cheong

2015-11-01

In micro-channels, the flow of viscous liquids e.g. water, is laminar due to the low Reynolds number in miniaturized dimensions. An aqueous solution becomes viscoelastic with a minute amount of polymer additives; its flow behavior can become drastically different and turbulent. However, the molecules are typically invisible. Here we have developed a novel visualization technique to examine the extension and relaxation of polymer molecules at high flow velocities in a viscoelastic turbulent flow. Using high speed videography to observe the fluorescein labeled molecules, we show that viscoelastic turbulence is caused by the sporadic, non-uniform release of energy by the polymer molecules. This developed technique allows the examination of a viscoelastic liquid at the molecular level, and demonstrates the inhomogeneity of viscoelastic liquids as a result of molecular aggregation. It paves the way for a deeper understanding of viscoelastic turbulence, and could provide some insights on the high Weissenberg number problem. In addition, the technique may serve as a useful tool for the investigations of polymer drag reduction.

Visualization of polymer relaxation in viscoelastic turbulent micro-channel flow

PubMed Central

Tai, Jiayan; Lim, Chun Ping; Lam, Yee Cheong

2015-01-01

In micro-channels, the flow of viscous liquids e.g. water, is laminar due to the low Reynolds number in miniaturized dimensions. An aqueous solution becomes viscoelastic with a minute amount of polymer additives; its flow behavior can become drastically different and turbulent. However, the molecules are typically invisible. Here we have developed a novel visualization technique to examine the extension and relaxation of polymer molecules at high flow velocities in a viscoelastic turbulent flow. Using high speed videography to observe the fluorescein labeled molecules, we show that viscoelastic turbulence is caused by the sporadic, non-uniform release of energy by the polymer molecules. This developed technique allows the examination of a viscoelastic liquid at the molecular level, and demonstrates the inhomogeneity of viscoelastic liquids as a result of molecular aggregation. It paves the way for a deeper understanding of viscoelastic turbulence, and could provide some insights on the high Weissenberg number problem. In addition, the technique may serve as a useful tool for the investigations of polymer drag reduction. PMID:26563615

Experiment Evaluation of Skin Friction Drag by Surface Tailoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manigandan, S.; Gopal krishna, K.; Gagan Kumar, K.; Gunasekar, P.; Nithya, S.

2017-08-01

Reduction of drag is an important role of aerodynamic specialist in real time world. The performance of forward moving object improved when the drag is reduced. Skin friction drag caused when the fluid tending to shear along the surface of the body and it is dependent on energy expenditure. Initial research concluded that nearly 20 to 40% of total drag is skin friction drag, based on flight forward velocity. This means a lot of fuel burned. In this paper we investigate a methodology to reduce the skin friction drag by implementing different kinds of exterior treatments. The ideology inspired from the world fastest moving oceanic creature. Structures are fabricated based on the replica of scales of the oceanic creature. The outer skin of the aerofoil NACA0012 is modified like shark scales. Then it is tested using open type sub sonic wind tunnel. In addition to that, the leading edge thickness effect also studied. The turbulent flow phenomenon is validated at different velocities and compared with numerical results using STAR CCM+. From the plots and graphical results, it is found that the skin friction drag is generated less due to reduction of transverse shear stress present in turbulent flow and skin friction drag depends on boundary layer thickness and on the percentage of chord of flow separation. In addition to this, the result delivers that the ordinary polished surface produces more drag than the modified scales. The outlook of this technology is excrescence for different applications. This open section wind tunnel testing produces 10-15% reduction in drag and can be turn to high values when the experiment is conducted in closed section wind tunnel with real time atmospheric conditions, which can be done as a future work.

On the Effect of Rigid Swept Surface Waves on Turbulent Drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denison, M.; Wilkinson, S. P.; Balakumar, P.

2015-01-01

Passive turbulent drag reduction techniques are of interest as a cost effective means to improve air vehicle fuel consumption. In the past, rigid surface waves slanted at an angle from the streamwise direction were deemed ineffective to reduce skin friction drag due to the pressure drag that they generate. A recent analysis seeking similarities to the spanwise shear stress generated by spatial Stokes layers suggested that there may be a range of wavelength, amplitude, and orientation in which the wavy surface would reduce turbulent drag. The present work explores, by experiments and Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS), the effect of swept wavy surfaces on skin friction and pressure drag. Plates with shallow and deep wave patterns were rapid-prototyped and tested using a drag balance in the 7x11 inch Low-Speed Wind Tunnel at the NASA LaRC Research Center. The measured drag o set between the wavy plates and the reference at plate is found to be within the experimental repeatability limit. Oil vapor flow measurements indicate a mean spanwise flow over the deep waves. The turbulent flow in channels with at walls, swept wavy walls and spatial Stokes spanwise velocity forcing was simulated at a friction Reynolds number of two hundred. The time-averaged and dynamic turbulent flow characteristics of the three channel types are compared. The drag obtained for the channel with shallow waves is slightly larger than for the at channel, within the range of the experiments. In the case of the large waves, the simulation over predicts the drag. The shortcomings of the Stokes layer analogy model for the estimation of the spanwise shear stress and drag are discussed.

A Computational and Experimental Study of Nonlinear Aspects of Induced Drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Stephen C.

1996-01-01

Despite the 80-year history of classical wing theory, considerable research has recently been directed toward planform and wake effects on induced drag. Nonlinear interactions between the trailing wake and the wing offer the possibility of reducing drag. The nonlinear effect of compressibility on induced drag characteristics may also influence wing design. This thesis deals with the prediction of these nonlinear aspects of induced drag and ways to exploit them. A potential benefit of only a few percent of the drag represents a large fuel savings for the world's commercial transport fleet. Computational methods must be applied carefully to obtain accurate induced drag predictions. Trefftz-plane drag integration is far more reliable than surface pressure integration, but is very sensitive to the accuracy of the force-free wake model. The practical use of Trefftz plane drag integration was extended to transonic flow with the Tranair full-potential code. The induced drag characteristics of a typical transport wing were studied with Tranair, a full-potential method, and A502, a high-order linear panel method to investigate changes in lift distribution and span efficiency due to compressibility. Modeling the force-free wake is a nonlinear problem, even when the flow governing equation is linear. A novel method was developed for computing the force-free wake shape. This hybrid wake-relaxation scheme couples the well-behaved nature of the discrete vortex wake with viscous-core modeling and the high-accuracy velocity prediction of the high-order panel method. The hybrid scheme produced converged wake shapes that allowed accurate Trefftz-plane integration. An unusual split-tip wing concept was studied for exploiting nonlinear wake interaction to reduced induced drag. This design exhibits significant nonlinear interactions between the wing and wake that produced a 12% reduction in induced drag compared to an equivalent elliptical wing at a lift coefficient of 0.7. The performance of the split-tip wing was also investigated by wing tunnel experiments. Induced drag was determined from force measurements by subtracting the estimated viscous drag, and from an analytical drag-decomposition method using a wake survey. The experimental results confirm the computational prediction.

Recent National Transonic Facility Test Process Improvements (Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, W. A.; Balakrishna, S.; Bobbitt, C. W., Jr.; Adcock, J. B.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the results of two recent process improvements; drag feed-forward Mach number control and simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing, at the National Transonic Facility. These improvements have reduced the duration and cost of testing. The drag feed-forward Mach number control reduces the Mach number settling time by using measured model drag in the Mach number control algorithm. Simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing allows simultaneous collection of force/moment and pressure data without sacrificing data quality thereby reducing the overall testing time. Both improvements can be implemented at any wind tunnel. Additionally the NTF is working to develop and implement continuous pitch as a testing option as an additional method to reduce costs and maintain data quality.

Recent National Transonic Facility Test Process Improvements (Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, W. A.; Balakrishna, S.; Bobbitt, C. W., Jr.; Adcock, J. B.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the results of two recent process improvements; drag feed-forward Mach number control and simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing, at the National Transonic Facility. These improvements have reduced the duration and cost of testing. The drag feedforward Mach number control reduces the Mach number settling time by using measured model drag in the Mach number control algorithm. Simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing allows simultaneous collection of force/moment and pressure data without sacrificing data quality thereby reducing the overall testing time. Both improvements can be implemented at any wind tunnel. Additionally the NTF is working to develop and implement continuous pitch as a testing option as an additional method to reduce costs and maintain data quality.

Parasite-Drag Measurements of Five Helicopter Rotor Hubs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Churchill, Gary B.; Harrington, Robert D.

1959-01-01

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley full-scale tunnel to determine the parasite drag of five production-type helicopter rotor hubs. Some simple fairing arrangements were attempted in an effort to reduce the hub drag. The results indicate that, within the range of the tests, changes in angle of attack, hub rotational speed, and forward speed generally had only a small effect on the equivalent flat-plate area representing parasite drag. The drag coefficients of the basic hubs, based on projected hub frontal area, increased with hub area and varied from 0.5 to 0.76 for the hubs tested.

Experimental study of the effect of drag reducing agent on pressure drop and thermal efficiency of an air cooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyghambarzadeh, S. M.; Hashemabadi, S. H.; Saffarian, H.; Shekari, F.

2016-01-01

Effect of polymeric drag reduction agents (DRAs) on pressure drop and heat transfer was studied. Aqueous solutions of carboxy methyl cellulose were used inside an air-finned heat exchanger. Despite the previous studies which indicated the importance of drag reduction just in turbulent flow, results of this study in laminar flow indicated that the addition of DRA increases drag reduction, and decreases the overall heat transfer coefficient.

Outer-layer manipulators for turbulent drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anders, J. B., Jr.

1990-01-01

The last ten years have yielded intriguing research results on aerodynamic boundary outer-layer manipulators as local skin friction reduction devices at low Reynolds numbers; net drag reduction device systems for entire aerodynamic configurations are nevertheless noted to remain elusive. Evidence has emerged for dramatic alterations of the structure of a turbulent boundary layer which persist for long distances downstream and reduce wall shear as a results of any one of several theoretically possible mechanisms. Reduced effectiveness at high Reynolds numbers may, however, limit the applicability of outer-layer manipulators to practical aircraft drag reduction.

Polymer stress tensor in turbulent shear flows.

PubMed

L'vov, Victor S; Pomyalov, Anna; Procaccia, Itamar; Tiberkevich, Vasil

2005-01-01

The interaction of polymers with turbulent shear flows is examined. We focus on the structure of the elastic stress tensor, which is proportional to the polymer conformation tensor. We examine this object in turbulent flows of increasing complexity. First is isotropic turbulence, then anisotropic (but homogenous) shear turbulence, and finally wall bounded turbulence. The main result of this paper is that for all these flows the polymer stress tensor attains a universal structure in the limit of large Deborah number De > 1. We present analytic results for the suppression of the coil-stretch transition at large Deborah numbers. Above the transition the turbulent velocity fluctuations are strongly correlated with the polymer's elongation: there appear high-quality "hydroelastic" waves in which turbulent kinetic energy turns into polymer potential energy and vice versa. These waves determine the trace of the elastic stress tensor but practically do not modify its universal structure. We demonstrate that the influence of the polymers on the balance of energy and momentum can be accurately described by an effective polymer viscosity that is proportional to the cross-stream component of the elastic stress tensor. This component is smaller than the streamwise component by a factor proportional to De2. Finally we tie our results to wall bounded turbulence and clarify some puzzling facts observed in the problem of drag reduction by polymers.

Graphene oxide based nanohybrid proton exchange membranes for fuel cell applications: An overview.

PubMed

Pandey, Ravi P; Shukla, Geetanjali; Manohar, Murli; Shahi, Vinod K

2017-02-01

In the context of many applications, such as polymer composites, energy-related materials, sensors, 'paper'-like materials, field-effect transistors (FET), and biomedical applications, chemically modified graphene was broadly studied during the last decade, due to its excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. The presence of reactive oxygen functional groups in the grapheme oxide (GO) responsible for chemical functionalization makes it a good candidate for diversified applications. The main objectives for developing a GO based nanohybrid proton exchange membrane (PEM) include: improved self-humidification (water retention ability), reduced fuel crossover (electro-osmotic drag), improved stabilities (mechanical, thermal, and chemical), enhanced proton conductivity, and processability for the preparation of membrane-electrode assembly. Research carried on this topic may be divided into protocols for covalent grafting of functional groups on GO matrix, preparation of free-standing PEM or choice of suitable polymer matrix, covalent or hydrogen bonding between GO and polymer matrix etc. Herein, we present a brief literature survey on GO based nano-hybrid PEM for fuel cell applications. Different protocols were adopted to produce functionalized GO based materials and prepare their free-standing film or disperse these materials in various polymer matrices with suitable interactions. This review article critically discussed the suitability of these PEMs for fuel cell applications in terms of the dependency of the intrinsic properties of nanohybrid PEMs. Potential applications of these nanohybrid PEMs, and current challenges are also provided along with future guidelines for developing GO based nanohybrid PEMs as promising materials for fuel cell applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drag reduction by polymers in turbulent channel flows: Energy redistribution between invariant empirical modes.

PubMed

De Angelis, Elisabetta; Casciola, Carlo M; L'vov, Victor S; Piva, Renzo; Procaccia, Itamar

2003-05-01

We address the phenomenon of drag reduction by a dilute polymeric additive to turbulent flows, using direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the FENE-P model of viscoelastic flows. It had been amply demonstrated that these model equations reproduce the phenomenon, but the results of DNS were not analyzed so far with the goal of interpreting the phenomenon. In order to construct a useful framework for the understanding of drag reduction we initiate in this paper an investigation of the most important modes that are sustained in the viscoelastic and Newtonian turbulent flows, respectively. The modes are obtained empirically using the Karhunen-Loéve decomposition, allowing us to compare the most energetic modes in the viscoelastic and Newtonian flows. The main finding of the present study is that the spatial profile of the most energetic modes is hardly changed between the two flows. What changes is the energy associated with these modes, and their relative ordering in the decreasing order from the most energetic to the least. Modes that are highly excited in one flow can be strongly suppressed in the other, and vice versa. This dramatic energy redistribution is an important clue to the mechanism of drag reduction as is proposed in this paper. In particular, there is an enhancement of the energy containing modes in the viscoelastic flow compared to the Newtonian one; drag reduction is seen in the energy containing modes rather than the dissipative modes, as proposed in some previous theories.

Laminar flow drag reduction on soft porous media.

PubMed

Mirbod, Parisa; Wu, Zhenxing; Ahmadi, Goodarz

2017-12-08

While researches have focused on drag reduction of various coated surfaces such as superhydrophobic structures and polymer brushes, the insights tso understand the fundamental physics of the laminar skin friction coefficient and the related drag reduction due to the formation of finite velocity at porous surfaces is still relatively unknown. Herein, we quantitatively investigated the flow over a porous medium by developing a framework to model flow of a Newtonian fluid in a channel where the lower surface was replaced by various porous media. We showed that the flow drag reduction induced by the presence of the porous media depends on the values of the permeability parameter α = L/(MK) 1/2 and the height ratio δ = H/L, where L is the half thickness of the free flow region, H is the thickness and K is the permeability of the fiber layer, and M is the ratio of the fluid effective dynamic viscosity μ e in porous media to its dynamic viscosity μ. We also examined the velocity and shear stress profiles for flow over the permeable layer for the limiting cases of α → 0 and α → ∞. The model predictions were compared with the experimental data for specific porous media and good agreement was found.

A Base Drag Reduction Experiment on the X-33 Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE) Flight Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.

1999-01-01

Drag reduction tests were conducted on the LASRE/X-33 flight experiment. The LASRE experiment is a flight test of a roughly 20% scale model of an X-33 forebody with a single aerospike engine at the rear. The experiment apparatus is mounted on top of an SR-71 aircraft. This paper suggests a method for reducing base drag by adding surface roughness along the forebody. Calculations show a potential for base drag reductions of 8-14%. Flight results corroborate the base drag reduction, with actual reductions of 15% in the high-subsonic flight regime. An unexpected result of this experiment is that drag benefits were shown to persist well into the supersonic flight regime. Flight results show no overall net drag reduction. Applied surface roughness causes forebody pressures to rise and offset base drag reductions. Apparently the grit displaced streamlines outward, causing forebody compression. Results of the LASRE drag experiments are inconclusive and more work is needed. Clearly, however, the forebody grit application works as a viable drag reduction tool.

Bioinspired surfaces for turbulent drag reduction

PubMed Central

Golovin, Kevin B.; Gose, James W.; Perlin, Marc; Ceccio, Steven L.; Tuteja, Anish

2016-01-01

In this review, we discuss how superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) can provide friction drag reduction in turbulent flow. Whereas biomimetic SHSs are known to reduce drag in laminar flow, turbulence adds many new challenges. We first provide an overview on designing SHSs, and how these surfaces can cause slip in the laminar regime. We then discuss recent studies evaluating drag on SHSs in turbulent flow, both computationally and experimentally. The effects of streamwise and spanwise slip for canonical, structured surfaces are well characterized by direct numerical simulations, and several experimental studies have validated these results. However, the complex and hierarchical textures of scalable SHSs that can be applied over large areas generate additional complications. Many studies on such surfaces have measured no drag reduction, or even a drag increase in turbulent flow. We discuss how surface wettability, roughness effects and some newly found scaling laws can help explain these varied results. Overall, we discuss how, to effectively reduce drag in turbulent flow, an SHS should have: preferentially streamwise-aligned features to enhance favourable slip, a capillary resistance of the order of megapascals, and a roughness no larger than 0.5, when non-dimensionalized by the viscous length scale. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science’. PMID:27354731

Bioinspired surfaces for turbulent drag reduction.

PubMed

Golovin, Kevin B; Gose, James W; Perlin, Marc; Ceccio, Steven L; Tuteja, Anish

2016-08-06

In this review, we discuss how superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) can provide friction drag reduction in turbulent flow. Whereas biomimetic SHSs are known to reduce drag in laminar flow, turbulence adds many new challenges. We first provide an overview on designing SHSs, and how these surfaces can cause slip in the laminar regime. We then discuss recent studies evaluating drag on SHSs in turbulent flow, both computationally and experimentally. The effects of streamwise and spanwise slip for canonical, structured surfaces are well characterized by direct numerical simulations, and several experimental studies have validated these results. However, the complex and hierarchical textures of scalable SHSs that can be applied over large areas generate additional complications. Many studies on such surfaces have measured no drag reduction, or even a drag increase in turbulent flow. We discuss how surface wettability, roughness effects and some newly found scaling laws can help explain these varied results. Overall, we discuss how, to effectively reduce drag in turbulent flow, an SHS should have: preferentially streamwise-aligned features to enhance favourable slip, a capillary resistance of the order of megapascals, and a roughness no larger than 0.5, when non-dimensionalized by the viscous length scale.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

High-speed droplet actuation on single-plate electrode arrays.

PubMed

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan; Qian, Shizhi; Joo, Sang Woo

2011-10-15

This paper reports a droplet-based microfluidic device composed of patterned co-planar electrodes in an all-in-a-single-plate arrangement and coated with dielectric layers for electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) actuation of discrete droplets. The co-planar arrangement is preferred over conventional two-plate electrowetting devices because it provides simpler manufacturing process, reduced viscous drag, and easier liquid-handling procedures. These advantages lead to more versatile and efficient microfluidic devices capable of generating higher droplet speed and can incorporate various other droplet manipulation functions into the system for biological, sensing, and other microfluidic applications. We have designed, fabricated, and tested the devices using an insulating layer with materials having relatively high dielectric constant (SiO(2)) and compared the results with polymer coatings (Cytop) with low dielectric constant. Results show that the device with high dielectric layer generates more reproducible droplet transfer over a longer distance with a 25% reduction in the actuation voltage with respect to the polymer coatings, leading to more energy efficient microfluidic applications. We can generate droplet speeds as high as 26 cm/s using materials with high dielectric constant such as SiO(2). Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Ring-shaped stain patterns driven by solute reactive mesogens in liquid crystal solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Tae Woon; Bulliard, Xavier; Choi, Sang Gun; Lee, Hyoung Sub; Kong, Hyang-Shik; Han, Sang Youn

2014-07-01

We report on the formation of ring-shaped stain patterns in a polymer-stabilized patterned vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display (LCD) during the cell filling process. Through the interpretation of the formation mechanism, an effective way to control its development is provided. Systematic trace of the reactive mesogens reveals that the formation of patterns is strongly related to the segregation of solute mesogens in the stain area. These undesirable patterns can be avoided or controlled by reducing the drop volume at each droplet using an inkjet printing technique, meaning that the printing technique could be a useful solution in display technology. For the formation of ring-shaped patterns, the dragging of reactive mesogens during the spreading of the liquid crystal solution plays a key role in the closed LCD cell.

Wave drag as the objective function in transonic fighter wing optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, P. S.

1984-01-01

The original computational method for determining wave drag in a three dimensional transonic analysis method was replaced by a wave drag formula based on the loss in momentum across an isentropic shock. This formula was used as the objective function in a numerical optimization procedure to reduce the wave drag of a fighter wing at transonic maneuver conditions. The optimization procedure minimized wave drag through modifications to the wing section contours defined by a wing profile shape function. A significant reduction in wave drag was achieved while maintaining a high lift coefficient. Comparisons of the pressure distributions for the initial and optimized wing geometries showed significant reductions in the leading-edge peaks and shock strength across the span.

Polymers in Fluid Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benzi, Roberto; Ching, Emily S. C.

2018-03-01

The interaction of flexible polymers with fluid flows leads to a number of intriguing phenomena observed in laboratory experiments, namely drag reduction, elastic turbulence, and heat transport modification in natural convection, and is one of the most challenging subjects in soft matter physics. In this review, we examine our present knowledge on the subject. Our present knowledge is mostly based on direct numerical simulations performed in the last twenty years, which have successfully explained, at least qualitatively, most of the experimental results. Our goal is to disentangle as much as possible the basic mechanisms acting in the system in order to capture the basic features underlying different theoretical approaches and explanations.

Active aerodynamic drag reduction on morphable cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guttag, M.; Reis, P. M.

2017-12-01

We study a mechanism for active aerodynamic drag reduction on morphable grooved cylinders, whose topography can be modified pneumatically. Our design is inspired by the morphology of the Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), which possesses an array of axial grooves, thought to help reduce aerodynamic drag, thereby enhancing the structural robustness of the plant under wind loading. Our analog experimental samples comprise a spoked rigid skeleton with axial cavities, covered by a stretched elastomeric film. Decreasing the inner pressure of the sample produces axial grooves, whose depth can be accurately varied, on demand. First, we characterize the relation between groove depth and pneumatic loading through a combination of precision mechanical experiments and finite element simulations. Second, wind tunnel tests are used to measure the aerodynamic drag coefficient (as a function of Reynolds number) of the grooved samples, with different levels of periodicity and groove depths. We focus specifically on the drag crisis and systematically measure the associated minimum drag coefficient and the critical Reynolds number at which it occurs. The results are in agreement with the classic literature of rough cylinders, albeit with an unprecedented level of precision and resolution in varying topography using a single sample. Finally, we leverage the morphable nature of our system to dynamically reduce drag for varying aerodynamic loading conditions. We demonstrate that actively controlling the groove depth yields a drag coefficient that decreases monotonically with Reynolds number and is significantly lower than the fixed sample counterparts. These findings open the possibility for the drag reduction of grooved cylinders to be operated over a wide range of flow conditions.

An investigation of the feasibility of active boundary layer thickening for aircraft drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, R. L.; Koodalattupuram, C.

1986-01-01

The feasibility of using a forward mounted windmilling propeller to extract momentum from the flow around an axisymmetric body to reduce total drag has been studied. Numerical calculations indicate that a net drag reduction is possible when the energy extracted is returned to an aft mounted pusher propeller. However, net drag reduction requires very high device efficiencies. Results of an experimental program to study the coupling between a propeller wake and a turbulent boundary layer are also reported. The experiments showed that a complex coupling exists and simple modes for the flow field are not sufficiently accurate to predict total drag.

Effect of Jet-nozzle-expansion Ratio on Drag of Parabolic Afterbodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englert, Gerald W; Vargo, Donald J; Cubbison, Robert W

1954-01-01

The interaction of the flow from one convergent and two convergent-divergent nozzles on parabolic afterbodies was studied at free-stream Mach numbers of 2.0, 1.6, and 0.6 over a range of jet pressure ratio. The influence of the jet on boattail and base drag was very pronounced. Study of the total external afterbody drag values at supersonic speeds indicated that, over most of the high-pressure-ratio range, increasing the nozzle design expansion ratio increased the drag even though the boattail area was reduced. Increasing the pressure ratio tended to increase slightly the total-drag increment caused by angle-of-attack operation.

Aerodynamics Research Revolutionizes Truck Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

During the 1970s and 1980s, researchers at Dryden Flight Research Center conducted numerous tests to refine the shape of trucks to reduce aerodynamic drag and improved efficiency. During the 1980s and 1990s, a team based at Langley Research Center explored controlling drag and the flow of air around a moving body. Aeroserve Technologies Ltd., of Ottawa, Canada, with its subsidiary, Airtab LLC, in Loveland, Colorado, applied the research from Dryden and Langley to the development of the Airtab vortex generator. Airtabs create two counter-rotating vortices to reduce wind resistance and aerodynamic drag of trucks, trailers, recreational vehicles, and many other vehicles.

Fuel Savings and Aerodynamic Drag Reduction from Rail Car Covers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storms, Bruce; Salari, Kambiz; Babb, Alex

2008-01-01

The potential for energy savings by reducing the aerodynamic drag of rail cars is significant. A previous study of aerodynamic drag of coal cars suggests that a 25% reduction in drag of empty cars would correspond to a 5% fuel savings for a round trip [1]. Rail statistics for the United States [2] report that approximately 5.7 billion liters of diesel fuel were consumed for coal transportation in 2002, so a 5% fuel savings would total 284 million liters. This corresponds to 2% of Class I railroad fuel consumption nationwide. As part of a DOE-sponsored study, the aerodynamic drag of scale rail cars was measured in a wind tunnel. The goal of the study was to measure the drag reduction of various rail-car cover designs. The cover designs tested yielded an average drag reduction of 43% relative to empty cars corresponding to an estimated round-trip fuel savings of 9%.

Skin friction drag reduction in turbulent flow using spanwise traveling surface waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musgrave, Patrick F.; Tarazaga, Pablo A.

2017-04-01

A major technological driver in current aircraft and other vehicles is the improvement of fuel efficiency. One way to increase the efficiency is to reduce the skin friction drag on these vehicles. This experimental study presents an active drag reduction technique which decreases the skin friction using spanwise traveling waves. A novel method is introduced for generating traveling waves which is low-profile, non-intrusive, and operates under various flow conditions. This wave generation method is discussed and the resulting traveling waves are presented. These waves are then tested in a low-speed wind tunnel to determine their drag reduction potential. To calculate the drag reduction, the momentum integral method is applied to turbulent boundary layer data collected using a pitot tube and traversing system. The skin friction coefficients are then calculated and the drag reduction determined. Preliminary results yielded a drag reduction of ≍ 5% for 244Hz traveling waves. Thus, this novel wave generation method possesses the potential to yield an easily implementable, non-invasive drag reduction technology.

Membrane-based actuation for high-speed single molecule force spectroscopy studies using AFM.

PubMed

Sarangapani, Krishna; Torun, Hamdi; Finkler, Ofer; Zhu, Cheng; Degertekin, Levent

2010-07-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based dynamic force spectroscopy of single molecular interactions involves characterizing unbinding/unfolding force distributions over a range of pulling speeds. Owing to their size and stiffness, AFM cantilevers are adversely affected by hydrodynamic forces, especially at pulling speeds >10 microm/s, when the viscous drag becomes comparable to the unbinding/unfolding forces. To circumvent these adverse effects, we have fabricated polymer-based membranes capable of actuating commercial AFM cantilevers at speeds >or=100 microm/s with minimal viscous drag effects. We have used FLUENT, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, to simulate high-speed pulling and fast actuation of AFM cantilevers and membranes in different experimental configurations. The simulation results support the experimental findings on a variety of commercial AFM cantilevers and predict significant reduction in drag forces when membrane actuators are used. Unbinding force experiments involving human antibodies using these membranes demonstrate that it is possible to achieve bond loading rates >or=10(6) pN/s, an order of magnitude greater than that reported with commercial AFM cantilevers and systems.

Aircraft drag prediction and reduction. Addendum 1: Computational drag analyses and minimization; mission impossible?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slooff, J. W.

1986-01-01

The Special Course on Aircraft Drag Prediction was sponsored by the AGARD Fluid Dynamics Panel and the von Karman Institute and presented at the von Karman Institute, Rhode-Saint-Genese, Belgium, on 20 to 23 May 1985 and at the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA, 5 to 6 August 1985. The course began with a general review of drag reduction technology. Then the possibility of reduction of skin friction through control of laminar flow and through modification of the structure of the turbulence in the boundary layer were discussed. Methods for predicting and reducing the drag of external stores, of nacelles, of fuselage protuberances, and of fuselage afterbodies were then presented followed by discussion of transonic drag rise. The prediction of viscous and wave drag by a method matching inviscid flow calculations and boundary layer integral calculations, and the reduction of transonic drag through boundary layer control are also discussed. This volume comprises Paper No. 9 Computational Drag Analyses and Minimization: Mission Impossible, which was not included in AGARD Report 723 (main volume).

The effect of atmospheric drag on the design of solar-cell power systems for low Earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kyser, A. C.

1983-01-01

The feasibility of reducing the atmospheric drag of low orbit solar powered satellites by operating the solar-cell array in a minimum-drag attitude, rather than in the conventional Sun pointing attitude was determined. The weights of the solar array, the energy storage batteries, and the fuel required to overcome the drag of the solar array for a range of design life times in orbit were considered. The drag of the array was estimated by free molecule flow theory, and the system weights were calculated from unit weight estimates for 1990 technology. The trailing, minimum drag system was found to require 80% more solar array area, and 30% more battery capacity, the system weights for reasonable life times were dominated by the thruster fuel requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenner, Elliot; Barbier, Charlotte N; D'Urso, Brian R

Robust and easily produced Superhydrophobic surfaces are of great interest for mechanical applications, including drag reduction and MEMS. We produce novel superhydrophobic surfaces with several different coatings and tested the durability of each of these coatings with respect to long term immersion in water in order to determine the most long-lasting surface preparation. A pair of combinations of spin on polymers, surface features, and adhesion promoters was found that provide long term durability.

Effects of polymer additives on Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence.

PubMed

Boffetta, G; Mazzino, A; Musacchio, S

2011-05-01

The role of polymer additives on the turbulent convective flow of a Rayleigh-Taylor system is investigated by means of direct numerical simulations of Oldroyd-B viscoelastic model. The dynamics of polymer elongations follows adiabatically the self-similar evolution of the turbulent mixing layer and shows the appearance of a strong feedback on the flow which originates a cutoff for polymer elongations. The viscoelastic effects on the mixing properties of the flow are twofold. Mixing is appreciably enhanced at large scales (the mixing layer growth rate is larger than that of the purely Newtonian case) and depleted at small scales (thermal plumes are more coherent with respect to the Newtonian case). The observed speed up of the thermal plumes, together with an increase of the correlations between temperature field and vertical velocity, contributes to a significant enhancement of heat transport. Our findings are consistent with a scenario of drag reduction induced by polymers. A weakly nonlinear model proposed by Fermi for the growth of the mixing layer is reported in the Appendix. © 2011 American Physical Society

Scaling of Polymer Degradation Rate within a High-Reynolds-Number Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbing, Brian; Solomon, Michael; Perlin, Marc; Dowling, David; Ceccio, Steven

2009-11-01

An experiment conducted at the U.S. Navy's Large Cavitation Channel on a 12.9 m long flat-plate test model produced the first quantitative measurements of polymer molecular weight within a turbulent boundary layer. Testing was conducted at speeds to 20 m/s and downstream distance based Reynolds numbers to 220 million. These results showed that the rate of polymer degradation by scission of the polymer chains increases with increased speed, downstream distance and surface roughness. With the surface fully rough at 20 m/s there was no measureable level of drag reduction at the first measurement location (0.56 m downstream of injection). These results are scaled with the assumption that the rate of degradation is dependent on the polymer residence time in the flow and the local shear rate. A successful collapse of the data within the measurement uncertainty was achieved over a range of flow speed (6.6 to 20 m/s), surface roughness (smooth and fully rough) and downstream distance from injection (0.56 to 9.28 m).

Drag reduction of turbulent pipe flows by circular-wall oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Kwing-So; Graham, Mark

1998-01-01

An experimental study on turbulent pipe flows was conducted with a view to reduce their friction drag by oscillating a section of the pipe in a circumferential direction. The results indicated that the friction factor of the pipe is reduced by as much as 25% as a result of active manipulation of near-wall turbulence structure by circular-wall oscillation. An increase in the bulk velocity was clearly shown when the pipe was oscillated at a constant head, supporting the measured drag reduction in the present experiment. The percentage reduction in pipe friction was found to be better scaled with the nondimensional velocity of the oscillating wall than with its nondimensional period, confirming a suggestion that the drag reduction seem to be resulted from the realignment of longitudinal vortices into a circumferential direction by the wall oscillation.

Utilising flags to reduce drag around a short finite circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javadi, Kh.; Kiani, F.; Tahaye Abadi, M.

2018-03-01

This paper utilises flags to decrease the drag around a short finite circular cylinder. Wall-adapted large eddy simulation and two-way fluid-structure interaction methods were applied to resolve unsteady turbulent flow structure. The far-field Reynolds number of the current configuration based on the cylinder diameter was chosen to be 20,000. In addition, the length-to-diameter ratio of the cylinder was assumed to be L/D = 2 whereas the flexible flag had a width-to-diameter ratio of W/D = 1.5. The results were compared with the regular short finite circular cylinder and the rigid flagged cylinder in our previous work. The results indicate that utilising flags inside the near-wake region of the cylinder reduces the pressure drag. The physical mechanism of this drag reduction is presented.

Analysis and evaluation of an integrated laminar flow control propulsion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keith, Theo G., Jr.; Dewitt, Kenneth J.

1993-01-01

Reduction of drag has been a major goal of the aircraft industry as no other single quantity influences the operating costs of transport aircraft more than aerodynamic drag. It has been estimated that even modest reduction of frictional drag could reduce fuel costs by anywhere from 2 to 5 percent. Current research on boundary layer drag reduction deals with various approaches to reduce turbulent skin friction drag as a means of improving aircraft performance. One of the techniques belonging to this category is laminar flow control in which extensive regions of laminar flow are maintained over aircraft surfaces by delaying transition to turbulence through the ingestion of boundary layer air. While problems of laminar flow control have been studied in some detail, the prospect of improving the propulsion system of an aircraft by the use of ingested boundary layer air has received very little attention. An initial study for the purpose of reducing propulsion system requirements by utilizing the kinetic energy of boundary layer air was performed in the mid-1970's at LeRC. This study which was based on ingesting the boundary layer air at a single location, did not yield any significant overall propulsion benefits; therefore, the concept was not pursued further. However, since then it has been proposed that if the boundary layer air were ingested at various locations on the aircraft surface instead of just at one site, an improvement in the propulsion system might be realized. The present report provides a review of laminar flow control by suction and focuses on the problems of reducing skin friction drag by maintaining extensive regions of laminar flow over the aircraft surfaces. In addition, it includes an evaluation of an aircraft propulsion system that is augmented by ingested boundary layer air.

Viscoelastic and elastomeric active matter: linear instability and nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemingway, Ewan J.; Cates, M. E.; Marchetti, M. C.; Fielding, S. M.

We consider a continuum model of active viscoelastic matter, whereby a model of an active nematic liquid-crystal is coupled to a minimal model of polymer dynamics with a viscoelastic relaxation time τc. To explore the resulting interplay between active and polymeric dynamics, we first generalise a linear stability analysis (from earlier studies without polymer) to derive criteria for the onset of spontaneous flow. Perhaps surprisingly, our results show that the spontaneous flow instability persists even for divergent polymer relaxation times. We explore the novel dynamical states to which these instabilities lead by means of nonlinear numerical simulations. This reveals oscillatory shear-banded states in 1D, and activity-driven turbulence in 2D, even in the limit τc --> ∞ . Adding polymer can also have calming effects, increasing the net throughput of spontaneous flow along a channel in a new type of ''drag-reduction'', an effect that may have implications for cytoplasmic streaming processes within the cell.

Shear-induced desorption of isolated polymer molecules from a planar wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Sarit; Dorfman, Kevin; Kumar, Satish

2014-03-01

Shear-induced desorption of isolated polymer molecules is studied using Brownian dynamics simulations. The polymer molecules are modeled as freely jointed bead-spring chains interacting with a planar wall via a short-range potential. The simulations include both intrachain and chain-wall hydrodynamic interactions. Shear flow is found to cause chain flattening, resulting at low shear rates in an increased fraction of chain segments bound to the wall. However, above a critical shear rate the chains desorb completely. The desorption process is nucleated by random protrusions in the shear gradient direction which evolve under the combined effect of drag, hydrodynamic interaction, and vorticity-induced rotation, and subsequently lead to recapture. Above the critical shear rate, these protrusions grow in length until the entire chain is peeled off the wall. For free-draining chains, the protrusions are not sustained and no desorption is observed even at shear rates much higher than the critical value. These simulations can help in interpreting experiments on shear-induced desorption of polymer films and brushes.

The effect of the polymer relaxation time on the nonlinear energy cas- cade and dissipation of statistically steady and decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valente, Pedro C.; da Silva, Carlos B.; Pinho, Fernando T.

2013-11-01

We report a numerical study of statistically steady and decaying turbulence of FENE-P fluids for varying polymer relaxation times ranging from the Kolmogorov dissipation time-scale to the eddy turnover time. The total turbulent kinetic energy dissipation is shown to increase with the polymer relaxation time in both steady and decaying turbulence, implying a ``drag increase.'' If the total power input in the statistically steady case is kept equal in the Newtonian and the viscoelastic simulations the increase in the turbulence-polymer energy transfer naturally lead to the previously reported depletion of the Newtonian, but not the overall, kinetic energy dissipation. The modifications to the nonlinear energy cascade with varying Deborah/Weissenberg numbers are quantified and their origins investigated. The authors acknowledge the financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under grant PTDC/EME-MFE/113589/2009.

An all-organic composite actuator material with a high dielectric constant.

PubMed

Zhang, Q M; Li, Hengfeng; Poh, Martin; Xia, Feng; Cheng, Z-Y; Xu, Haisheng; Huang, Cheng

2002-09-19

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) can behave as actuators, changing their shape in response to electrical stimulation. EAPs that are controlled by external electric fields--referred to here as field-type EAPs--include ferroelectric polymers, electrostrictive polymers, dielectric elastomers and liquid crystal polymers. Field-type EAPs can exhibit fast response speeds, low hysteresis and strain levels far above those of traditional piezoelectric materials, with elastic energy densities even higher than those of piezoceramics. However, these polymers also require a high field (>70 V micro m(-1)) to generate such high elastic energy densities (>0.1 J cm(-3); refs 4, 5, 9, 10). Here we report a new class of all-organic field-type EAP composites, which can exhibit high elastic energy densities induced by an electric field of only 13 V micro m(-1). The composites are fabricated from an organic filler material possessing very high dielectric constant dispersed in an electrostrictive polymer matrix. The composites can exhibit high net dielectric constants while retaining the flexibility of the matrix. These all-organic actuators could find applications as artificial muscles, 'smart skins' for drag reduction, and in microfluidic systems for drug delivery.

Drag Reduction by Riblets & Sharkskin Denticles: A Numerical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boomsma, Aaron

Riblet films are a passive method of turbulent boundary layer control that can reduce viscous drag. They have been studied with great detail for over 30 years. Although common riblet applications include flows with Adverse Pressure Gradients (APG), nearly all research thus far has been performed in channel flows. Recent research has provided motivation to study riblets in more complicated turbulent flows with claims that riblet drag reduction can double in mild APG common to airfoils at moderate angles of attack. Therefore, in this study, we compare drag reduction by scalloped riblet films between riblets in a zero pressure gradient and those in a mild APG using high-resolution large eddy simulations. In order to gain a fundamental understanding of the relationship between drag reduction and pressure gradient, we simulated several different riblet sizes that encompassed a broad range of s + (riblet width in wall units), similarly to many experimental studies. We found that there was only a slight improvement in drag reduction for riblets in the mild APG. We also observed that peak values of streamwise turbulence intensity, turbulent kinetic energy, and streamwise vorticity scale with riblet width. Primary Reynolds shear stresses and turbulence kinetic energy production however scale with the ability of the riblet to reduce skin-friction. Another turbulent roughness of similar shape and size to riblets is sharkskin. The hydrodynamic function of sharkskin has been under investigation for the past 30 years. Current literature conflicts on whether sharkskin is able to reduce skin friction similarly to riblets. To contribute insights toward reconciling these conflicting views, Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) are carried out to obtain detailed flow fields around realistic denticles. A sharp interface immersed boundary method is employed to simulate two arrangements of actual sharkskin denticles (from Isurus oxyrinchus) in a turbulent boundary layer at Retau ≈ 180. For comparison, turbulent flow over drag-reducing scalloped riblets is also simulated with similar flow conditions and with the same numerical method. Although the denticles resemble riblets, both sharkskin arrangements increase total drag by 44-50%, while the riblets reduce drag by 5%. Analysis of the simulated flow fields shows that the turbulent flow around denticles is highly three-dimensional and separated, with 25% of the total drag being form drag. The complex three-dimensional shape of the denticles gives rise to a mean flow dominated by strong secondary flows in sharp contrast with the mean flow generated by riblets, which is largely two-dimensional. The so resulting three-dimensionality of sharkskin flows leads to an increase in the magnitude of the turbulence statistics near the denticles, which further contributes to increasing the total drag. The simulations also show that, at least for the simulated arrangements, sharkskin, in sharp contrast with drag-reducing riblets, is unable to isolate high shear stress near denticle ridges causing a significant portion of the denticle surface to be exposed to high mean shear. Lastly, it has been theorized that sharkskin might act similarly to vortex generators and prevent separation. In order to test this theory, we have conducted simulations with and without sharkskin upstream of a steady separation bubble. Using large eddy simulation, our study shows that sharkskin worsened the weak separation region and enlarged the separation bubble's boundaries. The cause was shown to originate due to the denticles acting as blockages, rather than vortex generators. In fact, our results showed that separation occurred just after the second row of denticles and that the turbulent flow was unable to recover its lost momentum. Streamwise turbulence intensities were decreased compared to the baseline case. Finally, in the present case, the sharkskin induced reversed flow within the denticles---something that was not observed with sharkskin in channel flow.

Low Drag Porous Ship with Superhydrophobic and Superoleophilic Surface for Oil Spills Cleanup.

PubMed

Wang, Gang; Zeng, Zhixiang; Wang, He; Zhang, Lin; Sun, Xiaodong; He, Yi; Li, Longyang; Wu, Xuedong; Ren, Tianhui; Xue, Qunji

2015-12-02

To efficiently remove and recycle oil spills, we construct aligned ZnO nanorod arrays on the surface of the porous stainless steel wire mesh to fabricate a porous unmanned ship (PUS) with properties of superhydrophobicity, superoleophilicity, and low drag by imitating the structure of nonwetting leg of water strider. The superhydrophobicity of the PUS is stable, which can support 16.5 cm water column with pore size of 100 μm. Water droplet can rebound without adhesion. In the process of oil/water separation, when the PUS contacts with oil, the oil is quickly pulled toward and penetrates into the PUS automatically. The superhydrophobicity and low water adhesion force of the PUS surface endow the PUS with high oil recovery capacity (above 94%) and drag-reducing property (31% at flowing velocity of 0.38m/s). In addition, the PUS has good corrosion resistance and reusability. We further investigate the wetting behavior of water and oil, oil recovery capacity, drag-reducing property, and corrosion resistance of the PUS after oil absorbed. The PUS surface changes significantly from superhydrophobic to hydrophobic after absorbing oil. However, the oil absorbed PUS possesses better drag-reducing property and corrosion resistance due to the changes of the motion state of the water droplets.

Transonic aerodynamic characteristics of the 10-percent-thick NASA supercritical airfoil 31

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, C. D.

1975-01-01

Refinements in a 10 percent thick supercritical airfoil (airfoil 31) have produced significant improvements in the drag characteristics compared with those for an earlier supercritical airfoil (airfoil 12) designed for the same normal force coefficient of 0.7. Drag creep was practically eliminated at normal force coefficients between about 0.4 and 0.7 and was greatly reduced at other normal force coefficients. Substantial reductions in the drag levels preceding drag divergence were also achieved at all normal force coefficients. The Mach numbers at which drag diverges were delayed for airfoil 31 at normal force coefficients up to about 0.6 (by approximately 0.01 and 0.02 at normal force coefficients of 0.4 and 0.6, respectively) but drag divergence occurred at slightly lower Mach numbers at higher normal force coefficients.

Drag reduction using slippery liquid infused surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultmark, Marcus; Stone, Howard; Smits, Alexander; Jacobi, Ian; Samaha, Mohamed; Wexler, Jason; Shang, Jessica; Rosenberg, Brian; Hellström, Leo; Fan, Yuyang

2013-11-01

A new method for passive drag reduction is introduced. A surface treatment inspired by the Nepenthes pitcher plant, previously developed by Wong et al. (2011), is utilized and its design parameters are studied for increased drag reduction and durability. Nano- and micro-structured surfaces infused with a lubricant allow for mobility within the lubricant itself when the surface is exposed to flow. The mobility causes slip at the fluid-fluid interface, which drastically reduces the viscous friction. These new surfaces are fundamentally different from the more conventional superhydrophobic surfaces previously used in drag reduction studies, which rely on a gas-liquid interface. The main advantage of the liquid infused surfaces over the conventional surfaces is that the lubricant adheres more strongly to the surface, decreasing the risk of failure when exposed to turbulence and other high-shear flows. We have shown that these surfaces can reduce viscous drag up to 20% in both Taylor-Couette flow and in a parallel plate rheometer. Supported under ONR Grants N00014-12-1-0875 and N00014-12-1-0962 (program manager Ki-Han Kim).

The potential of hybrid micro-vortex generators to control flow separation of NACA 4415 airfoil in subsonic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jumahadi, Muhammad Taufiq; Saad, Mohd Rashdan; Idris, Azam Che; Sujipto, Suriyadi; Rahman, Mohd Rosdzimin Abdul

2018-02-01

Boundary layer separation is detrimental to the lift and drag of most aeronautical applications. Many vortex generators (VG), both passive and active have been designed to reduce these drawbacks. This study targets to investigate the effectiveness of hybrid micro-VGs, which combine both active and passive micro-VGs in controlling separation under subsonic conditions. NACA 4415 airfoils installed with passive, active and hybrid micro-VGs each are designed, 3D printed, and tested in a wind tunnel at 26.19 m/s under Re = 2.5x105. The lift and drag measurements from a 3-component force balance prove that hybrid micro-VGs increase lift by up to 21.2%, increase drag by more than 11.3% and improve lift-to-drag ratio by at least 8.6% until up to 33.7%. From this research, it is believed that hybrid micro-VGs are competitive to the performance of active VGs and a better configuration is to be considered to reduce parasitic drag and outstand active VGs.

Sustained drag reduction in a turbulent flow using a low-temperature Leidenfrost surface

PubMed Central

Saranadhi, Dhananjai; Chen, Dayong; Kleingartner, Justin A.; Srinivasan, Siddarth; Cohen, Robert E.; McKinley, Gareth H.

2016-01-01

Skin friction drag contributes a major portion of the total drag for small and large water vehicles at high Reynolds number (Re). One emerging approach to reducing drag is to use superhydrophobic surfaces to promote slip boundary conditions. However, the air layer or “plastron” trapped on submerged superhydrophobic surfaces often diminishes quickly under hydrostatic pressure and/or turbulent pressure fluctuations. We use active heating on a superhydrophobic surface to establish a stable vapor layer or “Leidenfrost” state at a relatively low superheat temperature. The continuous film of water vapor lubricates the interface, and the resulting slip boundary condition leads to skin friction drag reduction on the inner rotor of a custom Taylor-Couette apparatus. We find that skin friction can be reduced by 80 to 90% relative to an unheated superhydrophobic surface for Re in the range 26,100 ≤ Re ≤ 52,000. We derive a boundary layer and slip theory to describe the hydrodynamics in the system and show that the plastron thickness is h = 44 ± 11 μm, in agreement with expectations for a Leidenfrost surface. PMID:27757417

Numerical Simulations for Turbulent Drag Reduction Using Liquid Infused Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arenas-Navarro, Isnardo

Numerical simulations of the turbulent flow over Super Hydrophobic and Liquid Infused Surfaces have been performed in this work. Three different textured surfaces have been considered: longitudinal square bars, transversal square bars and staggered cubes. The numerical code combines an immersed boundary method to mimic the substrate and a level set method to track the interface. Liquid Infused Surfaces reduce the drag by locking a lubricant within structured roughness to facilitate a slip velocity at the surface interface. The conceptual idea is similar to Super Hydrophobic Surfaces, which rely on a lubricant air layer, whereas liquid-infused surfaces use a preferentially wetting liquid lubricant to create a fluid-fluid interface. This slipping interface has been shown to be an effective method of passively reducing skin friction drag in turbulent flows. Details are given on the effect of the viscosity ratio between the two fluids and the dynamics of the interface on drag reduction. An attempt has been made to reconcile Super-Hydrophobic, Liquid Infused and rough wall under the same framework by correlating the drag to the wall normal velocity fluctuations.

Drag Reducing and Cavitation Resistant Coatings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pease, Leonard F.

2016-12-28

Client, Green Building Systems (GBS), presented PNNL a coating reported to reduce drag and prevent cavitation damage on marine vessels, turbines and pumps. The composition of the coating remains proprietary but has as constituents including silicon oxides, aliphatic carbon chains, and fluorine rich particles. The coating is spray applied to surfaces. Prior GBS testing and experiments suggest reduction of both drag and cavitation on industrial scale propellers, but the underlying mechanism for these effects remains unclear. Yet, the application is compelling because even modest reductions in drag to marine vessels and cavitation to propellers and turbines present a significant economicmore » and environmental opportunity. To discern among possible mechanisms, PNNL considered possible mechanisms with the client, executed multiple experiments, and completed one theoretical analysis (see appendix). The remainder of this report first considers image analysis to gain insight into drag reduction mechanisms and then exposes the coating to cavitation to explore its response to an intensely cavitating environment. Although further efforts may be warranted to confirm mechanisms, this report presents a first investigation into these coatings within the scope and resources of the technology assistance program (TAP).« less

Drag Measurements over Embedded Cavities in a Low Reynolds Number Couette Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmer, Caleb; Lang, Amy; Jones, Robert

2010-11-01

Recent research has revealed that thin-walled, embedded cavities in low Reynolds number flow have the potential to reduce the net viscous drag force acting on the surface. This reduction is due to the formation of embedded vortices allowing the outer flow to pass over the surface via a roller bearing effect. It is also hypothesized that the scales found on butterfly wings may act in a similar manner to cause a net increase in flying efficiency. In this experimental study, rectangular embedded cavities were designed as a means of successfully reducing the net drag across surfaces in a low Reynolds number flow. A Couette flow was generated via a rotating conveyor belt immersed in a tank of high viscosity mineral oil above which the plates with embedded cavities were placed. Drag induced on the plate models was measured using a force gauge and compared directly to measurements acquired over a flat plate. Various cavity aspect ratios and gap heights were tested in order to determine the conditions under which the greatest drag reductions occurred.

The drive for Aircraft Energy Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, R. L., Jr.; Maddalon, D. V.

1984-01-01

NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) program, which began in 1976, has mounted a development effort in four major transport aircraft technology fields: laminar flow systems, advanced aerodynamics, flight controls, and composite structures. ACEE has explored two basic methods for achieving drag-reducing boundary layer laminarization: the use of suction through the wing structure (via slots or perforations) to remove boundary layer turbulence, and the encouragement of natural laminar flow maintenance through refined design practices. Wind tunnel tests have been conducted for wide bodied aircraft equipped with high aspect ratio supercritical wings and winglets. Maneuver load control and pitch-active stability augmentation control systems reduce fuel consumption by reducing the drag associated with high aircraft stability margins. Composite structures yield lighter airframes that in turn call for smaller wing and empennage areas, reducing induced drag for a given payload. In combination, all four areas of development are expected to yield a fuel consumption reduction of 40 percent.

Over-the-wing propeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Joseph L., Jr. (Inventor); White, E. Richard (Inventor)

1986-01-01

This invention is an aircraft with a system for increasing the lift drag ratio over a broad range of operating conditions. The system positions the engines and nacelles over the wing in such a position that gains in propeller efficiency is achieved simultaneously with increases in wing lift and a reduction in wing drag. Adverse structural and torsional effects on the wings are avoided by fuselage mounted pylons which attach to the upper portion of the fuselage aft of the wings. Similarly, pylon-wing interference is eliminated by moving the pylons to the fuselage. Further gains are achieved by locating the pylon surface area aft of the aircraft center of gravity, thereby augmenting both directional and longitudinal stability. This augmentation has the further effect of reducing the size, weight and drag of empennage components. The combination of design changes results in improved cruise performance and increased climb performance while reducing fuel consumption and drag and weight penalties.

An Investigation of the Drag of Windshields in the 8-Foot High-Speed Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Russell G.; Delano, James B.

1939-01-01

The drag of closed-cockpit and transport-type windshields was determined from tests made at speeds from 200 to 440 miles per hour in the NACA 8-foot high-speed wind tunnel. This speed range corresponds to a test Reynolds number range of 2,510,000 to 4,830,000 based on the mean aerodynamic chord of the full-span model (17.29 inches). The shapes of the windshield proper, the hood, and the tail fairing were systematically varied to include common types and a refined design. Transport types varied from a reproduction of a current type to a completely faired windshield. The results show that the drag of windshields of the same frontal area, on airplanes of small to medium size, may account for 15% of the airplane drag or may be reduced to 1%. Optimum values are given for windshield and tail-fairing lengths; the effect, at various radii is shown. The longitudinal profile of a windshield is shown to be most important and the transverse profile, to be much less important. The effects of retaining strips, of steps for telescoping hoods, and of recessed windows are determined. The results show that the drag of transport-type windshields may account for 21% of the fuselage drag or may be reduced to 2%.

Hub and pylon fairing integration for helicopter drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, D. M.; Mort, R. W.; Squires, P. K.; Young, L. A.

1991-01-01

The results of testing hub and pylon fairings mounted on a one-fifth scale helicopter with the goal of reducing parasite drag are presented. Lift, drag, and pitching moment, as well as side force and yawing moment, were measured. The primary objective of the test was to validate the drag reduction capability of integrated hub and pylon configurations in the aerodynamic environment produced by a rotating hub in forward flight. In addition to the baseline helicopter without fairings, three hub fairings and three pylon fairings were tested in various combinations. The three hub fairings tested reflect two different conceptual design approaches to implementing an integrated fairing configuration on an actual aircraft. The design philosophy is discussed in detail and comparisons are made between the wind tunnel models and potential full-scale prototypes. The data show that model drag can be reduced by as much as 20.8 percent by combining a small hub fairing with circular arc upper and flat lower surfaces and a nontapered 34-percent thick pylon fairing. Aerodynamic effects caused by the fairings, which may have a significant impact on static longitudinal and directional stability, were observed. The results support previous research which showed that the greatest reduction in model drag is achieved if the hub and pylon fairings are integrated with minimum gap between the two.

Vertical variations of coral reef drag forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asher, Shai; Niewerth, Stephan; Koll, Katinka; Shavit, Uri; LWI Collaboration; Technion Collaboration

2017-11-01

Corals rely on water flow for the supply of nutrients, particles and energy. Therefore, modeling of processes that take place inside the reef, such as respiration and photosynthesis, relies on models that describe the flow and concentration fields. Due to the high spatial heterogeneity of branched coral reefs, depth average models are usually applied. Such an average approach is insufficient when the flow spatial variation inside the reef is of interest. We report on measurements of vertical variations of drag force that are needed for developing 3D flow models. Coral skeletons were densely arranged along a laboratory flume. Two corals were CT-scanned and replaced with horizontally sliced 3D printed replicates. Drag profiles were measured by connecting the slices to costume drag sensors and velocity profiles were measured using a LDV. The measured drag of whole colonies was in excellent agreement with previous studies; however, these studies never showed how drag varies inside the reef. In addition, these distributions of drag force showed an excellent agreement with momentum balance calculations. Based on the results, we propose a new drag model that includes the dispersive stresses, and consequently displays reduced vertical variations of the drag coefficient.

High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) Isolated Nacelle Transonic Boattail Drag Study and Results Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Midea, Anthony C.; Austin, Thomas; Pao, S. Paul; DeBonis, James R.; Mani, Mori

2005-01-01

Nozzle boattail drag is significant for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) and can be as high as 25 percent of the overall propulsion system thrust at transonic conditions. Thus, nozzle boattail drag has the potential to create a thrust drag pinch and can reduce HSCT aircraft aerodynamic efficiencies at transonic operating conditions. In order to accurately predict HSCT performance, it is imperative that nozzle boattail drag be accurately predicted. Previous methods to predict HSCT nozzle boattail drag were suspect in the transonic regime. In addition, previous prediction methods were unable to account for complex nozzle geometry and were not flexible enough for engine cycle trade studies. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) effort was conducted by NASA and McDonnell Douglas to evaluate the magnitude and characteristics of HSCT nozzle boattail drag at transonic conditions. A team of engineers used various CFD codes and provided consistent, accurate boattail drag coefficient predictions for a family of HSCT nozzle configurations. The CFD results were incorporated into a nozzle drag database that encompassed the entire HSCT flight regime and provided the basis for an accurate and flexible prediction methodology.

High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) Isolated Nacelle Transonic Boattail Drag Study and Results Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Midea, Anthony C.; Austin, Thomas; Pao, S. Paul; DeBonis, James R.; Mani, Mori

1999-01-01

Nozzle boattail drag is significant for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) and can be as high as 25% of the overall propulsion system thrust at transonic conditions. Thus, nozzle boattail drag has the potential to create a thrust-drag pinch and can reduce HSCT aircraft aerodynamic efficiencies at transonic operating conditions. In order to accurately predict HSCT performance, it is imperative that nozzle boattail drag be accurately predicted. Previous methods to predict HSCT nozzle boattail drag were suspect in the transonic regime. In addition, previous prediction methods were unable to account for complex nozzle geometry and were not flexible enough for engine cycle trade studies. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) effort was conducted by NASA and McDonnell Douglas to evaluate the magnitude and characteristics of HSCT nozzle boattail drag at transonic conditions. A team of engineers used various CFD codes and provided consistent, accurate boattail drag coefficient predictions for a family of HSCT nozzle configurations. The CFD results were incorporated into a nozzle drag database that encompassed the entire HSCT flight regime and provided the basis for an accurate and flexible prediction methodology.

Thermal Alternating Polymer Nanocomposite (TAPNC) Coating Designed to Prevent Aerodynamic Insect Fouling

PubMed Central

Bayer, Ilker S.; Krishnan, K. Ghokulla; Robison, Robert; Loth, Eric; Berry, Douglas H.; Farrell, Thomas E.; Crouch, Jeffrey D.

2016-01-01

Insect residue adhesion to moving surfaces such as turbine blades and aircraft not only causes surface contamination problems but also increases drag on these surfaces. Insect fouling during takeoff, climb and landing can result in increased drag and fuel consumption for aircraft with laminar-flow surfaces. Hence, certain topographical and chemical features of non-wettable surfaces need to be designed properly for preventing insect residue accumulation on surfaces. In this work, we developed a superhydrophobic coating that is able to maintain negligible levels of insect residue after 100 high speed (50 m/s) insect impact events produced in a wind tunnel. The coating comprises alternating layers of a hydrophobic, perfluorinated acrylic copolymer and hydrophobic surface functional silicon dioxide nanoparticles that are infused into one another by successive thermal treatments. The design of this coating was achieved as a result of various experiments conducted in the wind tunnel by using a series of superhydrophobic surfaces made by the combination of the same polymer and nanoparticles in the form of nanocomposites with varying surface texture and self-cleaning hydrophobicity properties. Moreover, the coating demonstrated acceptable levels of wear abrasion and substrate adhesion resistance against pencil hardness, dry/wet scribed tape peel adhesion and 17.5 kPa Taber linear abraser tests. PMID:27924913

Thermal Alternating Polymer Nanocomposite (TAPNC) Coating Designed to Prevent Aerodynamic Insect Fouling.

PubMed

Bayer, Ilker S; Krishnan, K Ghokulla; Robison, Robert; Loth, Eric; Berry, Douglas H; Farrell, Thomas E; Crouch, Jeffrey D

2016-12-07

Insect residue adhesion to moving surfaces such as turbine blades and aircraft not only causes surface contamination problems but also increases drag on these surfaces. Insect fouling during takeoff, climb and landing can result in increased drag and fuel consumption for aircraft with laminar-flow surfaces. Hence, certain topographical and chemical features of non-wettable surfaces need to be designed properly for preventing insect residue accumulation on surfaces. In this work, we developed a superhydrophobic coating that is able to maintain negligible levels of insect residue after 100 high speed (50 m/s) insect impact events produced in a wind tunnel. The coating comprises alternating layers of a hydrophobic, perfluorinated acrylic copolymer and hydrophobic surface functional silicon dioxide nanoparticles that are infused into one another by successive thermal treatments. The design of this coating was achieved as a result of various experiments conducted in the wind tunnel by using a series of superhydrophobic surfaces made by the combination of the same polymer and nanoparticles in the form of nanocomposites with varying surface texture and self-cleaning hydrophobicity properties. Moreover, the coating demonstrated acceptable levels of wear abrasion and substrate adhesion resistance against pencil hardness, dry/wet scribed tape peel adhesion and 17.5 kPa Taber linear abraser tests.

Thermal Alternating Polymer Nanocomposite (TAPNC) Coating Designed to Prevent Aerodynamic Insect Fouling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer, Ilker S.; Krishnan, K. Ghokulla; Robison, Robert; Loth, Eric; Berry, Douglas H.; Farrell, Thomas E.; Crouch, Jeffrey D.

2016-12-01

Insect residue adhesion to moving surfaces such as turbine blades and aircraft not only causes surface contamination problems but also increases drag on these surfaces. Insect fouling during takeoff, climb and landing can result in increased drag and fuel consumption for aircraft with laminar-flow surfaces. Hence, certain topographical and chemical features of non-wettable surfaces need to be designed properly for preventing insect residue accumulation on surfaces. In this work, we developed a superhydrophobic coating that is able to maintain negligible levels of insect residue after 100 high speed (50 m/s) insect impact events produced in a wind tunnel. The coating comprises alternating layers of a hydrophobic, perfluorinated acrylic copolymer and hydrophobic surface functional silicon dioxide nanoparticles that are infused into one another by successive thermal treatments. The design of this coating was achieved as a result of various experiments conducted in the wind tunnel by using a series of superhydrophobic surfaces made by the combination of the same polymer and nanoparticles in the form of nanocomposites with varying surface texture and self-cleaning hydrophobicity properties. Moreover, the coating demonstrated acceptable levels of wear abrasion and substrate adhesion resistance against pencil hardness, dry/wet scribed tape peel adhesion and 17.5 kPa Taber linear abraser tests.

Experimental study of microbubble drag reduction on an axisymmetric body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Wuchao; Wang, Cong; Wei, Yingjie; Zhang, Xiaoshi; Wang, Wei

2018-01-01

Microbubble drag reduction on the axisymmetric body is experimentally investigated in the turbulent water tunnel. Microbubbles are created by injecting compressed air through the porous medium with various average pore sizes. The morphology of microbubble flow and the size distribution of microbubble are observed by the high-speed visualization system. Drag measurements are obtained by the balance which is presented as the function of void ratio. The results show that when the air injection flow rate is high, uniformly dispersed microbubble flow is coalesced into an air layer with the larger increment rate of drag reduction ratio. The diameter distributions of microbubble under various conditions are submitted to normal distribution. Microbubble drag reduction can be divided into three distinguishable regions in which the drag reduction ratio experiences increase stage, rapid increase stage and stability stage, respectively, corresponding to the various morphologies of microbubble flow. Moreover, drag reduction ratio increases with the decreasing pore sizes of porous medium at the identical void ratio in the area of low speeds, while the effect of pore sizes on drag reduction is reduced gradually until it disappears with the increasing free stream speeds, which indicates that smaller microbubbles have better efficiency in drag reduction. This research results help to improve the understanding of microbubble drag reduction and provides helpful references for practical applications.

Longitudinal afterbody grooves and shoulder radiusing for low-speed bluff body drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, F. G.; Quass, B. F.; Weinstein, L. M.; Bushnell, D. M.

1981-01-01

A new low-speed drag reduction approach is proposed which employs longitudinal surface V-shaped grooves cutting through the afterbody shoulder region. The test Reynolds number range was from 20,000 to 200,000 based on undisturbed free-stream flow and a body diameter of 6.08 cm. The V-grooves are shown to be most effective in reducing drag when the afterbody shoulder radius is zero. Reductions in drag of up to 33% have been measured for this condition. For large shoulder radius, the grooves are only effective at the lower Reynolds numbers of the test.

The Aerodynamic Drag of Five Models of Side Floats N.A.C.A. Models 51-E, 51-F, 51-G, 51-H, 51-J

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

House, R O

1938-01-01

The drag of five models of side floats was measured in the N.A.C.A. 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel. The most promising method of reducing the drag of floats indicated by these tests is lowering the angle at which the floats are rigged. The addition of a step to a float does not always increase the drag in the flying range, floats with steps sometimes having lower drag than similar floats without steps. Making the bow chine no higher than necessary might result in a reduction in air drag because of the lower angle of pitch of the chines. Since side floats are used formally to obtain lateral stability when the seaplane is operating on the water at slow speeds or at rest, greater consideration can be given to factors affecting aerodynamic drag than is possible for other types of floats and hulls.

The Zero-Lift Drag of Several Configurations of the XAAM-N-2 Pilotless Aircraft. TED No. NACA DE332

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, James R.; Sandahl, Carl A.

1950-01-01

Free-flight tests have been made to determine the zero-lift drag of several configurations of the XAAM-N-2 pilotless aircraft. Base-pressure measurements were also obtained for some of the configurations. The results show that increasing the wing-thickness ratio from 4 to 6 percent increased the wing drag by about 100 percent at M = 1.3 and by about 30 percent at M = 1.8. Increasing the nose fineness ratio from 5.00 to 6.25 reduced the drag coefficient of the wingless models a maximum of about 0.030 (10 percent) at M = 2.0. A corresponding change in nose shape for the winged models decreased the drag coefficient by about 0.05 in the Mach number range from 1.1 to 1.4; at Mach numbers greater than 1.6 no measurable reduction in drag coefficient was obtained. The drag of the present Sparrow fuselage is less than that of a parabolic fuselage which could contain the same equipment.

Anomalous Hydrodynamic Drafting of Interacting Flapping Flags

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ristroph, Leif; Zhang, Jun

2008-11-01

In aggregates of objects moving through a fluid, bodies downstream of a leader generally experience reduced drag force. This conventional drafting holds for objects of fixed shape, but interactions of deformable bodies in a flow are poorly understood, as in schools of fish. In our experiments on “schooling” flapping flags, we find that it is the leader of a group who enjoys a significant drag reduction (of up to 50%), while the downstream flag suffers a drag increase. This counterintuitive inverted drag relationship is rationalized by dissecting the mutual influence of shape and flow in determining drag. Inverted drafting has never been observed with rigid bodies, apparently due to the inability to deform in response to the altered flow field of neighbors.

Drag reduction and thrust generation by tangential surface motion in flow past a cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Xuerui; Pearson, Emily

2018-03-01

Sensitivity of drag to tangential surface motion is calculated in flow past a circular cylinder in both two- and three-dimensional conditions at Reynolds number Re ≤ 1000 . The magnitude of the sensitivity maximises in the region slightly upstream of the separation points where the contour lines of spanwise vorticity are normal to the cylinder surface. A control to reduce drag can be obtained by (negatively) scaling the sensitivity. The high correlation of sensitivities of controlled and uncontrolled flow indicates that the scaled sensitivity is a good approximation of the nonlinear optimal control. It is validated through direct numerical simulations that the linear range of the steady control is much higher than the unsteady control, which synchronises the vortex shedding and induces lock-in effects. The steady control injects angular momentum into the separating boundary layer, stabilises the flow and increases the base pressure significantly. At Re=100 , when the maximum tangential motion reaches 50% of the free-stream velocity, the vortex shedding, boundary-layer separation and recirculation bubbles are eliminated and 32% of the drag is reduced. When the maximum tangential motion reaches 2.5 times of the free-stream velocity, thrust is generated and the power savings ratio, defined as the ratio of the reduced drag power to the control input power, reaches 19.6. The mechanism of drag reduction is attributed to the change of the radial gradient of spanwise vorticity (partial r \\hat{ζ } ) and the subsequent accelerated pressure recovery from the uncontrolled separation points to the rear stagnation point.

Experimental Investigation of Convoluted Contouring for Aircraft Afterbody Drag Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deere, Karen A.; Hunter, Craig A.

1999-01-01

An experimental investigation was performed in the NASA Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the aerodynamic effects of external convolutions, placed on the boattail of a nonaxisymmetric nozzle for drag reduction. Boattail angles of 15 and 22 were tested with convolutions placed at a forward location upstream of the boattail curvature, at a mid location along the curvature and at a full location that spanned the entire boattail flap. Each of the baseline nozzle afterbodies (no convolutions) had a parabolic, converging contour with a parabolically decreasing corner radius. Data were obtained at several Mach numbers from static conditions to 1.2 for a range of nozzle pressure ratios and angles of attack. An oil paint flow visualization technique was used to qualitatively assess the effect of the convolutions. Results indicate that afterbody drag reduction by convoluted contouring is convolution location, Mach number, boattail angle, and NPR dependent. The forward convolution location was the most effective contouring geometry for drag reduction on the 22 afterbody, but was only effective for M < 0.95. At M = 0.8, drag was reduced 20 and 36 percent at NPRs of 5.4 and 7, respectively, but drag was increased 10 percent for M = 0.95 at NPR = 7. Convoluted contouring along the 15 boattail angle afterbody was not effective at reducing drag because the flow was minimally separated from the baseline afterbody, unlike the massive separation along the 22 boattail angle baseline afterbody.

Aerodynamic Drag Reduction Apparatus For Wheeled Vehicles In Ground Effect

DOEpatents

Ortega, Jason M.; Salari, Kambiz

2005-12-13

An apparatus for reducing the aerodynamic drag of a wheeled vehicle in a flowstream, the vehicle having a vehicle body and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle body. The apparatus includes a baffle assembly adapted to be positioned upstream of the wheel assembly for deflecting airflow away from the wheel assembly so as to reduce the incident pressure on the wheel assembly.

A method for the reduction of aerodynamic drag of road vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pamadi, Bandu N.; Taylor, Larry W.; Leary, Terrance O.

1990-01-01

A method is proposed for the reduction of the aerodynamic drag of bluff bodies, particularly for application to road transport vehicles. This technique consists of installation of panels on the forward surface of the vehicle facing the airstream. With the help of road tests, it was demonstrated that the attachment of proposed panels can reduce aerodynamic drag of road vehicles and result in significant fuel cost savings and conservation of energy resources.

Experimental study of using wastewater sludge as a new drag reduction agent.

PubMed

Mohamed, Hadj Djelloul; Mansour, Belhadri; Nasr-Eddine, Boudjenane

2017-07-01

Siltation is considering as a huge risk to the life and security of dams. Forced to preserve their useful volumes, managers use sediment dredging operations through different techniques. The aim of our work is to investigate the wastewater sludge derived from wastewater treatment as a new natural lubricating instrument during transport of sediment in the pipes and to reduce head losses. From an economic and environmental point of view, this technique is more effective than the use of industrial polymers. The rheological study is done using an RS600 rheometer. Head losses and friction reducing are measured on three horizontal pipes (30, 50 and 80 mm). The mud from the dam and sludge are added at different volumes concentrations. The results revealed that the mud follows the Herschel-Bulkley model at 10-20% volume concentration, even after adding wastewater sludge proportions from 0.1- 0.4%. The mud flow head losses in pipes increase with increasing solids concentration. A maximum reduction in yield stress and frictional head loss are observed at 0.25 to 0.35% of sludge concentration, which can be the most effective choice.

Aerodynamic characteristics of a high-wing transport configuration with a over-the-wing nacelle-pylon arrangement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, W. P.; Abeyounis, W. K.

1985-01-01

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-wing transport configuration of installing an over-the-wing nacelle-pylon arrangement. The tests are conducted at Mach numbers from 0.70 to 0.82 and at angles of attack from -2 deg to 4 deg. The configurational variables under study include symmetrical and contoured nacelles and pylons, pylon size, and wing leading-edge extensions. The symmetrical nacelles and pylons reduce the lift coefficient, increase the drag coefficient, and cause a nose-up pitching-moment coefficient. The contoured nacelles significantly reduce the interference drag, though it is still excessive. Increasing the pylon size reduces the drag, whereas adding wing leading-edge extension does not affect the aerodynamic characteristics significantly.

Aerodynamic Improvements of an Empty Timber Truck can Have the Potential of Significantly Reducing Fuel Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, Magnus; Marashi, Seyedeh Sepideh; Karlsson, Matts

2012-11-01

In the present study, aerodynamic drag (AD) has been estimated for an empty and a fully loaded conceptual timber truck (TT) using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The increasing fuel prices have challenged heavy duty vehicle (HDV) manufactures to strive for better fuel economy, by e.g. utilizing drag reducing external devices. Despite this knowledge, the TT fleets seem to be left in the dark. Like HDV aerodynamics, similarities can be observed as a large low pressure wake is formed behind the tractor (unloaded) and downstream of the trailer (full load) thus generating AD. As TTs travel half the time without any cargo, focus on drag reduction is important. The full scaled TTs where simulated using the realizable k-epsilon model with grid adaption techniques for mesh independence. Our results indicate that a loaded TT reduces the AD significantly as both wake size and turbulence kinetic energy are lowered. In contrast to HDV the unloaded TTs have a much larger design space available for possible drag reducing devices, e.g. plastic wrapping and/or flaps. This conceptual CFD study has given an indication of the large AD difference between the unloaded and fully loaded TT, showing the potential for significant AD improvements.

The effect of caster wheel diameter and mass distribution on drag forces in manual wheelchairs.

PubMed

Zepeda, Rene; Chan, Franco; Sawatzky, Bonita

2016-01-01

This study proposes a way to reduce energy losses in the form of rolling resistance friction during manual wheelchair propulsion by increasing the size of the front caster wheels and adjusting the weight distribution. Drag tests were conducted using a treadmill and a force transducer. Three different casters diameter (4 in., 5 in., and 6 in.) and six different mass distribution combinations (based on percentage of total weight on the caster wheels) were studied. A two-way analysis of variance test was performed to compare caster size and weight distribution contribution with drag force of an ultralight wheelchair. The 4 in. caster contributed significantly more drag, but only when weight was 40% or greater over the casters. Weight distribution contributed more to drag regardless of the casters used.

Turbulent Flow Enhancement by Polyelectrolyte Additives: Mechanistic Implications for Drag Reduction.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagger, David Leonard

1992-01-01

The drag reduction phenomenon was experimentally studied in two pipes, of diameters 1.46 and 1.02 cm, using seven polyelectrolytic HPAM additives, with molecular weights from 1 to 20 times 10^6 g/mole and degree of backbone hydrolysis from 8 to 60%, at concentrations from 1 to 1000 wppm, in saline solutions containing from 0.3 to 0.00001 N NaCl. Both laminar and turbulent flow behavior were greatly influenced by salinity-induced changes in the initial conformation of the HPAM additives. Initially collapsed, random-coiling conformations exhibited Newtonian laminar flow and Type-A turbulent drag reduction, while initially extended conformations exhibited shear-thinning in laminar flow and Type-B turbulent drag reduction. The gross-flow physics of Type-B drag reduction were delineated. A characteristic "ladder" structure prevailed, with polymeric regime segments that were roughly parallel to, but shifted upward from, the Prandtl-Karman line. In the polymeric regime, both Type-A fan and Type -B ladder structures were essentially independent of pipe diameter, and were scaled by the wall shear stress. The wall shear stress also scaled degradation during drag reduction. New onset and slope increment correlations were presented for Type-A drag reduction by HPAM additives. In Type-B drag reduction, flow enhancement was found proportional to additive concentration, and the intrinsic slip, Sigma = S^'/(c/M _{rm w}), varied roughly as the third power of backbone chain links N_ {rm bb}. New intrinsic slip and retro-onset correlations were presented for Type-B drag reduction by HPAM additives. Analysis of Type-B literature revealed a wide range of additive efficacies, with specific slips S^'/c from 0.0001 to 4. For the most effective additives, HPAM and asbestos fibers, the additive-pervaded volume fraction per unit flow enhancement, X_{rm v} /S^' ~ 3000, implied that these additives align during drag reduction. The slip ratio R_{rm sc}, which is the relative flow enhancement induced in Type-A and Type-B drag reduction at constant additive concentration, was found to be a universal function of the normalized turbulent flow strength (Re_ {rm s}sqrtf/Re_ {rm s}sqrtf*). The extension of initially collapsed, random-coiling, HPAM macromolecules by the turbulent flow field thus seems independent of additive parameters and absolute wall shear stress levels. Gross flow additive equivalence was detected at iso-slip points, where different polymer solutions induced equal flow enhancements. At numerous such points, the collapsed to extended slip ratio at constant concentration, R_{rm sc}, was essentially equal to the extended to collapsed concentration ratio at constant slip, R _{rm cs}. Thus, for fixed total additive concentration, the R_{ rm sc} observed at any Re_ {rm s}sqrtf simply represents the fraction of originally collapsed macromolecules that have become extended in the flow, and thence effective in drag reduction. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617 -253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.).

Drag reduction through self-texturing compliant bionic materials

PubMed Central

Liu, Eryong; Li, Longyang; Wang, Gang; Zeng, Zhixiang; Zhao, Wenjie; Xue, Qunji

2017-01-01

Compliant fish skin is effectively in reducing drag, thus the design and application of compliant bionic materials may be a good choice for drag reduction. Here we consider the drag reduction of compliant bionic materials. First, ZnO and PDMS mesh modified with n-octadecane were prepared, the drag reduction of self-texturing compliant n-octadecane were studied. The results show that the mesh modified by ZnO and PDMS possess excellent lipophilic and hydrophobic, thus n-octadecane at solid, semisolid and liquid state all have good adhesion with modified mesh. The states of n-octadecane changed with temperature, thus, the surface contact angle and adhesive force all varies obviously at different state. The contact angle decreases with temperature, the adhesive force shows a lower value at semisolid state. Furthermore, the drag testing results show that the compliant n-octadecane film is more effectively in drag reduction than superhydrophobic ZnO/PDMS film, indicating that the drag reduction mechanism of n-octadecane is significantly different with superhydrophobic film. Further research shows that the water flow leads to self-texturing of semisolid state n-octadecane, which is similar with compliant fish skin. Therefore, the compliant bionic materials of semisolid state n-octadecane with regular bulge plays a major role in the drag reduction. PMID:28053309

Drag reduction through self-texturing compliant bionic materials.

PubMed

Liu, Eryong; Li, Longyang; Wang, Gang; Zeng, Zhixiang; Zhao, Wenjie; Xue, Qunji

2017-01-05

Compliant fish skin is effectively in reducing drag, thus the design and application of compliant bionic materials may be a good choice for drag reduction. Here we consider the drag reduction of compliant bionic materials. First, ZnO and PDMS mesh modified with n-octadecane were prepared, the drag reduction of self-texturing compliant n-octadecane were studied. The results show that the mesh modified by ZnO and PDMS possess excellent lipophilic and hydrophobic, thus n-octadecane at solid, semisolid and liquid state all have good adhesion with modified mesh. The states of n-octadecane changed with temperature, thus, the surface contact angle and adhesive force all varies obviously at different state. The contact angle decreases with temperature, the adhesive force shows a lower value at semisolid state. Furthermore, the drag testing results show that the compliant n-octadecane film is more effectively in drag reduction than superhydrophobic ZnO/PDMS film, indicating that the drag reduction mechanism of n-octadecane is significantly different with superhydrophobic film. Further research shows that the water flow leads to self-texturing of semisolid state n-octadecane, which is similar with compliant fish skin. Therefore, the compliant bionic materials of semisolid state n-octadecane with regular bulge plays a major role in the drag reduction.

Drag reduction through self-texturing compliant bionic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Eryong; Li, Longyang; Wang, Gang; Zeng, Zhixiang; Zhao, Wenjie; Xue, Qunji

2017-01-01

Compliant fish skin is effectively in reducing drag, thus the design and application of compliant bionic materials may be a good choice for drag reduction. Here we consider the drag reduction of compliant bionic materials. First, ZnO and PDMS mesh modified with n-octadecane were prepared, the drag reduction of self-texturing compliant n-octadecane were studied. The results show that the mesh modified by ZnO and PDMS possess excellent lipophilic and hydrophobic, thus n-octadecane at solid, semisolid and liquid state all have good adhesion with modified mesh. The states of n-octadecane changed with temperature, thus, the surface contact angle and adhesive force all varies obviously at different state. The contact angle decreases with temperature, the adhesive force shows a lower value at semisolid state. Furthermore, the drag testing results show that the compliant n-octadecane film is more effectively in drag reduction than superhydrophobic ZnO/PDMS film, indicating that the drag reduction mechanism of n-octadecane is significantly different with superhydrophobic film. Further research shows that the water flow leads to self-texturing of semisolid state n-octadecane, which is similar with compliant fish skin. Therefore, the compliant bionic materials of semisolid state n-octadecane with regular bulge plays a major role in the drag reduction.

Finding the optimal shape of the leading-and-trailing car of a high-speed train using design-by-morphing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Sahuck; Jiang, Chung-Hsiang; Jiang, Chiyu; Marcus, Philip S.

2017-10-01

We present a new, general design method, called design-by-morphing for an object whose performance is determined by its shape due to hydrodynamic, aerodynamic, structural, or thermal requirements. To illustrate the method, we design a new leading-and-trailing car of a train by morphing existing, baseline leading-and-trailing cars to minimize the drag. In design-by-morphing, the morphing is done by representing the shapes with polygonal meshes and spectrally with a truncated series of spherical harmonics. The optimal design is found by computing the optimal weights of each of the baseline shapes so that the morphed shape has minimum drag. As a result of optimization, we found that with only two baseline trains that mimic current high-speed trains with low drag that the drag of the optimal train is reduced by 8.04% with respect to the baseline train with the smaller drag. When we repeat the optimization by adding a third baseline train that under-performs compared to the other baseline train, the drag of the new optimal train is reduced by 13.46% . This finding shows that bad examples of design are as useful as good examples in determining an optimal design. We show that design-by-morphing can be extended to many engineering problems in which the performance of an object depends on its shape.

Finding the optimal shape of the leading-and-trailing car of a high-speed train using design-by-morphing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Sahuck; Jiang, Chung-Hsiang; Jiang, Chiyu; Marcus, Philip S.

2018-07-01

We present a new, general design method, called design-by-morphing for an object whose performance is determined by its shape due to hydrodynamic, aerodynamic, structural, or thermal requirements. To illustrate the method, we design a new leading-and-trailing car of a train by morphing existing, baseline leading-and-trailing cars to minimize the drag. In design-by-morphing, the morphing is done by representing the shapes with polygonal meshes and spectrally with a truncated series of spherical harmonics. The optimal design is found by computing the optimal weights of each of the baseline shapes so that the morphed shape has minimum drag. As a result of optimization, we found that with only two baseline trains that mimic current high-speed trains with low drag that the drag of the optimal train is reduced by 8.04% with respect to the baseline train with the smaller drag. When we repeat the optimization by adding a third baseline train that under-performs compared to the other baseline train, the drag of the new optimal train is reduced by 13.46%. This finding shows that bad examples of design are as useful as good examples in determining an optimal design. We show that design-by-morphing can be extended to many engineering problems in which the performance of an object depends on its shape.

Super-Cavitating Flow Around Two-Dimensional Conical, Spherical, Disc and Stepped Disc Cavitators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sooraj, S.; Chandrasekharan, Vaishakh; Robson, Rony S.; Bhanu Prakash, S.

2017-08-01

A super-cavitating object is a high speed submerged object that is designed to initiate a cavitation bubble at the nose which extends past the aft end of the object, substantially reducing the skin friction drag that would be present if the sides of the object were in contact with the liquid in which the object is submerged. By reducing the drag force the thermal energy consumption to move faster can also be minimised. The super-cavitation behavioural changes with respect to Cavitators of various geometries have been studied by varying the inlet velocity. Two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analysis has been carried out by applying k-ε turbulence model. The variation of drag coefficient, cavity length with respect to cavitation number and inlet velocity are analyzed. Results showed conical Cavitator with wedge angle of 30° has lesser drag coefficient and cavity length when compared to conical Cavitators with wedge angles 45° and 60°, spherical, disc and stepped disc Cavitators. Conical cavitator 60° and disc cavitator have the maximum cavity length but with higher drag coefficient. Also there is significant variation of supercavitation effect observed between inlet velocities of 32 m/s to 40 m/s.

Effect of fastskin suits on performance, drag, and energy cost of swimming.

PubMed

Chatard, Jean-Claude; Wilson, Barry

2008-06-01

To investigate the effect of fastskin suits on 25- to 800-m performances, drag, and energy cost of swimming. The performances, stroke rate and distance per stroke, were measured for 14 competitive swimmers in a 25-m pool, when wearing a normal suit (N) and when wearing a full-body suit (FB) or a waist-to-ankle suit (L). Passive drag, oxygen uptake, blood lactate, and the perceived exertion were measured in a flume. There was a 3.2% +/- 2.4% performance benefit for all subjects over the six distances covered at maximal speed wearing FB and L when compared with N. When wearing L, the gain was significantly lower (1.8% +/- 2.5%, P < 0.01) than when wearing FB compared with N. The exercise perception was significantly lower when wearing FB than N, whereas there was no statistical difference when wearing L. The distance per stroke was significantly higher when wearing FB and L, whereas the differences in stroke rate were not statistically significant. There was a significant reduction in drag when wearing FB and L of 6.2% +/- 7.9% and 4.7% +/- 4.4%, respectively (P < 0.01), whereas the energy cost of swimming was significantly reduced when wearing FB and L by 4.5% +/- 5.4% and 5.5% +/- 3.1%, respectively (P < 0.01). However, the differences between FB and L were not statistically significant for drag and oxygen uptake. FB and L significantly reduced passive drag, and this was associated with a decreased energy cost of submaximal swimming and an increased distance per stroke, at the same stroke rates, and reduced freestyle performance time.

Growth of viscoelastic wings and the reduction of particle mobility in a viscoelastic shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murch, William L.; Krishnan, Sreenath; Shaqfeh, Eric S. G.; Iaccarino, Gianluca

2017-10-01

The motion of a rigid spherical particle in a sheared polymeric fluid is studied via experiments and numerical simulations. We study particle mobility in highly elastic fluids, where the deformation due to the sphere's movement and the shear flow both result in significant stretching of the polymer. The shear flow is imposed in a plane perpendicular to the sphere's movement, resulting in regions of high polymer tension in the wake of the sphere that can extend well into the shear flow and gradient directions. We observe that these viscoelastic wake structures, resembling wings, are linked to an increase in the form drag, providing a mechanism for a dramatic decrease in the particle mobility.

An Aerodynamic Assessment of Micro-Drag Generators (MDGs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Steven X. S.

1998-01-01

Commercial transports as well as fighter aircraft of the future are being designed with very low drag (friction and pressure). Concurrently, commuter airports are being built or envisioned to be built in the centers of metropolitan areas where shorter runways and/or reduced noise footprints on takeoff and landing are required. These requirements and the fact that drag is lower on new vehicles than on older aircraft have resulted in vehicles that require a large amount of braking force (from landing-gear brakes, spoilers, high-lift flaps, thrust reversers, etc.). Micro-drag generators (MDGs) were envisioned to create a uniformly distributed drag force along a vehicle by forcing the flow to separate on the aft-facing surface of a series of deployable devices, thus, generating drag. The devices are intended to work at any speed and for any type of vehicle (aircraft, ground vehicles, sea-faring vehicles). MDGs were applied to a general aviation wing and a representative fuselage shape and tested in two subsonic wind tunnels. The results showed increases in drag of 2 to 6 times that of a "clean" configuration.

On the use of external burning to reduce aerospace vehicle transonic drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trefny, Charles J.

1990-01-01

The external combustion of hydrogen to reduce the transonic drag of aerospace vehicles is currently being investigated. A preliminary analysis based on a constant pressure control volume is discussed. Results indicate that the specific impulse of the external burning process rivals that of a turbojet and depends on the severity of the initial base drag as well as on the Mach flight number and the equivalence ratio. A test program was conducted to investigate hydrogen-air flame stability at the conditions of interest and to demonstrate drag reduction on a simple expansion ramp. Initial test results are presented and compared with the control-volume analysis. The expansion ramp surface pressure coefficient showed little variation with fuel pressure and altitude, in disagreement with the analysis. Flame stability results were encouraging and indicate that stable combustion is possible over an adequate range of conditions. Facility interference and chemical kinetics phenomena that make interpretation of subscale ground test data difficult are discussed.

Space Age Swimsuit Reduces Drag, Breaks Records

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

A space shuttle and a competitive swimmer have a lot more in common than people might realize: Among other forces, both have to contend with the slowing influence of drag. NASA s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate focuses primarily on improving flight efficiency and generally on fluid dynamics, especially the forces of pressure and viscous drag, which are the same for bodies moving through air as for bodies moving through water. Viscous drag is the force of friction that slows down a moving object through a substance, like air or water. NASA uses wind tunnels for fluid dynamics research, studying the forces of friction in gasses and liquids. Pressure forces, according to Langley Research Center s Stephen Wilkinson, dictate the optimal shape and performance of an airplane or other aero/hydro-dynamic body. In both high-speed flight and swimming, says Wilkinson, a thin boundary layer of reduced velocity fluid surrounds the moving body; this layer is about 2 centimeters thick for a swimmer.

Towards Petascale DNS of High Reynolds-Number Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, Keegan R.

In flight vehicles, a large portion of fuel consumption is due to skin-friction drag. Reduction of this drag will significantly reduce the fuel consumption of flight vehicles and help our nation to reduce CO 2 emissions. In order to reduce skin-friction drag, an increased understanding of wall-turbulence is needed. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of spatially developing turbulent boundary layers (SDTBL) can provide the fundamental understanding of wall-turbulence in order to produce models for Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and large-eddy simulations (LES). DNS of SDTBL over a flat plate at Retheta = 1430 - 2900 were performed. Improvements were made to the DNS code allowing for higher Reynolds number simulations towards petascale DNS of turbulent boundary layers. Mesh refinement and improvements to the inflow and outflow boundary conditions have resulted in turbulence statistics that match more closely to experimental results. The Reynolds stresses and the terms of their evolution equations are reported.

Investigation of Drag Coefficient for Rigid Ballute-like Shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnasciali, Maria-Isabel; Mastromarino, Anthony

2014-11-01

One common method of decelerating an object during atmospheric entry, descent, and landing is the use of parachutes. Another deceleration technology is the ballute - a combination of balloon and parachute. A CFD study was conducted using commercially available software to investigate the flow-field and the coefficient of drag for various rigid ballute-like shapes at varying Reynolds numbers. The impact of size and placement of the burble-fence as well as number, size, and shape of inlets was considered. Recent experimental measurements conducted during NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator program revealed a much higher coefficient of drag (Cd) for ballutes than previously encountered. Using atmospheric drag to slow down and land reduces the need for heavy fuel and rocket engines and thus, high values of drag are desired. Funding for this work, in part, provided by the CT Space Grant Consortium.

The Effect of Lift-Drag Ratio and Speed on the Ability to Position a Gliding Aircraft for a Landing on a 5,000-Foot Runway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, John P.

1959-01-01

Flight tests were made to determine the capability of positioning a gliding airplane for a landing on a 5,000-foot runway with special reference to the gliding flight of a satellite vehicle of fixed configuration upon reentry into the earth's atmosphere. The lift-drag ratio and speed of the airplane in the glides were varied through as large a range as possible. The results showed a marked tendency to undershoot the runway when the lift-drag ratios were below certain values, depending upon the speed in the glide. A straight line dividing the successful approaches from the undershoots could be drawn through a lift-drag ratio of about 3 at 100 knots and through a lift-drag ratio of about 7 at 185 knots. Provision of a drag device would be very beneficial, particularly in reducing the tendency toward undershooting at the higher speeds.

Shark-skin surfaces for fluid-drag reduction in turbulent flow: a review.

PubMed

Dean, Brian; Bhushan, Bharat

2010-10-28

The skin of fast-swimming sharks exhibits riblet structures aligned in the direction of flow that are known to reduce skin friction drag in the turbulent-flow regime. Structures have been fabricated for study and application that replicate and improve upon the natural shape of the shark-skin riblets, providing a maximum drag reduction of nearly 10 per cent. Mechanisms of fluid drag in turbulent flow and riblet-drag reduction theories from experiment and simulation are discussed. A review of riblet-performance studies is given, and optimal riblet geometries are defined. A survey of studies experimenting with riblet-topped shark-scale replicas is also given. A method for selecting optimal riblet dimensions based on fluid-flow characteristics is detailed, and current manufacturing techniques are outlined. Due to the presence of small amounts of mucus on the skin of a shark, it is expected that the localized application of hydrophobic materials will alter the flow field around the riblets in some way beneficial to the goals of increased drag reduction.

Bio-inspired dewetted surfaces based on SiC/Si interlocked structures for enhanced-underwater stability and regenerative-drag reduction capability

PubMed Central

Lee, By Junghan; Zhang, Zhuo; Baek, Seunghyun; Kim, Sangkuk; Kim, Donghyung; Yong, Kijung

2016-01-01

Drag reduction has become a serious issue in recent years in terms of energy conservation and environmental protection. Among diverse approaches for drag reduction, superhydrophobic surfaces have been mainly researched due to their high drag reducing efficiency. However, due to limited lifetime of plastron (i.e., air pockets) on superhydrophobic surfaces in underwater, the instability of dewetted surfaces has been a sticking point for practical applications. This work presents a breakthrough in improving the underwater stability of superhydrophobic surfaces by optimizing nanoscale surface structures using SiC/Si interlocked structures. These structures have an unequaled stability of underwater superhydrophobicity and enhance drag reduction capabilities,with a lifetime of plastron over 18 days and maximum velocity reduction ratio of 56%. Furthermore, through photoelectrochemical water splitting on a hierarchical SiC/Si nanostructure surface, the limited lifetime problem of air pockets was overcome by refilling the escaping gas layer, which also provides continuous drag reduction effects. PMID:27095674

A Conventional Liner Acoustic/Drag Interaction Benchmark Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howerton, Brian M.; Jones, Michael G.

2017-01-01

The aerodynamic drag of acoustic liners has become a significant topic in the design of such for aircraft noise applications. In order to evaluate the benefits of concepts designed to reduce liner drag, it is necessary to establish the baseline performance of liners employing the typical design features of conventional configurations. This paper details a set of experiments in the NASA Langley Grazing Flow Impedance Tube to quantify the relative drag of a number of perforate-over-honeycomb liner configurations at flow speeds of M=0.3 and 0.5. These conventional liners are investigated to determine their resistance factors using a static pressure drop approach. Comparison of the resistance factors gives a relative measurement of liner drag. For these same flow conditions, acoustic measurements are performed with tonal excitation from 400 to 3000 Hz at source sound pressure levels of 140 and 150 dB. Educed impedance and attenuation spectra are used to determine the interaction between acoustic performance and drag.

Relativistic Gas Drag on Dust Grains and Implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoang, Thiem, E-mail: thiemhoang@kasi.re.kr; Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113

We study the drag force on grains moving at relativistic velocities through interstellar gas and explore its application. First, we derive a new analytical formula of the drag force at high energies and find that it is significantly reduced compared to the classical model. Second, we apply the obtained drag force to calculate the terminal velocities of interstellar grains by strong radiation sources such as supernovae and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We find that grains can be accelerated to relativistic velocities by very luminous AGNs. We then quantify the deceleration of relativistic spacecraft proposed by the Breakthrough Starshot initiative duemore » to gas drag on a relativistic lightsail. We find that the spacecraft’s decrease in speed is negligible because of the suppression of gas drag at relativistic velocities, suggesting that the lightsail may be open for communication during its journey to α Centauri without causing a considerable delay. Finally, we show that the damage to relativistic thin lightsails by interstellar dust is a minor effect.« less

Leidenfrost vapour layer moderation of the drag crisis and trajectories of superhydrophobic and hydrophilic spheres falling in water.

PubMed

Vakarelski, Ivan U; Chan, Derek Y C; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T

2014-08-21

We investigate the dynamic effects of a Leidenfrost vapour layer sustained on the surface of heated steel spheres during free fall in water. We find that a stable vapour layer sustained on the textured superhydrophobic surface of spheres falling through 95 °C water can reduce the hydrodynamic drag by up to 75% and stabilize the sphere trajectory for the Reynolds number between 10(4) and 10(6), spanning the drag crisis in the absence of the vapour layer. For hydrophilic spheres under the same conditions, the transition to drag reduction and trajectory stability occurs abruptly at a temperature different from the static Leidenfrost point. The observed drag reduction effects are attributed to the disruption of the viscous boundary layer by the vapour layer whose thickness depends on the water temperature. Both the drag reduction and the trajectory stabilization effects are expected to have significant implications for development of sustainable vapour layer based technologies.

Aerodynamic Assessment of Flight-Determined Subsonic Lift and Drag Characteristics of Seven Lifting-Body and Wing-Body Reentry Vehicle Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Edwin J.; Wang, K. Charles; Iliff, Kenneth W.

2002-01-01

This report examines subsonic flight-measured lift and drag characteristics of seven lifting-body and wing-body reentry vehicle configurations with truncated bases. The seven vehicles are the full-scale M2-F1, M2-F2, HL-10, X-24A, X-24B, and X-15 vehicles and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Subsonic flight lift and drag data of the various vehicles are assembled under aerodynamic performance parameters and presented in several analytical and graphical formats. These formats are intended to unify the data and allow a greater understanding than individually studying the vehicles allows. Lift-curve slope data are studied with respect to aspect ratio and related to generic wind-tunnel model data and to theory for low-aspect-ratio platforms. The definition of reference area is critical for understanding and comparing the lift data. The drag components studied include minimum drag coefficient, lift-related drag, maximum lift-to drag ratio, and, where available, base pressure coefficients. The influence of forebody drag on afterbody and base drag at low lift is shown to be related to Hoerner's compilation for body, airfoil, nacelle, and canopy drag. This feature may result in a reduced need of surface smoothness for vehicles with a large ratio of base area to wetted area. These analyses are intended to provide a useful analytical framework with which to compare and evaluate new vehicle configurations of the same generic family.

Experimental investigation on the flow around a simplified geometry of automotive engine compartment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Hondt, Marion; Gilliéron, Patrick; Devinant, Philippe

2011-05-01

In the current sustainable development context, car manufacturers have to keep doing efforts to reduce the aerodynamic drag of automotive vehicle in order to decrease their CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions. The cooling airflow, through the engine compartment of vehicles, contributes from 5 to 10% to the total aerodynamic drag. By means of simplified car geometry, equipped with an engine compartment, the configurations that favor a low contribution to total drag are identified. PIV (particle image velocimetry) velocity measurements in the wake of the geometry allow explaining these drag reductions. Besides, the cooling flow rate is also assessed and gives indications on the configurations that favor the engine cooling.

Structure and dynamics of single hydrophobic/ionic heteropolymers at the vapor-liquid interface of water.

PubMed

Vembanur, Srivathsan; Venkateshwaran, Vasudevan; Garde, Shekhar

2014-04-29

We focus on the conformational stability, structure, and dynamics of hydrophobic/charged homopolymers and heteropolymers at the vapor-liquid interface of water using extensive molecular dynamics simulations. Hydrophobic polymers collapse into globular structures in bulk water but unfold and sample a broad range of conformations at the vapor-liquid interface of water. We show that adding a pair of charges to a hydrophobic polymer at the interface can dramatically change its conformations, stabilizing hairpinlike structures, with molecular details depending on the location of the charged pair in the sequence. The translational dynamics of homopolymers and heteropolymers are also different, whereas the homopolymers skate on the interface with low drag, the tendency of charged groups to remain hydrated pulls the heteropolymers toward the liquid side of the interface, thus pinning them, increasing drag, and slowing the translational dynamics. The conformational dynamics of heteropolymers are also slower than that of the homopolymer and depend on the location of the charged groups in the sequence. Conformational dynamics are most restricted for the end-charged heteropolymer and speed up as the charge pair is moved toward the center of the sequence. We rationalize these trends using the fundamental understanding of the effects of the interface on primitive pair-level interactions between two hydrophobic groups and between oppositely charged ions in its vicinity.

Reducing Aerodynamic Drag on Empty Open Cargo Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, James C.; Storms, Bruce L.; Dzoan, Dan

2009-01-01

Some simple structural modifications have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing aerodynamic drag on vehicles that have empty open cargo bays. The basic idea is to break up the airflow in a large open cargo bay by inserting panels to divide the bay into a series of smaller bays. In the case of a coal car, this involves inserting a small number (typically between two and four) of vertical full-depth or partial-depth panels.

Phenomena of drag reduction on saltating sediment in shallow, supercritical flows

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

ABSTRACT: When a group of objects move through a fluid, it often exhibits coordinated behavior in which bodies in the wake of a leader generally experience reduced drag. Locomotion provides well known examples including the maneuvering and clustering of racing automobiles and bicyclists and queuing...

Shock Tunnel Studies of the Hypersonic Flowfield around the Hypervelocity Ballistic Models with Aerospikes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakalyani, G.; Saravanan, S.; Jagadeesh, G.

Reduced drag and aerodynamic heating are the two basic design requirements for any hypersonic vehicle [1]. The flowfield around an axisymmetric blunt body is characterized by a bow shockwave standing ahead of its nose. The pressure and temperature behind this shock wave are very high. This increased pressure and temperature are responsible for the high levels of drag and aerodynamic heating over the body. In the past, there have been many investigations on the use of aerospikes as a drag reduction tool. These studies on spiked bodies aim at reducing both the drag and aerodynamic heating by modifying the hypersonic flowfield ahead of the nose of the body [2]. However, most of them used very simple configurations to experimentally study the drag reduction using spikes at hypersonic speeds [3] and therefore very little experimental data is available for a realistic geometric configuration. In the present study, the standard AGARD Hypervelocity Ballistic model 1 is used as the test model. The addition of the spike to the blunt body significantly alters the flowfield ahead of the nose, leading to the formation of a low pressure conical recirculation region, thus causing a reduction in drag and wall heat flux [4]. In the present investigation, aerodynamic drag force is measured over the Hypervelocity Ballistic model-1, with and without spike, at a flow enthalpy of 1.7 MJ/kg. The experiments are carried out at a Mach number of 8 and at zero angle of attack. An internally mountable accelerometer based 3-component force balance system is used to measure the aerodynamic forces on the model. Also computational studies are carried out to complement the experiments.

Drag reduction using wrinkled surfaces in high Reynolds number laminar boundary layer flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raayai-Ardakani, Shabnam; McKinley, Gareth H.

2017-09-01

Inspired by the design of the ribbed structure of shark skin, passive drag reduction methods using stream-wise riblet surfaces have previously been developed and tested over a wide range of flow conditions. Such textures aligned in the flow direction have been shown to be able to reduce skin friction drag by 4%-8%. Here, we explore the effects of periodic sinusoidal riblet surfaces aligned in the flow direction (also known as a "wrinkled" texture) on the evolution of a laminar boundary layer flow. Using numerical analysis with the open source Computational Fluid Dynamics solver OpenFOAM, boundary layer flow over sinusoidal wrinkled plates with a range of wavelength to plate length ratios ( λ / L ), aspect ratios ( 2 A / λ ), and inlet velocities are examined. It is shown that in the laminar boundary layer regime, the riblets are able to retard the viscous flow inside the grooves creating a cushion of stagnant fluid that the high-speed fluid above can partially slide over, thus reducing the shear stress inside the grooves and the total integrated viscous drag force on the plate. Additionally, we explore how the boundary layer thickness, local average shear stress distribution, and total drag force on the wrinkled plate vary with the aspect ratio of the riblets as well as the length of the plate. We show that riblets with an aspect ratio of close to unity lead to the highest reduction in the total drag, and that because of the interplay between the local stress distribution on the plate and stream-wise evolution of the boundary layer the plate has to exceed a critical length to give a net decrease in the total drag force.

An investigation into the mechanisms of drag reduction of a boat tailed base cavity on a blunt based body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kehs, Joshua Paul

It is well documented in the literature that boat-tailed base cavities reduce the drag on blunt based bodies. The majority of the previous work has been focused on the final result, namely reporting the resulting drag reduction or base pressure increase without examining the methods in which such a device changes the fluid flow to enact such end results. The current work investigates the underlying physical means in which these devices change the flow around the body so as to reduce the overall drag. A canonical model with square cross section was developed for the purpose of studying the flow field around a blunt based body. The boat-tailed base cavity tested consisted of 4 panels of length equal to half the width of the body extending from the edges of the base at an angle towards the models center axis of 12°. Drag and surface pressure measurements were made at Reynolds numbers based on width from 2.3x105 to 3.6x10 5 in the Clarkson University high-speed wind tunnel over a range of pitch and yaw angles. Cross-stream hotwire wake surveys were used to identify wake width and turbulence intensities aft of the body at Reynolds numbers of 2.3x105 to 3.0x105. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to quantify the flow field in the wake of the body, including the mean flow, vorticity, and turbulence measurements. The results indicated that the boat-tailed aft cavity decreases the drag significantly due to increased pressure on the base. Hotwire measurements indicated a reduction in wake width as well as a reduction in turbulence in the wake. PIV measurements indicated a significant reduction in wake turbulence and revealed that there exists a co-flowing stream that exits the cavity parallel to the free stream, reducing the shear in the flow at the flow separation point. The reduction in shear at the separation point indicated the method by which the turbulence was reduced. The reduction in turbulence combined with the reduction in wake size provided the mechanism of drag reduction by limiting the rate of entrainment of fluid in the recirculating wake to the free stream and by limiting the area over which this entrainment occurs.

An Examination of Drag Reduction Mechanisms in Marine Animals, with Potential Applications to Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Musick, John A.; Patterson, Mark R.; Dowd, Wesley W.

2002-01-01

Previous engineering research and development has documented the plausibility of applying biomimetic approaches to aerospace engineering. Past cooperation between the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and NASA focused on the drag reduction qualities of the microscale dermal denticles of shark skin. This technology has subsequently been applied to submarines and aircraft. The present study aims to identify and document the three-dimensional geometry of additional macroscale morphologies that potentially confer drag reducing hydrodynamic qualities upon marine animals and which could be applied to enhance the range and endurance of Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Such morphologies have evolved over eons to maximize organismal energetic efficiency by reducing the energetic input required to maintain cruising speeds in the viscous marine environment. These drag reduction qualities are manifested in several groups of active marine animals commonly encountered by ongoing VIMS research programs: namely sharks, bony fishes such as tunas, and sea turtles. Through spatial data acquired by molding and digital imagery analysis of marine specimens provided by VIMS, NASA aims to construct scale models of these features and to test these potential drag reduction morphologies for application to aircraft design. This report addresses the efforts of VIMS and NASA personnel on this project between January and November 2001.

Possibilities for drag reduction by boundary layer control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naiman, I.

1946-01-01

The mechanics of laminar boundary layer transition are reviewed. Drag possibilities for boundary layer control are analyzed using assumed conditions of transition Reynolds number, inlet loss, number of slots, blower efficiency, and duct losses. Although the results of such analysis are highly favorable, those obtained by experimental investigations yield conflicting results, showing only small gains, and sometimes losses. Reduction of this data indicates that there is a lower limit to the quantity of air which must be removed at the slot in order to stabilize the laminar flow. The removal of insufficient air permits transition to occur while the removal of excessive amounts of air results in high power costs, with a net drag increases. With the estimated value of flow coefficient and duct losses equal to half the dynamic pressure, drag reductions of 50% may be obtained; with twice this flow coefficient, the drag saving is reduced to 25%.

Wave drag reduction with a self-aligning aerodisk on a missile configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnepf, C.; Wysocki, O.; Schülein, E.

2017-06-01

A self-aligning aerodisk to reduce the wave drag on a pitching missile is numerically investigated. The motion and the Mach number were chosen to match a maneuver flight of an actual missile: pitching frequency f = 7.5 Hz, Mach number M = 2.2, and range of angle of attack 0° < < 21° . The self-alignment was realized with a coupling of the §ow solver with a 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) tool. In the entire range of angle of attack, the drag could be reduced with the self-aligning aerodisk. A comparison with experimental data showed in parts a quite good agreement in the aerodynamic coe©cients, in the shock structure, and in the alignment of the aerodisk.

Population dynamics of American dog ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) along park trails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carroll, J.F.; Russek-Cohen, E.; Nichols, J.D.; Hines, J.E.

1991-01-01

We conclude a mark-recapture study in which drag-collected ticks were removed from some park trails weekly from April to July. Weekly survival rates (probability of surviving and remaining on the trails) were significantly lower on trials used heavily by hikers, horses, and pets than on trails used less frequently. Although usage was the only obvious difference among these trails, differences in weekly survival rate estimates may be attributable to differential success in acquiring hosts. The estimated probability of capturing a host-seeking tick located along a trail on a single drag was 0.20 on the drag alone, and 0.25 including the person dragging. When routes parallel to the trails and of equal lengths were dragged immediately after sampling the trails, only .apprxeq. 5% as many ticks (including ticks on the person dragging) were found off the trails as on them. We found no evidence of reduced tick numbers on removal trails, but this result should be considered inconclusive because the power of the discerning test was low. However, the data reported here provide insights into turnover rates of the adult Dermacentor variabilis population and effectiveness of the drag as a sampling device.

Early turbulence in von Karman swirling flow of polymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnishev, Yuri; Steinberg, Victor

2015-01-01

We present quantitative experimental results on the transition to early turbulence in von Karman swirling flow of water- and water-sugar-based polymer solutions compared to the transition to turbulence in their Newtonian solvents by measurements of solely global quantities as torque Γ(t) and pressure p(t) with large statistics as a function of Re. For the first time the transition values of Re_c\\textit{turb} to fully developed turbulence and turbulent drag reduction regime Re_c\\textit{TDR} are obtained as functions of elasticity El by using the solvents with different viscosities and polymer concentrations ϕ. Two scaling regions for fundamental turbulent characteristics are identified and they correspond to the turbulent and TDR regimes. Both Re_c\\textit{turb} and Re_c\\textit{TDR} are found via the dependence of the friction coefficient Cf and Cp, defined through scaled average torque \\barΓ and rms pressure fluctuations p\\textit{rms} , respectively, on Re for different El and ϕ and via the limits of the two scaling regions.

Base Passive Porosity for Vehicle Drag Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Steven X. S. (Inventor); Wood, Richard M. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A device for controlling drag on a ground vehicle. The device consists of a porous skin or skins mounted on the trailing surface and/or aft portions of the ground vehicle. The porous skin is separated from the vehicle surface by a distance of at least the thickness of the porous skin. Alternately, the trailing surface, sides, and/or top surfaces of the ground vehicle may be porous. The device minimizes the strength of the separation in the base and wake regions of the ground vehicle, thus reducing drag.

KC-135A in flight - winglet study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The KC-135 with the winglets in flight over the San Gabriel mountains, south of Edwards AFB. While wind tunnel tests suggested that winglets - developed by NASA Langley's Richard Whitcomb - would significantly reduce drag, flight research proved their usefulness. Winglets were installed on an Air Force KC-135 and research flights were made in 1979 and 1980. These showed drag in flight was reduced by as much as 7 percent. Winglets soon appeared on production aircraft, although these were smaller than those mounted on the KC-135.

EC79-11484

NASA Image and Video Library

1979-08-20

The KC-135 with the winglets in flight over the San Gabriel mountains, south of Edwards AFB. While wind tunnel tests suggested that winglets - developed by NASA Langley's Richard Whitcomb - would significantly reduce drag, flight research proved their usefulness. Winglets were installed on an Air Force KC-135 and research flights were made in 1979 and 1980. These showed drag in flight was reduced by as much as 7 percent. Winglets soon appeared on production aircraft, although these were smaller than those mounted on the KC-135.

Size-Dependent Particle Dynamics in Entangled Polymer Nanocomposites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mangal, Rahul; Srivastava, Samanvaya; Narayanan, Suresh

Polymer-grafted nanoparticles with diameter d homogeneously dispersed in entangled polymer melts with varying random coil radius R0, but fixed entanglement mesh size ae, are used to study particle motions in entangled polymers. We focus on materials in the transition region between the continuum regime (d > R0), where the classical Stokes-Einstein (S-E) equation is known to describe polymer drag on particles, and the non-continuum regime (d < ae), in which several recent studies report faster diffusion of particles than expected from continuum S-E analysis, based on the bulk polymer viscosity. Specifically, we consider dynamics of particles with sizes d ≥more » ae in entangled polymers with varying molecular weight Mw in order to investigate how the transition from non-continuum to continuum dynamics occur. We take advantage of favorable enthalpic interactions between SiO2 nanoparticles tethered with PEO molecules and entangled PMMA host polymers to create model nanoparticle-polymer composites, in which spherical nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in entangled polymers. Investigation of the particle dynamics via X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy measurements reveal a transition from fast to slow particle motion as the PMMA molecular weight is increased beyond the entanglement threshold, with a much weaker Mw dependence for Mw>Me than expected from S-E analysis based on bulk viscosity of entangled PMMA melts. We rationalize these observations using a simple force balance analysis around particles and find that nanoparticle motion in entangled melts can be described using a variant of the S-E analysis in which motion of particles is assumed to only disturb sub-chain entangled host segments with sizes comparable to the particle diameter.« less

Size-Dependent Particle Dynamics in Entangled Polymer Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Mangal, Rahul; Srivastava, Samanvaya; Narayanan, Suresh; Archer, Lynden A

2016-01-19

Polymer-grafted nanoparticles with diameter d homogeneously dispersed in entangled polymer melts with varying random coil radius R0, but fixed entanglement mesh size a(e), are used to study particle motions in entangled polymers. We focus on materials in the transition region between the continuum regime (d > R0), where the classical Stokes-Einstein (S-E) equation is known to describe polymer drag on particles, and the noncontinuum regime (d < a(e)), in which several recent studies report faster diffusion of particles than expected from continuum S-E analysis, based on the bulk polymer viscosity. Specifically, we consider dynamics of particles with sizes d ≥ a(e) in entangled polymers with varying molecular weight M(w) in order to investigate how the transition from noncontinuum to continuum dynamics occur. We take advantage of favorable enthalpic interactions between SiO2 nanoparticles tethered with PEO molecules and entangled PMMA host polymers to create model nanoparticle-polymer composites, in which spherical nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in entangled polymers. Investigation of the particle dynamics via X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy measurements reveals a transition from fast to slow particle motion as the PMMA molecular weight is increased beyond the entanglement threshold, with a much weaker M(w) dependence for M(w) > M(e) than expected from S-E analysis based on bulk viscosity of entangled PMMA melts. We rationalize these observations using a simple force balance analysis around particles and find that nanoparticle motion in entangled melts can be described using a variant of the S-E analysis in which motion of particles is assumed to only disturb subchain entangled host segments with sizes comparable to the particle diameter.

Installed nacelle drag-improvement tests of an M = 0.8 turboprop transport configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, A. D.; Smith, R. C.

1983-01-01

An unpowered semispan model of a representative turboprop configuration was tested to determine the effect of configuration modifications on the the nonmetric body and wing juncture. It is indicated that the jet off nacelle-installation drag can be approximately 25% of the cruise drag. However, the losses can be reduced to 17% by changes to the wing leading edge and nacelle intersection. Comparison of test results from a semispan nonmetric fuselage model with those from a full span metric fuselage show differences in angles of attack produced the same lift. It is found that the constant lift drag rise of the semispan model is higher because of the increased angle of attack to achieve the same lift.

Experimental investigation of turbulent flow in smooth and longitudinal grooved tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nitschke, P.

1984-01-01

Turbulent flow in tubes with and without longitudinal grooves is examined. The discovery of fine grooves forming a sort of streamline pattern on the body of sharks led to the expectation that the grooves on a surface reduce the momentum change, and thus the drag. To test this thesis, drag law, velocity profile and the profile of the velocity fluctuation were determined. Results show that for moderate Reynolds numbers the drag coefficient for grooved tubes is about 3 percent smaller than that of the smooth tubes. At higher Reynolds numbers, however, the drag coefficient for grooved tubes becomes larger than that for smooth tubes. No significant differences in the velocity profiles between grooved tubes and smooth tubes are found.

Viscoelastic and elastomeric active matter: Linear instability and nonlinear dynamics.

PubMed

Hemingway, E J; Cates, M E; Fielding, S M

2016-03-01

We consider a continuum model of active viscoelastic matter, whereby an active nematic liquid crystal is coupled to a minimal model of polymer dynamics with a viscoelastic relaxation time τ(C). To explore the resulting interplay between active and polymeric dynamics, we first generalize a linear stability analysis (from earlier studies without polymer) to derive criteria for the onset of spontaneous heterogeneous flows (strain rate) and/or deformations (strain). We find two modes of instability. The first is a viscous mode, associated with strain rate perturbations. It dominates for relatively small values of τ(C) and is a simple generalization of the instability known previously without polymer. The second is an elastomeric mode, associated with strain perturbations, which dominates at large τ(C) and persists even as τ(C)→∞. We explore the dynamical states to which these instabilities lead by means of direct numerical simulations. These reveal oscillatory shear-banded states in one dimension and activity-driven turbulence in two dimensions even in the elastomeric limit τ(C)→∞. Adding polymer can also have calming effects, increasing the net throughput of spontaneous flow along a channel in a type of drag reduction. The effect of including strong antagonistic coupling between the nematic and polymer is examined numerically, revealing a rich array of spontaneously flowing states.

Viscoelastic and elastomeric active matter: Linear instability and nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemingway, E. J.; Cates, M. E.; Fielding, S. M.

2016-03-01

We consider a continuum model of active viscoelastic matter, whereby an active nematic liquid crystal is coupled to a minimal model of polymer dynamics with a viscoelastic relaxation time τC. To explore the resulting interplay between active and polymeric dynamics, we first generalize a linear stability analysis (from earlier studies without polymer) to derive criteria for the onset of spontaneous heterogeneous flows (strain rate) and/or deformations (strain). We find two modes of instability. The first is a viscous mode, associated with strain rate perturbations. It dominates for relatively small values of τC and is a simple generalization of the instability known previously without polymer. The second is an elastomeric mode, associated with strain perturbations, which dominates at large τC and persists even as τC→∞ . We explore the dynamical states to which these instabilities lead by means of direct numerical simulations. These reveal oscillatory shear-banded states in one dimension and activity-driven turbulence in two dimensions even in the elastomeric limit τC→∞ . Adding polymer can also have calming effects, increasing the net throughput of spontaneous flow along a channel in a type of drag reduction. The effect of including strong antagonistic coupling between the nematic and polymer is examined numerically, revealing a rich array of spontaneously flowing states.

Significant and stable drag reduction with air rings confined by alternated superhydrophobic and hydrophilic strips

PubMed Central

Hu, Haibao; Wen, Jun; Bao, Luyao; Jia, Laibing; Song, Dong; Song, Baowei; Pan, Guang; Scaraggi, Michele; Dini, Daniele; Xue, Qunji; Zhou, Feng

2017-01-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces have the potential to reduce the viscous drag of liquids by significantly decreasing friction at a solid-liquid interface due to the formation of air layers between solid walls and interacting liquids. However, the trapped air usually becomes unstable due to the finite nature of the domain over which it forms. We demonstrate for the first time that a large surface energy barrier can be formed to strongly pin the three-phase contact line of air/water/solid by covering the inner rotor of a Taylor-Couette flow apparatus with alternating superhydrophobic and hydrophilic circumferential strips. This prevents the disruption of the air layer, which forms stable and continuous air rings. The drag reduction measured at the inner rotor could be as much as 77.2%. Moreover, the air layers not only significantly reduce the strength of Taylor vortexes but also influence the number and position of the Taylor vortex pairs. This has strong implications in terms of energy efficiency maximization for marine applications and reduction of drag losses in, for example, fluid transport in pipelines and carriers. PMID:28879234

Ab initio optimization of phonon drag effect for lower-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion.

PubMed

Zhou, Jiawei; Liao, Bolin; Qiu, Bo; Huberman, Samuel; Esfarjani, Keivan; Dresselhaus, Mildred S; Chen, Gang

2015-12-01

Although the thermoelectric figure of merit zT above 300 K has seen significant improvement recently, the progress at lower temperatures has been slow, mainly limited by the relatively low Seebeck coefficient and high thermal conductivity. Here we report, for the first time to our knowledge, success in first-principles computation of the phonon drag effect--a coupling phenomenon between electrons and nonequilibrium phonons--in heavily doped region and its optimization to enhance the Seebeck coefficient while reducing the phonon thermal conductivity by nanostructuring. Our simulation quantitatively identifies the major phonons contributing to the phonon drag, which are spectrally distinct from those carrying heat, and further reveals that although the phonon drag is reduced in heavily doped samples, a significant contribution to Seebeck coefficient still exists. An ideal phonon filter is proposed to enhance zT of silicon at room temperature by a factor of 20 to ∼ 0.25, and the enhancement can reach 70 times at 100 K. This work opens up a new venue toward better thermoelectrics by harnessing nonequilibrium phonons.

Studies of drag on the nanocomposite superhydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brassard, Jean-Denis; Sarkar, D. K.; Perron, Jean

2015-01-01

The nanocomposite thin films of stearic acid (SA)-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles incorporated in epoxy polymer matrix have been achieved. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show the formation of zinc stearate on ZnO nanoparticles as the confirmation of SA-functionalization of ZnO nanoparticles in the thin films. Morphological analyses reveal the presence of micro-holes with the presence of irregular nanoparticles. The measured root mean square (rms) roughness of the thin film is found to be 12 ± 1 μm with the adhesion of 5B on both glass and aluminum substrates. The wetting property shows that the surface of the film is superhydrophobic with the contact angle of water of 156 ± 4° having contact angle hysteresis (CAH) of 4 ± 2°. The average terminal velocity in the water of the as-received glass spheres and superhydrophobic spheres were found to be 0.66 ± 0.01 m/s and 0.72 ± 0.01 m/s respectively. Consequently, the calculated average coefficients of the surface drag of the as-received glass sphere and superhydrophobic glass sphere were 2.30 ± 0.01 and 1.93 ± 0.03, respectively. Hence, the drag reduction on the surface of superhydrophobic glass sphere is found to be approximately 16% lower than as-received glass sphere.

Flow Enhancement due to Elastic Turbulence in Channel Flows of Shear Thinning Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodiguel, Hugues; Beaumont, Julien; Machado, Anaïs; Martinie, Laetitia; Kellay, Hamid; Colin, Annie

2015-01-01

We explore the flow of highly shear thinning polymer solutions in straight geometry. The strong variations of the normal forces close to the wall give rise to an elastic instability. We evidence a periodic motion close the onset of the instability, which then evolves towards a turbulentlike flow at higher flow rates. Strikingly, we point out that this instability induces genuine drag reduction due to the homogenization of the viscosity profile by the turbulent flow.

Flow enhancement due to elastic turbulence in channel flows of shear thinning fluids.

PubMed

Bodiguel, Hugues; Beaumont, Julien; Machado, Anaïs; Martinie, Laetitia; Kellay, Hamid; Colin, Annie

2015-01-16

We explore the flow of highly shear thinning polymer solutions in straight geometry. The strong variations of the normal forces close to the wall give rise to an elastic instability. We evidence a periodic motion close the onset of the instability, which then evolves towards a turbulentlike flow at higher flow rates. Strikingly, we point out that this instability induces genuine drag reduction due to the homogenization of the viscosity profile by the turbulent flow.

Statistical Analysis of CFD Solutions from the Third AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Joseph H.; Hemsch, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The first AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop, held in June 2001, evaluated the results from an extensive N-version test of a collection of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes CFD codes. The code-to-code scatter was more than an order of magnitude larger than desired for design and experimental validation of cruise conditions for a subsonic transport configuration. The second AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop, held in June 2003, emphasized the determination of installed pylon-nacelle drag increments and grid refinement studies. The code-to-code scatter was significantly reduced compared to the first DPW, but still larger than desired. However, grid refinement studies showed no significant improvement in code-to-code scatter with increasing grid refinement. The third Drag Prediction Workshop focused on the determination of installed side-of-body fairing drag increments and grid refinement studies for clean attached flow on wing alone configurations and for separated flow on the DLR-F6 subsonic transport model. This work evaluated the effect of grid refinement on the code-to-code scatter for the clean attached flow test cases and the separated flow test cases.

Statistical Analysis of the AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop CFD Solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Joseph H.; Hemsch, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The first AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop (DPW), held in June 2001, evaluated the results from an extensive N-version test of a collection of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes CFD codes. The code-to-code scatter was more than an order of magnitude larger than desired for design and experimental validation of cruise conditions for a subsonic transport configuration. The second AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop, held in June 2003, emphasized the determination of installed pylon-nacelle drag increments and grid refinement studies. The code-to-code scatter was significantly reduced compared to the first DPW, but still larger than desired. However, grid refinement studies showed no significant improvement in code-to-code scatter with increasing grid refinement. The third AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop, held in June 2006, focused on the determination of installed side-of-body fairing drag increments and grid refinement studies for clean attached flow on wing alone configurations and for separated flow on the DLR-F6 subsonic transport model. This report compares the transonic cruise prediction results of the second and third workshops using statistical analysis.

Aerodynamics of cyclist posture, bicycle and helmet characteristics in time trial stage.

PubMed

Chabroux, Vincent; Barelle, Caroline; Favier, Daniel

2012-07-01

The present work is focused on the aerodynamic study of different parameters, including both the posture of a cyclist's upper limbs and the saddle position, in time trial (TT) stages. The aerodynamic influence of a TT helmet large visor is also quantified as a function of the helmet inclination. Experiments conducted in a wind tunnel on nine professional cyclists provided drag force and frontal area measurements to determine the drag force coefficient. Data statistical analysis clearly shows that the hands positioning on shifters and the elbows joined together are significantly reducing the cyclist drag force. Concerning the saddle position, the drag force is shown to be significantly increased (about 3%) when the saddle is raised. The usual helmet inclination appears to be the inclination value minimizing the drag force. Moreover, the addition of a large visor on the helmet is shown to provide a drag coefficient reduction as a function of the helmet inclination. Present results indicate that variations in the TT cyclist posture, the saddle position and the helmet visor can produce a significant gain in time (up to 2.2%) during stages.

High Altitude Towed Glider

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.

1996-01-01

The concept of using an unmanned towed glider for high altitude scientific research had been previously proposed. This paper examines the feasibility of this concept by determining what impact the various characteristics of the tow line, glider and tow aircraft have on tow line drag. A description of the analysis and computer code used to generate the results is given. The parameters examined were glider altitude, tow aircraft glider separation distance, velocity, tow line drag coefficient and tow line material properties. The results from the analysis show that the tow line drag increases significantly with tow aircraft/glider separation. The drag increased from 940 N (211 lb) with a tow aircraft/glider separation of 3 km to 11,970 N (2691 lb) with a tow aircraft/glider separation of 10 km. The results also show that by varying some of the initial assumptions significant reductions in tow line drag and weight can be obtained. The variables which had the greatest effect on reducing the tow line drag were the decrease in tow aircraft/glider separation distance, the increase in tow line strength and the decrease in glider Mach number.

Drag reduction in channel flow using nonlinear control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keefe, Laurence R.

1993-01-01

Two nonlinear control schemes have been applied to the problem of drag reduction in channel flow. Both schemes have been tested using numerical simulations at a mass flux Reynolds numbers of 4408, utilizing 2D nonlinear neutral modes for goal dynamics. The OGY-method, which requires feedback, reduces drag to 60-80 percent of the turbulent value at the same Reynolds number, and employs forcing only within a thin region near the wall. The H-method, or model-based control, fails to achieve any drag reduction when starting from a fully turbulent initial condition, but shows potential for suppressing or retarding laminar-to-turbulent transition by imposing instead a transition to a low drag, nonlinear traveling wave solution to the Navier-Stokes equation. The drag in this state corresponds to that achieved by the OGY-method. Model-based control requires no feedback, but in experiments to date has required the forcing be imposed within a thicker layer than the OGY-method. Control energy expenditures in both methods are small, representing less than 0.1 percent of the uncontrolled flow's energy.

RSRA vertical drag test report. [rotor systems research aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flemming, R. J.

1981-01-01

The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA), because of its ability to measure rotor loads, was used to conduct an experiment to determine vertical drag, tail rotor blockage, and thrust augmentation as affected by ground clearance and flight velocity. The RSRA was flown in the helicopter configuration at speeds from 0 to 15 knots for wheel heights from 5 to 150 feet, and to 60 knots out of ground effect. The vertical drag trends in hover, predicted by theory and shown in model tests, were generally confirmed. The OGE hover vertical drag is 4.0 percent, 1.1 percent greater than predicted. The vertical drag decreases rapidly as wheel height is reduced, and is zero at a wheel height of 6 feet. The vertical drag also decreases with forward speed, approaching zero at sixty knots. The test data show the effect of wheel height and forward speed on thrust, gross weight capability, and power, and provide the relationships for power and collective pitch at constant gross weight required for the simulation of helicopter takeoffs and landings.

Drag crisis moderation by thin air layers sustained on superhydrophobic spheres falling in water.

PubMed

Jetly, Aditya; Vakarelski, Ivan U; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T

2018-02-28

We investigate the effect of thin air layers naturally sustained on superhydrophobic surfaces on the terminal velocity and drag force of metallic spheres free falling in water. The surface of 20 mm to 60 mm steel or tungsten-carbide spheres is rendered superhydrophobic by a simple coating process that uses a commercially available hydrophobic agent. By comparing the free fall of unmodified spheres and superhydrophobic spheres in a 2.5 meter tall water tank, it is demonstrated that even a very thin air layer (∼1-2 μm) that covers the freshly dipped superhydrophobic sphere can reduce the drag force on the spheres by up to 80%, at Reynolds numbers from 10 5 to 3 × 10 5 , owing to an early drag crisis transition. This study complements prior investigations on the drag reduction efficiency of model gas layers sustained on heated metal spheres falling in liquid by the Leidenfrost effect. The drag reduction effects are expected to have significant implications for the development of sustainable air-layer-based energy saving technologies.

Marine ice sheet model performance depends on basal sliding physics and sub-shelf melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladstone, Rupert Michael; Warner, Roland Charles; Galton-Fenzi, Benjamin Keith; Gagliardini, Olivier; Zwinger, Thomas; Greve, Ralf

2017-01-01

Computer models are necessary for understanding and predicting marine ice sheet behaviour. However, there is uncertainty over implementation of physical processes at the ice base, both for grounded and floating glacial ice. Here we implement several sliding relations in a marine ice sheet flow-line model accounting for all stress components and demonstrate that model resolution requirements are strongly dependent on both the choice of basal sliding relation and the spatial distribution of ice shelf basal melting.Sliding relations that reduce the magnitude of the step change in basal drag from grounded ice to floating ice (where basal drag is set to zero) show reduced dependence on resolution compared to a commonly used relation, in which basal drag is purely a power law function of basal ice velocity. Sliding relations in which basal drag goes smoothly to zero as the grounding line is approached from inland (due to a physically motivated incorporation of effective pressure at the bed) provide further reduction in resolution dependence.A similar issue is found with the imposition of basal melt under the floating part of the ice shelf: melt parameterisations that reduce the abruptness of change in basal melting from grounded ice (where basal melt is set to zero) to floating ice provide improved convergence with resolution compared to parameterisations in which high melt occurs adjacent to the grounding line.Thus physical processes, such as sub-glacial outflow (which could cause high melt near the grounding line), impact on capability to simulate marine ice sheets. If there exists an abrupt change across the grounding line in either basal drag or basal melting, then high resolution will be required to solve the problem. However, the plausible combination of a physical dependency of basal drag on effective pressure, and the possibility of low ice shelf basal melt rates next to the grounding line, may mean that some marine ice sheet systems can be reliably simulated at a coarser resolution than currently thought necessary.

Active vortex generator deployed on demand by size independent actuation of shape memory alloy wires integrated in fiber reinforced polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hübler, M.; Nissle, S.; Gurka, M.; Wassenaar, J.

2016-04-01

Static vortex generators (VGs) are installed on different aircraft types. They generate vortices and interfuse the slow boundary layer with the fast moving air above. Due to this energizing, a flow separation of the boundary layer can be suppressed at high angles of attack. However the VGs cause a permanently increased drag over the whole flight cycle reducing the cruise efficiency. This drawback is currently limiting the use of VGs. New active VGs, deployed only on demand at low speed, can help to overcome this contradiction. Active hybrid structures, combining the actuation of shape memory alloys (SMA) with fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) on the materials level, provide an actuation principle with high lightweight potential and minimum space requirements. Being one of the first applications of active hybrid structures from SMA and FRP, these active vortex generators help to demonstrate the advantages of this new technology. A new design approach and experimental results of active VGs are presented based on the application of unique design tools and advanced manufacturing approaches for these active hybrid structures. The experimental investigation of the actuation focuses on the deflection potential and the dynamic response. Benchmark performance data such as a weight of 1.5g and a maximum thickness of only 1.8mm per vortex generator finally ensure a simple integration in the wing structure.

Variability of bed drag on cohesive beds under wave action

USGS Publications Warehouse

Safak, Ilgar

2016-01-01

Drag force at the bed acting on water flow is a major control on water circulation and sediment transport. Bed drag has been thoroughly studied in sandy waters, but less so in muddy coastal waters. The variation of bed drag on a muddy shelf is investigated here using field observations of currents, waves, and sediment concentration collected during moderate wind and wave events. To estimate bottom shear stress and the bed drag coefficient, an indirect empirical method of logarithmic fitting to current velocity profiles (log-law), a bottom boundary layer model for combined wave-current flow, and a direct method that uses turbulent fluctuations of velocity are used. The overestimation by the log-law is significantly reduced by taking turbulence suppression due to sediment-induced stratification into account. The best agreement between the model and the direct estimates is obtained by using a hydraulic roughness of 10 -4">−4 m in the model. Direct estimate of bed drag on the muddy bed is found to have a decreasing trend with increasing current speed, and is estimated to be around 0.0025 in conditions where wave-induced flow is relatively weak. Bed drag shows an increase (up to fourfold) with increasing wave energy. These findings can be used to test the bed drag parameterizations in hydrodynamic and sediment transport models and the skills of these models in predicting flows in muddy environments.

An analysis of the impact of cabin floor angle restrictions on L/D for a typical supersonic transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radkey, R. L.

1974-01-01

High floor angles at cruise have been identified as a significant problem facing airline and public acceptance of a supersonic transport. In order to explore the relationship between cruise performances and floor angle, four related wing-fuselage design and integration studies have been conducted. The studies were: (1) a fuselage camber study in which perturbations in the fuselage camber distribution were examined with a baseline wing, (2) a wing optimization study in which wings were optimized for minimum drag at C sub L's less than the design C sub L. These wings were optimized as wing planform camber surfaces alone and evaluated with a baseline fuselage, (3) a second wing optimization study in which wings were optimized for minimum drag at C sub L's less than the design C sub L but for this study the wings were optimized in the presence of the baseline fuselage, and (4) a third wing optimization study in which wings were optimized for minmum drag subject to C sub M constraints designed to produce more positive C sub MO's, thereby reducing trim drag. The studies indicated that it was not possible to both improve the aircraft cruise L/D and substantially reduce the cruise floor angle. The studies did indicate that the cruise floor angle could be reduced by reducing the fuselage incidence relative to the wing, but the reduction in floor angle was accompanied by a substantial reduction in L/D.

Aerodynamic drag reduction by vertical splitter plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliéron, Patrick; Kourta, Azeddine

2010-01-01

The capacity of vertical splitter plates placed at the front or the rear of a simplified car geometry to reduce drag, with and without skew angle, is investigated for Reynolds numbers between 1.0 × 106 and 1.6 × 106. The geometry used is a simplified geometry to represent estate-type vehicles, for the rear section, and MPV-type vehicle. Drag reductions of nearly 28% were obtained for a zero skew angle with splitter plates placed at the front of models of MPV or utility vehicles. The results demonstrate the advantage of adapting the position and orientation of the splitter plates in the presence of a lateral wind. All these results confirm the advantage of this type of solution, and suggest that this expertise should be used in the automotive field to reduce consumption and improve dynamic stability of road vehicles.

Effect of Graphene Addition on Shape Memory Behavior of Epoxy Resins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Tiffany; Meador, Michael; Miller, Sandi; Scheiman, Daniel

2011-01-01

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) and composites are a special class of smart materials known for their ability to change size and shape upon exposure to an external stimulus (e.g. light, heat, pH, or magnetic field). These materials are commonly used for biomedical applications; however, recent attempts have been made towards developing SMPs and composites for use in aircraft and space applications. Implementing SMPs and composites to create a shape change effect in some aircraft structures could potentially reduce drag, decrease fuel consumption, and improve engine performance. This paper discusses the development of suitable materials to use in morphing aircraft structures. Thermally responsive epoxy SMPs and nanocomposites were developed and the shape memory behavior and thermo-mechanical properties were studied. Overall, preliminary results from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that thermally actuated shape memory epoxies and nanocomposites possessed Tgs near approximately 168 C. When graphene nanofiller was added, the storage modulus and crosslinking density decreased. On the other hand, the addition of graphene enhanced the recovery behavior of the shape memory nanocomposites. It was assumed that the addition of graphene improved shape memory recovery by reducing the crosslinking density and increasing the elasticity of the nanocomposites.

Interplay of non-Markov and internal friction effects in the barrier crossing kinetics of biopolymers: insights from an analytically solvable model.

PubMed

Makarov, Dmitrii E

2013-01-07

Conformational rearrangements in biomolecules (such as protein folding or enzyme-ligand binding) are often interpreted in terms of low-dimensional models of barrier crossing such as Kramers' theory. Dimensionality reduction, however, entails memory effects; as a result, the effective frictional drag force along the reaction coordinate nontrivially depends on the time scale of the transition. Moreover, when both solvent and "internal" friction effects are important, their interplay results in a highly nonlinear dependence of the effective friction on solvent viscosity that is not captured by common phenomenological models of barrier crossing. Here, these effects are illustrated using an analytically solvable toy model of an unstructured polymer chain involved in an inter- or intramolecular transition. The transition rate is calculated using the Grote-Hynes and Langer theories, which--unlike Kramers' theory--account for memory. The resulting effective frictional force exerted by the polymer along the reaction coordinate can be rationalized in terms of the effective number of monomers engaged in the transition. Faster transitions (relative to the polymer reconfiguration time scale) involve fewer monomers and, correspondingly, lower friction forces, because the polymer chain does not have enough time to reconfigure in response to the transition.

Experiment Research on Hot-Rolling Processing of Nonsmooth Pit Surface.

PubMed

Gu, Yun-Qing; Fan, Tian-Xing; Mou, Jie-Gang; Yu, Wei-Bo; Zhao, Gang; Wang, Evan

2016-01-01

In order to achieve the nonsmooth surface drag reduction structure on the inner polymer coating of oil and gas pipelines and improve the efficiency of pipeline transport, a structural model of the machining robot on the pipe inner coating is established. Based on machining robot, an experimental technique is applied to research embossing and coating problems of rolling-head, and then the molding process rules under different conditions of rolling temperatures speeds and depth are analyzed. Also, an orthogonal experiment analysis method is employed to analyze the different effects of hot-rolling process apparatus on the embossed pits morphology and quality of rolling. The results also reveal that elevating the rolling temperature or decreasing the rolling speed can also improve the pit structure replication rates of the polymer coating surface, and the rolling feed has little effect on replication rates. After the rolling-head separates from the polymer coating, phenomenon of rebounding and refluxing of the polymer coating occurs, which is the reason of inability of the process. A continuous hot-rolling method for processing is used in the robot and the hot-rolling process of the processing apparatus is put in a dynamics analysis.

Experiment Research on Hot-Rolling Processing of Nonsmooth Pit Surface

PubMed Central

Gu, Yun-qing; Fan, Tian-xing; Mou, Jie-gang; Yu, Wei-bo; Zhao, Gang; Wang, Evan

2016-01-01

In order to achieve the nonsmooth surface drag reduction structure on the inner polymer coating of oil and gas pipelines and improve the efficiency of pipeline transport, a structural model of the machining robot on the pipe inner coating is established. Based on machining robot, an experimental technique is applied to research embossing and coating problems of rolling-head, and then the molding process rules under different conditions of rolling temperatures speeds and depth are analyzed. Also, an orthogonal experiment analysis method is employed to analyze the different effects of hot-rolling process apparatus on the embossed pits morphology and quality of rolling. The results also reveal that elevating the rolling temperature or decreasing the rolling speed can also improve the pit structure replication rates of the polymer coating surface, and the rolling feed has little effect on replication rates. After the rolling-head separates from the polymer coating, phenomenon of rebounding and refluxing of the polymer coating occurs, which is the reason of inability of the process. A continuous hot-rolling method for processing is used in the robot and the hot-rolling process of the processing apparatus is put in a dynamics analysis. PMID:27022235

Considerations of Methods of Improving Helicopter Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dingeldein, Richard C.

1961-01-01

Recent NASA helicopter research indicates that significant improvements in hovering efficiency, up to 7 percent, are available from the use of a special airfoil section formed by combining an NACA 632A015 thickness distribution with an NACA 230 mean line. This airfoil should be considered for flying-crane-type helicopters. Application of standard leading-edge roughness causes a large drop in efficiency; however, the cambered rotor is shown to retain its superiority over a rotor having a symmetrical airfoil when both rotors have leading-edge roughness. A simple analysis of available rotor static-thrust data indicates a greatly reduced effect of compressibility effects on the rotor profile-drag power than predicted from calculations. Preliminary results of an experimental study of helicopter parasite drag indicate the practicability of achieving an equivalent flat-plate parasite-drag area of less than 4 square feet for a rotor-head-pylon-fuselage configuration (landing gear retracted) in the 2,000-pound minimum-flying-weight class. The large drag penalty of a conventional skid-type landing (3.6 square feet) can be reduced by two-thirds by careful design. Clean, fair, and smooth fuselages that tend to have narrow, deep cross sections are shown to have advantages from the standpoint of drag and download. A ferry range of the order of 1,500 miles is indicated to be practicable for the small helicopter considered.

Influence of base modifications on in-flight base drag in the presence of jet exhaust for Mach numbers from 0.7 to 1.5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, Sheryll Goecke

1988-01-01

The use of external modifications in the base region to reduce the base drag of a blunt-base body in the presence of jet engine exhaust was investigated in flight. Base pressure data were obtained for the following configurations: (1) blunt base; (2) blunt base modified with splitter plate; and (3) blunt base modified with two variations of a vented cavity. Reynolds number based on the length of the aircraft ranged from 1.2 to 3.1 x 10 to the 8th. Mach number M ranges were 0.71 less than or = M less than or = 0.95 and 1.10 less than or = M less than or = 1.51. The data were analyzed using the blunt base for a reference, or baseline condition. For 1.10 less than or = M less than or = 1.51, the reduction in base drag coefficient provided by the vented cavity configuration ranged from 0.07 to 0.05. These increments in base drag coefficient at M = 1.31 and 1.51 result in base drag reductions of 27 and 24 percent, respectively, when compared to the blunt base drag. For M less than 1, the drag increment between the blunt base and the modification is not significant.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulation of Drag Reduction by Riblets on Automobile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazali, N. N. N.; Yau, Y. H.; Badarudin, A.; Lim, Y. C.

2010-05-01

One of the ongoing automotive technological developments is the reduction of aerodynamic drag because this has a direct impact on fuel reduction, which is a major topic due to the influence on many other requirements. Passive drag reduction techniques stand as the most portable and feasible way to be implemented in real applications. One of the passive techniques is the longitudinal microgrooves aligned in the flow direction, known as riblets. In this study, the simulation of turbulent flows over an automobile in a virtual wind tunnel has been conducted by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Three important aspects of this study are: the drag reduction effect of riblets on smooth surface automobile, the position and geometry of the riblets on drag reduction. The simulation involves three stages: geometry modeling, meshing, solving and analysis. The simulation results show that the attachment of riblets on the rear roof surface reduces the drag coefficient by 2.74%. By adjusting the attachment position of the riblets film, reduction rates between the range 0.5%-9.51% are obtained, in which the position of the top middle roof optimizes the effect. Four riblet geometries are investigated, among them the semi-hexagon trapezoidally shaped riblets is considered the most effective. Reduction rate of drag is found ranging from -3.34% to 6.36%.

Aircraft surface coatings study: Energy efficient transport program. [sprayed and adhesive bonded coatings for drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Surface coating materials for application on transport type aircraft to reduce drag, were investigated. The investigation included two basic types of materials: spray on coatings and adhesively bonded films. A cost/benefits analysis was performed, and recommendations were made for future work toward the application of this technology.

Drag of a Cottrell atmosphere by an edge dislocation in a smectic-A liquid crystal.

PubMed

Oswald, P; Lejček, L

2017-10-01

In a recent letter (P. Oswald et al., EPL 103, 46004 (2013)), we have shown that a smectic-A phase hardens in compression normal to the layers when the liquid crystal is doped with gold nanoparticles. This is due to the formation of Cottrell clouds nearby the core of the edge dislocations and the appearance of an additional drag force that reduces their mobility. We theoretically calculate the shape of the Cottrell cloud and the associated drag force as a function of the climb velocity of the dislocations. The main result is that the drag force depends on velocity and vanishes when the temperature tends to the smectic-A-to-nematic transition temperature. The role of the diffusion anisotropy is also evaluated.

Systems analysis of Mars solar electric propulsion vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, J. M.; Curtis, H. B.; Kenny, B. H.; Sefcik, R. J.

1990-01-01

Mission performance, mass, initial power, and cost are determined for solar electric propulsion vehicles across a range of payload masses, reference powers, and mission trajectories. Thick radiation shielding is added to arrays using indium phosphide or III-V multijunction solar cells to reduce the damage incurred through the radiation belts. Special assessments of power management and distribution systems, atmospheric drag, and energy storage are made. It is determined that atmospheric drag is of no great concern and that the energy storage used in countering drag is unnecessary. A scheme to package the arrays, masts, and ion thrusters into a single fairing is presented.

Influence of Nose Radius of Blunt Cones on Drag in Supersonic and Hypersonic Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemateja, A.; Teja, B. Ravi; Dileep Kumar, A.; Rakesh, S. G.

2017-08-01

The objects moving at high speeds encounter forces which tend to decelerate the objects. This resistance in the medium is termed as drag which is one of the major concerns while designing high speed aircrafts. Another key factor which influences the design is the heat transfer. The main challenge faced by aerospace industries is to design the shape of the flying object that travels at high speeds with optimum values of heat generation and drag. This study deals with computational analysis of sharp and blunt cones with varying cone angles and nose radii. The effect of nose radius on the drag is studied at supersonic and hypersonic flows and at various angles of attack. It is observed that as the nose radius is increased, the heat transfer reduces & the drag increases and vice-versa. Looking at the results, the optimum value of nose radius can be chosen depending on the need of the problem.

Influence of grid resolution, parcel size and drag models on bubbling fluidized bed simulation

DOE PAGES

Lu, Liqiang; Konan, Arthur; Benyahia, Sofiane

2017-06-02

Here in this paper, a bubbling fluidized bed is simulated with different numerical parameters, such as grid resolution and parcel size. We examined also the effect of using two homogeneous drag correlations and a heterogeneous drag based on the energy minimization method. A fast and reliable bubble detection algorithm was developed based on the connected component labeling. The radial and axial solids volume fraction profiles are compared with experiment data and previous simulation results. These results show a significant influence of drag models on bubble size and voidage distributions and a much less dependence on numerical parameters. With a heterogeneousmore » drag model that accounts for sub-scale structures, the void fraction in the bubbling fluidized bed can be well captured with coarse grid and large computation parcels. Refining the CFD grid and reducing the parcel size can improve the simulation results but with a large increase in computation cost.« less

Measurements of long-range enhanced collisional velocity drag through plasma wave damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affolter, M.; Anderegg, F.; Dubin, D. H. E.; Driscoll, C. F.

2018-05-01

We present damping measurements of axial plasma waves in magnetized, multispecies ion plasmas. At high temperatures T ≳ 10-2 eV, collisionless Landau damping dominates, whereas, at lower temperatures T ≲ 10-2 eV, the damping arises from interspecies collisional drag, which is dependent on the plasma composition and scales roughly as T-3 /2 . This drag damping is proportional to the rate of parallel collisional slowing, and is found to exceed classical predictions of collisional drag damping by as much as an order of magnitude, but agrees with a new collision theory that includes long-range collisions. Centrifugal mass separation and collisional locking of the species occur at ultra-low temperatures T ≲ 10-3 eV, which reduce the drag damping from the T-3 /2 collisional scaling. These mechanisms are investigated by measuring the damping of higher frequency axial modes, and by measuring the damping in plasmas with a non-equilibrium species profile.

Aerodynamic analysis of seamless horizontal stabilizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nithya, S.; Kanimozhi, S.

2017-05-01

This project presents an investigative view into the concept of seamless aeroelastic wing and hingeless flexible trailing edge. Wings are designed to provide maximum lift and minimal drag and weight. But with conventional wings where rivets are used and the control surfaces are separately hinged, parasite drag comes into play. This project is about analysing a smooth seamless wing with hinge-less flexible trailing edge. This type of wing reduces the drag considerably and the hinge-less trailing edge leads to a minimal control demand and reduces the noise produced when the aircraft comes for landing. Seamless aeroelastic wing will function as an integrated one piece lifting and control surface. It has been designed to enhance a desirable wing camber for control by deflecting a hinge-less flexible trailing edge part instead of a traditional hinged control surface. This kind of flexible wing can be achieved either by a curved beam and disc actuation mechanism or by piezo-electric materials, whose shape change can be achieved by electricity. The intent of this project is to analyze the effects of introducing the concept of Seamless Wing to the horizontal stabilizer. While the removal of rivets and serrations that hinge the elevators to the stabilizer reduces the overall drag by a reasonable value, the overall concept of a control surface-less stabilizer where the maneuvers are done by deflecting the trailing edge offers better maneuverability.

Implement a Sub-grid Turbulent Orographic Form Drag in WRF and its application to Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Yang, K.; Wang, Y.; Huang, B.

2017-12-01

Sub-grid-scale orographic variation exerts turbulent form drag on atmospheric flows. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) includes a turbulent orographic form drag (TOFD) scheme that adds the stress to the surface layer. In this study, another TOFD scheme has been incorporated in WRF3.7, which exerts an exponentially decaying drag on each model layer. To investigate the effect of the new scheme, WRF with the old and new one was used to simulate the climate over the complex terrain of the Tibetan Plateau. The two schemes were evaluated in terms of the direct impact (on wind) and the indirect impact (on air temperature, surface pressure and precipitation). Both in winter and summer, the new TOFD scheme reduces the mean bias in the surface wind, and clearly reduces the root mean square error (RMSEs) in comparisons with the station measurements (Figure 1). Meanwhile, the 2-m air temperature and surface pressure is also improved (Figure 2) due to the more warm air northward transport across south boundary of TP in winter. The 2-m air temperature is hardly improved in summer but the precipitation improvement is more obvious, with reduced mean bias and RMSEs. This is due to the weakening of water vapor flux (at low-level flow with the new scheme) crossing the Himalayan Mountains from South Asia.

Locomotion of bluefish.

PubMed

DuBois, A B; Cavagna, G A; Fox, R S

1976-02-01

1. Pressure previously measured on the body surface of swimming bluefish were resolved into their backward vectorial components to allow calculation of profile drag. It was 0.18 kg at a speed of 1.8 m/sec. Tangential drag was calculated as if for a thin plate of an area equal to that of the fish. It was 0.08 kg at 1.8 m/sec. Net drag, 0.26 kg, was the sum of profile and tangential drag. 2. Thrust and drag also were calculated from the changes of acceleration measured during steady swimming, assuming that thrust took place only during the acceleration phase, whereas drag occurred during both acceleration and deceleration. This drag was 0.08 kg at a speed of 1.1 m/sec. It is compatible with the drag of 0.26 at 1.8 m/sec calculated from profile and tangential drag provided drag varies as the square of velocity. 3. The force required to produced maximal acceleration was measured during a scare. It was calculated to be 6.9 kg at a peak acceleration of 3 g. 4. The compression strength of th vertebrae was found to be approximately 20 kg per cm2, or roughly three times the force encountered during maximal acceleration. This safety factor of 3 would be reduced when the back was curved, or if opposing groups of muscles were under tension. 5. The finding that a bluefish can accelerate at 3 g and that the vertebral column is strongg enough to withstand this force indicates that the muscles and body structure of a bluefish would be able to withstand the force of gravity if the fish were otherwise equipped for terrestrial life. This fish may have evolved these strengths simultaneously with land animals. It is speculated that other fish may have evolved some degree of strength to overcome inertia and drag during aquatic locomotion, and this evolution may have been a prelude to terrestrial locomotion.

Study of Theoretical and Numerical Fluid Characteristics of Plain Wing with Winglets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabhan, Mohamed B. W.

2018-05-01

Aerodynamic characteristics of plain wing designed for Light Sport Aircraft has been studied. The fluid characteristics include induced drag and lift to drag ratio. Then, winglets are added to reduce the induced drag and increase the lift to drag ratio which are affected by the wing tip vortices. The theoretical and numerical approaches are used to verify the results. A rectangular untwisted 9.528 m wing spans with an Airfoil NACA 4412 was used for the basic design. Winglets are added with a tip airfoil of NACA 0012, side angle of 65° and new projected area of 10.328 m2. Lift and drag coefficients are used as means to measure the improvement of the aerodynamic characteristics. The wing tip vortices increase the induced drag and spoil the lift over the wing's surface. The winglets design main objectives are to decrease the induced drag, decrease the fuel consumption, and increase the flight safety, especially in take-off condition. The wing with winglets model was simulated first using 3-D Fluent ANSYS version 14 at 50 m/s velocity and (0°, 5°, and 10°) angles of attack with laminar flow and standard atmospheric conditions at 15°C, and 101 kPa and all other flow parameters as well. The second verification method was to simulate the 3-D model using the 3-D Foil Multi-Surfaces code again with the same flow parameters. Finally, the last verification method was to solve the problem theoretically using the theoretical governing equations. The theoretical solutions were used as a base line for all other results. The total drag reduction observed from the calculation is about 2% to 14.5% during the takeoff regime, where the induced drag contributes about 60% of total drag of the wings. The lift to drag ratio improved also in our designed model wing with winglets by a maximum of 18.6% from the plain wing design.

Effect of the Surface Condition of a Wing on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defrance, S J

1934-01-01

In order to determine the effect of the surface conditions of a wing on the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane, tests were conducted in the N.A.C.A. full-scale wind tunnel on the Fairchild F-22 airplane first with normal commercial finish of wing surface and later with the same wing polished. Comparison of the characteristics of the airplane with the two surface conditions shows that the polish caused a negligible change in the lift curve, but reduced the minimum drag coefficient by 0.001. This reduction in drag if applied to an airplane with a given speed of 200 miles per hour and a minimum drag coefficient of 0.025 would increase the speed only 2.9 miles per hour, but if the speed remained the same, the power would be reduced 4 percent.

Apparatus And Method For Reducing Drag Of A Bluff Body In Ground Effect Using Counter-Rotating Vortex Pairs

DOEpatents

Ortega, Jason M.; Sabari, Kambiz

2005-12-27

An aerodynamic base drag reduction apparatus and method for bluff bodies, such as tractor-trailer trucks, utilizing a pair of lift surfaces extending to lift surface tips and located alongside the bluff body such as on opposing left and right side surfaces. In a flowstream substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the bluff body, the pair of lift surfaces generate a pair of counter-rotating trailing vortices which confluence together in the wake of the bluff body in a direction orthogonal to the flowstream. The confluence draws or otherwise turns the flowstream, such as the flowstream passing over a top surface of the bluff body, in and around behind a trailing end of the bluff body to raise the pressure on a base surface at the trailing end and thereby reduce the aerodynamic base drag.

Apparatus And Method For Reducing Drag Of A Bluff Body In Ground Effect Using Counter-Rotating Vortex Pairs

DOEpatents

Ortega, Jason M.; Salari, Kambiz

2005-08-09

An aerodynamic base drag reduction apparatus and method for bluff bodies, such as tractor-trailer trucks, utilizing a pair of lift surfaces extending to lift surface tips and located alongside the bluff body such as on opposing left and right side surfaces. In a flowstream substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the bluff body, the pair of lift surfaces generate a pair of counter-rotating trailing vortices which confluence together in the wake of the bluff body in a direction orthogonal to the flowstream. The confluence draws or otherwise turns the flowstream, such as the flowstream passing over a top surface of the bluff body, in and around behind a trailing end of the bluff body to raise the pressure on a base surface at the trailing end and thereby reduce the aerodynamic base drag.

Use of DES in mildly separated internal flow: dimples in a turbulent channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tay, Chien Ming Jonathan; Khoo, Boo Cheong; Chew, Yong Tian

2017-12-01

Detached eddy simulation (DES) is investigated as a means to study an array of shallow dimples with depth to diameter ratios of 1.5% and 5% in a turbulent channel. The DES captures large-scale flow features relatively well, but is unable to predict skin friction accurately due to flow modelling near the wall. The current work instead relies on the accuracy of DES to predict large-scale flow features, as well as its well-documented reliability in predicting flow separation regions to support the proposed mechanism that dimples reduce drag by introducing spanwise flow components near the wall through the addition of streamwise vorticity. Profiles of the turbulent energy budget show the stabilising effect of the dimples on the flow. The presence of flow separation however modulates the net drag reduction. Increasing the Reynolds number can reduce the size of the separated region and experiments show that this increases the overall drag reduction.

Reducing the wave drag of wing airfoils in transonic flow regimes by the force action of airfoil surface elements on the flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aul'chenko, S. M.; Zamuraev, V. P.

2012-11-01

Mathematical modeling of the influence of forced oscillations of surface elements of a wing airfoil on the shock-wave structure of transonic flow past it has been carried out. The qualitative and quantitative influence of the oscillation parameters on the wave drag of the airfoil has been investigated.

Drag Reduction and Performance Improvement of Hydraulic Torque Converters with Multiple Biological Characteristics.

PubMed

Chunbao, Liu; Li, Li; Yulong, Lei; Changsuo, Liu; Yubo, Zhang

2016-01-01

Fish-like, dolphin-like, and bionic nonsmooth surfaces were employed in a hydraulic torque converter to achieve drag reduction and performance improvement, which were aimed at reducing profile loss, impacting loss and friction loss, respectively. YJSW335, a twin turbine torque converter, was bionically designed delicately. The biological characteristics consisted of fish-like blades in all four wheels, dolphin-like structure in the first turbine and the stator, and nonsmooth surfaces in the pump. The prediction performance of bionic YJSW335, obtained by computational fluid dynamics simulation, was improved compared with that of the original model, and then it could be proved that drag reduction had been achieved. The mechanism accounting for drag reduction of three factors was also investigated. After bionic design, the torque ratio and the highest efficiencies of YJSW335 were both advanced, which were very difficult to achieve through traditional design method. Moreover, the highest efficiency of the low speed area and high speed area is 85.65% and 86.32%, respectively. By economic matching analysis of the original and bionic powertrains, the latter can significantly reduce the fuel consumption and improve the operating economy of the loader.

Hydrodynamic effect of a satellite transmitter on a juvenile green turtle (Chelonia mydas)

PubMed

Watson; Granger

1998-09-01

Wind tunnel tests were performed to measure the effect of a satellite transmitter on a juvenile green turtle (Chelonia mydas). A full-scale turtle model was constructed from an 11.5 kg specimen with a 48 cm carapace length, and a transmitter model was constructed from a Telonics ST-6. The turtle model was tested in a wind tunnel with and without the transmitter, which was mounted on the forward, topmost part of the carapace. Drag, lift and pitch moment were measured for several speeds and flow angles, and the data were scaled for application to the marine environment. At small flow angles representative of straight-line swimming, the transmitter increased drag by 27-30 %, reduced lift by less than 10 % and increased the pitch moment by 11-42 %. On the basis of the drag data at zero angle of attack, it is estimated that the backpack will reduce swimming speed by 11 %, assuming that the turtle produces the same thrust with the unit attached. The drag data are also used to estimate the effect of a transmitter on the swimming energetics of an adult green turtle. Design guidelines are included to minimize the adverse forces and moments caused by the transmitter.

Flow around a helically twisted elliptic cylinder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Woojin; Lee, Jungil; Choi, Haecheon, E-mail: choi@snu.ac.kr

In the present study, we conduct unsteady three-dimensional simulations of flows around a helically twisted elliptic (HTE) cylinder at the Reynolds numbers of 100 and 3900, based on the free-stream velocity and square root of the product of the lengths of its major and minor axes. A parametric study is conducted for Re = 100 by varying the aspect ratio (AR) of the elliptic cross section and the helical spanwise wavelength (λ). Depending on the values of AR and λ, the flow in the wake contains the characteristic wavelengths of λ, 2λ, 6λ, or even longer than 60λ, showing amore » wide diversity of flows in the wake due to the shape change. The drag on the optimal (i.e., having lowest drag) HTE cylinder (AR = 1.3 and λ = 3.5d) is lower by 18% than that of the circular cylinder, and its lift fluctuations are zero owing to complete suppression of vortex shedding in the wake. This optimal HTE configuration reduces the drag by 23% for Re = 3900 where the wake is turbulent, showing that the HTE cylinder reduces the mean drag and lift fluctuations for both laminar and turbulent flows.« less

A study of optimum cowl shapes and flow port locations for minimum drag with effective engine cooling, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. R.; Smetana, F. O.

1980-01-01

The listings, user's instructions, sample inputs, and sample outputs of two computer programs which are especially useful in obtaining an approximate solution of the viscous flow over an arbitrary nonlifting three dimensional body are provided. The first program performs a potential flow solution by a well known panel method and readjusts this initial solution to account for the effects of the boundary layer displacement thickness, a nonuniform but unidirectional onset flow field, and the presence of air intakes and exhausts. The second program is effectually a geometry package which allows the user to change or refine the shape of a body to satisfy particular needs without a significant amount of human intervention. An effort to reduce the cruise drag of light aircraft through an analytical study of the contributions to the drag arising from the engine cowl shape and the foward fuselage area and also that resulting from the cooling air mass flowing through intake and exhaust sites on the nacelle is presented. The programs may be effectively used to determine the appropriate body modifications or flow port locations to reduce the cruise drag as well as to provide sufficient air flow for cooling the engine.

Drag Reduction and Performance Improvement of Hydraulic Torque Converters with Multiple Biological Characteristics

PubMed Central

Chunbao, Liu; Changsuo, Liu; Yubo, Zhang

2016-01-01

Fish-like, dolphin-like, and bionic nonsmooth surfaces were employed in a hydraulic torque converter to achieve drag reduction and performance improvement, which were aimed at reducing profile loss, impacting loss and friction loss, respectively. YJSW335, a twin turbine torque converter, was bionically designed delicately. The biological characteristics consisted of fish-like blades in all four wheels, dolphin-like structure in the first turbine and the stator, and nonsmooth surfaces in the pump. The prediction performance of bionic YJSW335, obtained by computational fluid dynamics simulation, was improved compared with that of the original model, and then it could be proved that drag reduction had been achieved. The mechanism accounting for drag reduction of three factors was also investigated. After bionic design, the torque ratio and the highest efficiencies of YJSW335 were both advanced, which were very difficult to achieve through traditional design method. Moreover, the highest efficiency of the low speed area and high speed area is 85.65% and 86.32%, respectively. By economic matching analysis of the original and bionic powertrains, the latter can significantly reduce the fuel consumption and improve the operating economy of the loader. PMID:27752220

Boundary layer drag reduction research hypotheses derived from bio-inspired surface and recent advanced applications.

PubMed

Luo, Yuehao; Yuan, Lu; Li, Jianhua; Wang, Jianshe

2015-12-01

Nature has supplied the inexhaustible resources for mankind, and at the same time, it has also progressively developed into the school for scientists and engineers. Through more than four billions years of rigorous and stringent evolution, different creatures in nature gradually exhibit their own special and fascinating biological functional surfaces. For example, sharkskin has the potential drag-reducing effect in turbulence, lotus leaf possesses the self-cleaning and anti-foiling function, gecko feet have the controllable super-adhesion surfaces, the flexible skin of dolphin can accelerate its swimming velocity. Great profits of applying biological functional surfaces in daily life, industry, transportation and agriculture have been achieved so far, and much attention from all over the world has been attracted and focused on this field. In this overview, the bio-inspired drag-reducing mechanism derived from sharkskin is explained and explored comprehensively from different aspects, and then the main applications in different fluid engineering are demonstrated in brief. This overview will inevitably improve the comprehension of the drag reduction mechanism of sharkskin surface and better understand the recent applications in fluid engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wall turbulence control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, Stephen P.; Lindemann, A. Margrethe; Beeler, George B.; Mcginley, Catherine B.; Goodman, Wesley L.; Balasubramanian, R.

1986-01-01

A variety of wall turbulence control devices which were experimentally investigated are discussed; these include devices for burst control, alteration of outer flow structures, large eddy substitution, increased heat transfer efficiency, and reduction of wall pressure fluctuations. Control of pre-burst flow was demonstrated with a single, traveling surface depression which is phase-locked to elements of the burst production process. Another approach to wall turbulence control is to interfere with the outer layer coherent structures. A device in the outer part of a boundary layer was shown to suppress turbulence and reduce drag by opposing both the mean and unsteady vorticity in the boundary layer. Large eddy substitution is a method in which streamline curvature is introduced into the boundary layer in the form of streamwise vortices. Riblets, which were already shown to reduce turbulent drag, were also shown to exhibit superior heat transfer characteristics. Heat transfer efficiency as measured by the Reynolds Analogy Factor was shown to be as much as 36 percent greater than a smooth flat plate in a turbulent boundary layer. Large Eddy Break-Up (LEBU) which are also known to reduce turbulent drag were shown to reduce turbulent wall pressure fluctuation.

Influence of polymer additives on turbulence in von Karman swirling flow between two disks. II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnishev, Yuri; Steinberg, Victor

2016-03-01

We present the experimental studies of the influence of polymer additives on the statistical and scaling properties of the fully developed turbulent regime in a von Karman swirling flow driven either by the smooth or bladed disks using only the global measurements of torque Γ and pressure p fluctuations in water- and water-sugar-based solutions of different viscosities, or elasticity El, and different polymer concentrations ϕ as a function of Re in the same apparatus. There are three highlights achieved and reported in the paper: (i) An observation of turbulent drag reduction (TDR) at both the inertial and viscous flow forcing, in a contradiction to a currently accepted opinion that only the viscous forcing leads to TDR, and the unexpected drastic difference in the transition to the fully developed turbulent and TDR regimes in von Karman swirling flow of water-based polymer solutions depending on the way of the forcing; (ii) a continuous transition to TDR in both the normalized torque drop and the rms pressure fluctuations drop and universality in scaling behavior of Cf in an agreement with theoretical predictions; and (iii) the dramatic differences in the appearance of the frequency power spectra of Γ and in particular p due to the different ways of the forcing are also observed. We discuss and summarize further the results in accordance with these three main achievements. The main message of these studies is that both the inertial forcing and viscous forcing of von Karman swirling flow between two counter-rotating disks lead to TDR in the sharp contrast to the currently accepted opinion [O. Cadot et al., "Turbulent drag reduction in a closed flow system: Boundary layer versus bulk effects," Phys. Fluids 10, 426 (1998); D. Bonn et al., "From scale scales to large scales in three-dimensional turbulence: The effect of diluted polymers," Phys. Rev. E 47, R28 (1993); and D. Bonn et al., "Turbulent drag reduction by polymers," J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 17, S1195 (2005)] that TDR can be observed only at the viscous driving. In this observation, Cadot et al. and Bonn et al., relate to exclusively boundary effect, whereas the existence of TDR in both ways of the flow forcing suggests that both boundary and bulk effects are responsible for TDR. The unexpected result of the striking difference in the transition to the fully developed turbulent and TDR regimes and in their properties in von Karman swirling flow of water-based polymer solutions for the viscous and inertial forcing is reported. For the viscous forcing, just the single turbulent regime is found with the transition values R ec turb = R ec T D R ≃ ( 4 . 8 ± 0 . 2 ) × 1 0 5 independent of polymer concentration ϕ, while for the inertial forcing two turbulent regimes are revealed: fully developed turbulence and the TDR regime with the transition values R ec turb < R ec T D R and both depending on ϕ. Thus in the case of the viscous forcing, the onset to turbulence is not altered by the addition of polymers in the contrast to the inertial forcing, where early turbulence is found. Both regimes differ by the scaling exponents of the fundamental turbulent characteristics, by the dependence of skewness and flatness of probability density functions of p on Re, and by the drastically different frequency power spectra of Γ and p with the different dependencies of their frequency peaks on ϕ. It is also demonstrated that the transition to the TDR state is a continuous one for both Γ ¯ and prms in accord with theoretical arguments and simulations presented in the work of Boffetta et al. ["Drag reduction in the turbulent Kolmogorov flow," Phys. Rev. E 71, 036307 (2005)]. Indeed, Cf presented as a function of R e / R ec T D R for different El show impressive collapse of the data and universal behavior above Rc T D R with the functional dependencies in a full agreement with the prediction from the numerical simulations (Boffetta et al.). Moreover, the crucial issue for the existence of TDR followed from the analysis of stresses in the TDR model is also satisfied in the experiment (Boffetta et al.). As pointed out in the work of Boffetta et al., understanding the reasons of this inequality meaning that the larger effectiveness of the momentum transfer to velocity fluctuations than to elastic stress would reveal the TDR physical mechanism. The power spectra of both Γ and p in the case of the inertial forcing are characterized by the emerging pronounced peaks and their higher harmonics in parallel with up to two orders of magnitude reduction of low frequency fluctuation amplitudes in both the water- and water-sugar-based polymer solutions compared with the power spectra for the Newtonian solvents. The peaks appear at R e ≥ R ec T D R and their normalized peak frequency fp/frot = 0.43 ± 0.02 is independent of El, ϕ, and Re. These observations agree with the numerical results, where the enhancement of the main flow compared to the Newtonian case and the strong reduction of turbulent fluctuations were also observed and quantified. On the other hand, in the case of the viscous forcing, polymers do not alter the appearance of the power spectra of p compared with water, though the scaled peak frequencies fp/frot vary with Re for all ϕ from unity at smaller Re to fp/frot = 0.6 ± 0.02 independent of ϕ and Re in the turbulent regime. Thus the inertial forcing turns out to be much more effective in the pumping energy from turbulent fluctuations into the main vortex due to stronger polymer stretching in the TDR regime that also reveals in more pronounced TDR. We suggest an explanation of the observed effects.

Air Layer Drag Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceccio, Steven; Elbing, Brian; Winkel, Eric; Dowling, David; Perlin, Marc

2008-11-01

A set of experiments have been conducted at the US Navy's Large Cavitation Channel to investigate skin-friction drag reduction with the injection of air into a high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer. Testing was performed on a 12.9 m long flat-plate test model with the surface hydraulically smooth and fully rough at downstream-distance-based Reynolds numbers to 220 million and at speeds to 20 m/s. Local skin-friction, near-wall bulk void fraction, and near-wall bubble imaging were monitored along the length of the model. The instrument suite was used to access the requirements necessary to achieve air layer drag reduction (ALDR). Injection of air over a wide range of air fluxes showed that three drag reduction regimes exist when injecting air; (1) bubble drag reduction that has poor downstream persistence, (2) a transitional regime with a steep rise in drag reduction, and (3) ALDR regime where the drag reduction plateaus at 90% ± 10% over the entire model length with large void fractions in the near-wall region. These investigations revealed several requirements for ALDR including; sufficient volumetric air fluxes that increase approximately with the square of the free-stream speed, slightly higher air fluxes are needed when the surface tension is reduced, higher air fluxes are required for rough surfaces, and the formation of ALDR is sensitive to the inlet condition.

Theoretical-Numerical Study of Feasibility of Use of Winglets on Low Aspect Ration Wings at Subsonic and Transonic Mach Numbers to Reduce Drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhlman, John M.; Liaw, Paul; Cerney, Michael J.

1988-01-01

A numerical design study was conducted to assess the drag reduction potential of winglets installed on a series of low aspect ratio wings at a design point of M=0.8, C sub L=0.3. Wing-winglet and wing-alone design geometries were obtained for wings of aspect ratios between 1.75 and 2.67, having leading edge sweep angles between 45 and 60 deg. Winglet length was fixed at 15% of wing semispan. To assess the relative performance between wing-winglet and wing-alone configurations, the PPW nonlinear extended small disturbance potential flow code was utilized. This model has proven to yield plausible transonic flow field simulations for the series of low aspect ratio configurations selected. Predicted decreases in pressure drag coefficient for the wing-winglet configurations relative to the corresponding wing-alone planform are about 15% at the design point. Predicted decreases in wing-winglet total drag coefficient are about 12%, relative to the corresponding wing-alone design. Longer winglets (25% of the wing semispan) yielded decreases in the pressure drag of up to 22% and total drag of up to 16.4%. These predicted drag coefficient reductions are comparable to reductions already demonstrated by actual winglet designs installed on higher aspect ratio transport type aircraft.

Direct Numerical Simulations of High-Speed Turbulent Boundary Layers over Riblets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duan, Lian; Choudhari, Meelan, M.

2014-01-01

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of spatially developing turbulent boundary layers over riblets with a broad range of riblet spacings are conducted to investigate the effects of riblets on skin friction at high speeds. Zero-pressure gradient boundary layers under two flow conditions (Mach 2:5 with T(sub w)/T(sub r) = 1 and Mach 7:2 with T(sub w)/T(sub r) = 0:5) are considered. The DNS results show that the drag-reduction curve (delta C(sub f)/C(sub f) vs l(sup +)(sub g )) at both supersonic speeds follows the trend of low-speed data and consists of a `viscous' regime for small riblet size, a `breakdown' regime with optimal drag reduction, and a `drag-increasing' regime for larger riblet sizes. At l l(sup +)(sub g) approx. 10 (corresponding to s+ approx 20 for the current triangular riblets), drag reduction of approximately 7% is achieved at both Mach numbers, and con rms the observations of the few existing experiments under supersonic conditions. The Mach- number dependence of the drag-reduction curve occurs for riblet sizes that are larger than the optimal size, with smaller slopes of (delta C(sub f)/C(sub f) for larger freestream Mach numbers. The Reynolds analogy holds with 2(C(sub h)=C(sub f) approximately equal to that of at plates for both drag-reducing and drag-increasing configurations.

Computational analysis of blunt, thin airfoil sections at supersonic and subsonic speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodsell, Aga Myung

The past decade has brought renewed interest in commercial supersonic aircraft design. Recent wing designs have included regions of low sweep resulting in supersonic leading edges at cruise. Thin biconvex sections are used in those regions to minimize wave drag and skin-friction drag. However, airfoil sections with sharp leading edges exhibit poor aerodynamic behavior at subsonic flight conditions. Blunt leading edges may improve performance by delaying the onset of separation at subsonic and transonic speeds. Their disadvantage is that they increase both wave drag, due to the formation of a detached bow wave, and skin-friction drag, from a loss of laminar flow. The effect of adding bluntness to a 4%-thick biconvex section was investigated using computational analysis tools. The aerodynamic performance of biconvex sections with circular leading edges was computed at supersonic, transonic, and takeoff conditions. At supersonic cruise, the increase in wave drag due to bluntness is a function of Mach number and leading-edge diameter. Some of the drag penalty is offset by the suction created downstream of the circular leading edge. The possibility of further drag reduction was explored with the development of a semi-analytical method to design blunt airfoil shapes which minimize wave drag. The effect on the transition location was evaluated using linear stability analyses of laminar boundary-layer profiles and the eN method. The analysis showed that laminar boundary layers on blunt airfoil sections are considerably less stable to Tollmien-Schlichting waves than that on a sharp biconvex. At transonic speeds, the results suggest a possible improvement in the lift-to-drag ratio over a limited range of angles of attack. At the takeoff condition, slight blunting of the leading edge does improve the lift-to-drag ratio at low angles of attack, but has little effect on maximum lift. It is concluded that the benefit of a blunt leading edge at off-design conditions is not sufficient to warrant the resulting drag penalty at supersonic cruise. Furthermore, if maintaining laminar flow is critical to the design and some bluntness is necessary for manufacturing purposes, then the leading-edge diameter should be minimized to prevent transition and to reduce wave drag.

Aeroelastic deformation of a perforated strip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guttag, M.; Karimi, H. H.; Falcón, C.; Reis, P. M.

2018-01-01

We perform a combined experimental and numerical investigation into the static deformation of perforated elastic strips under uniform aerodynamic loading at high-Reynolds-number conditions. The static shape of the porous strips, clamped either horizontally or vertically, is quantified as they are deformed by wind loading, induced by a horizontal flow. The experimental profiles are compared to numerical simulations using a reduced model that takes into account the normal drag force on the deformed surface. For both configurations (vertical and horizontal clamping), we compute the drag coefficient of the strip, by fitting the experimental data to the model, and find that it decreases as a function of porosity. Surprisingly, we find that, for every value of porosity, the drag coefficients for the horizontal configuration are larger than those of the vertical configuration. For all data in both configurations, with the exception of the continuous strip clamped vertically, a linear relation is found between the porosity and drag. Making use of this linearity, we can rescale the drag coefficient in a way that it becomes constant as a function of the Cauchy number, which relates the force due to fluid loading on the elastic strip to its bending rigidity, independently of the material properties and porosity of the strip and the flow speed. Our findings on flexible strips are contrasted to previous work on rigid perforated plates. These results highlight some open questions regarding the usage of reduced models to describe the deformation of flexible structures subjected to aerodynamic loading.

Thermal lift generation and drag reduction in rarefied aerodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekardan, Cem; Alexeenko, Alina

2016-11-01

With the advent of the new technologies in low pressure environments such as Hyperloop and helicopters designed for Martian applications, understanding the aerodynamic behavior of airfoils in rarefied environments are becoming more crucial. In this paper, verification of rarefied ES-BGK solver and ideas such as prediction of the thermally induced lift and drag reduction in rarefied aerodynamics are investigated. Validation of the rarefied ES-BGK solver with Runge-Kutta discontinous Galerkin method with experiments in transonic regime with a Reynolds number of 73 showed that ES-BGK solver is the most suitable solver in near slip transonic regime. For the quantification of lift generation, A NACA 0012 airfoil is studied with a high temperature surface on the bottom for the lift creation for different Knudsen numbers. It was seen that for lower velocities, continuum solver under predicts the lift generation when the Knudsen number is 0.00129 due to local velocity gradients reaching slip regime although lift coefficient is higher with the Boltzmann ES-BGK solutions. In the second part, the feasibility of using thermal transpiration for drag reduction is studied. Initial study in drag reduction includes an application of a thermal gradient at the upper surface of a NACA 0012 airfoil near trailing edge at a 12-degree angle of attack and 5 Pa pressure. It was seen that drag is reduced by 4 percent and vortex shedding frequency is reduced due to asymmetry introduced in the flow due to temperature gradient causing reverse flow due to thermal transpiration phenomena.

DNA mobility modifier

DOEpatents

Barron, Annelise

2002-01-01

Polyamides comprising at least one hydrophilic C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 hydrocarbyl substituent on an amide nitrogen atom, and methods for producing and using the same is provided. In particular, polyamides of the formula: ##STR1## and methods for using the same for altering the ratio of charge/translational frictional drag of binding polymers to allow electrophoretic separation of polynucleotides or analogs thereof in a non-sieving liquid medium is provided, where a, q, L.sup.1, P.sup.1, Q.sup.1, R, R.sup.1, R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 are those described herein.

DNA mobility modifier

DOEpatents

Barron, Annelise E.

2004-04-20

Polyamides comprising at least one hydrophilic C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 hydrocarbyl substituent on an amide nitrogen atom, and methods for producing and using the same is provided. In particular, polyamides of the formula: ##STR1## and methods for using the same for altering the ratio of charge/translational frictional drag of binding polymers to allow electrophoretic separation of polynucleotides or analogs thereof in a non-sieving liquid medium is provided, where a, q, L.sup.1, P.sup.1, Q.sup.1, R, R.sup.1, R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 are those described herein.

Investigation of installation effects of single-engine convergent-divergent nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burley, J. R., II; Berrier, B. L.

1982-01-01

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine installation effects on single-engine convergent-divergent nozzles applicable to reduced-power supersonic cruise aircraft. Tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 0.50 to 1.20, at angles of attack from -3 degrees to 9 degrees, and at nozzle pressure ratios from 1.0 (jet off) to 8.0. The effects of empennage arrangement, nozzle length, a cusp fairing, and afterbody closure on total aft-end drag coefficient and component drag coefficients were investigated. Basic lift- and drag-coefficient data and external static-pressure distributions on the nozzle and afterbody are presented and discussed.

Performance Impact of Deflagration to Detonation Transition Enhancing Obstacles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.; Schauer, Frederick; Hopper, David

2012-01-01

A sub-model is developed to account for the drag and heat transfer enhancement resulting from deflagration-to-detonation (DDT) inducing obstacles commonly used in pulse detonation engines (PDE). The sub-model is incorporated as a source term in a time-accurate, quasi-onedimensional, CFD-based PDE simulation. The simulation and sub-model are then validated through comparison with a particular experiment in which limited DDT obstacle parameters were varied. The simulation is then used to examine the relative contributions from drag and heat transfer to the reduced thrust which is observed. It is found that heat transfer is far more significant than aerodynamic drag in this particular experiment.

Reducing Water/Hull Drag By Injecting Air Into Grooves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Jason C.; Bushnell, Dennis M.; Weinstein, Leonard M.

1991-01-01

Proposed technique for reduction of friction drag on hydrodynamic body involves use of grooves and combinations of surfactants to control motion of layer on surface of such body. Surface contains many rows of side-by-side, evenly spaced, longitudinal grooves. Dimensions of grooves and sharpnesses of tips in specific case depends on conditions of flow about vessel. Requires much less air than does microbubble-injection method.

Investigation of drag and heat reduction induced by a novel combinational lateral jet and spike concept in supersonic flows based on conjugate heat transfer approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Liang; Chen, Xiong; Li, Yingkun; Musa, Omer; Zhou, Changsheng

2018-01-01

When flying at supersonic or hypersonic speeds through the air, the drag and severe heating have a great impact on the vehicles, thus the drag reduction and thermal protection studies have attracted worldwide attention. In the current study, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations coupled with the shear stress transport (SST) k - ω turbulence model have been employed to investigate the flow behavior induced by a novel combinational lateral jet and spike concept in supersonic flows. A coupling conjugate heat transfer (CHT) approach has been applied to investigate the thermal protection, which takes the heat transfer of structure into consideration. After the code was validated by the available experimental results and the gird independency analysis was carried out, the influences of the spike length ratio, lateral jet pressure ratio and lateral jet location on the drag and heat reduction performance are analyzed comprehensively. The obtained results show that a remarkable reduction in the drag and heat flux is achieved when a lateral jet is added to the spike. This implies that the combinational lateral jet and spike concept in supersonic flows have a great benefit to the drag and heat reduction. Both the drag and heat reduction decrease with the increase of the lateral jet pressure ratio, and the heat flux is more sensitive to the lateral jet pressure ratio. The lateral jet should not be located in the bottom of the spike in order to realize better drag and heat reduction performance. The drag and heat flux could be reduced by about 45% by reasonable lateral jet location. The drag decreases with the increase of the spike length ratio whereas the heat flux is affected by the spike length ratio just in a certain range.

A preliminary investigation of the drag and ventilation characteristics of livestock haulers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, J. A.; Sandin, D. R.

1983-01-01

A wind tunnel evaluation of the drag and ventilation characteristics of a conventional (unmodified) and five modified subscale model livestock haulers at 0 deg yaw angle has been made. The unmodified livestock hauler has a relatively high drag coefficient, and a low velocity recirculation region exists in the forward portion of the hauler. The use of a streamlined forebody and enclosed gap reduced the drag coefficient of one model by 42% and improved the rate at which contaminants can be flushed from the cargo compartment by a factor of 2.5. From the limited data obtained, any increase in the fraction of open area of the trailer sides was found to improve the trailer ventilation. The use of a ram air inlet can improve the ventilation within the hauler and remove the low velocity recirculation region at the expense of a modest increase in the truck's drag coefficient. A mathematical model for vehicles with ram air or NACA submerged inlets was developed and appears to adequately predict the ventilation characteristics of livestock haulers.

A Study of the Zero-Lift Drag-Rise Characteristics of Wing-Body Combinations Near the Speed of Sound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitcomb, Richard T

1956-01-01

Comparisons have been made of the shock phenomena and drag-rise increments for representative wing and central-body combinations with those for bodies of revolution having the same axial developments of cross-sectional areas normal to the airstream. On the basis of these comparisons, it is concluded that near the speed of sound the zero-lift drag rise of a low-aspect-ratio thin-wing and body combination is primarily dependent on the axial development of the cross-sectional areas normal to the airstream. It follows that the drag rise for any such configuration is approximately the same as that for any other with the same development of cross-sectional areas. Investigations have also been made of representative wing-body combinations with the body so indented that the axial developments of cross-sectional areas for the combinations were the same as that for the original body alone. Such indentations greatly reduced or eliminated the zero-lift drag-rise increments associated with the wings near the speed of sound.

Model of skin friction enhancement in undulatory swimming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrenstein, Uwe; Eloy, Christophe

2012-11-01

To estimate the energetic cost of undulatory swimming, it is crucial to evaluate the drag forces originating from skin friction. This topic has been controversial for decades, some claiming that animals use ingenious mechanisms to reduce the drag and others hypothesizing that the undulatory motion induces a drag increase because of the compression of the boundary layers. In this paper, we examine this latter hypothesis, known as the ``Bone-Lighthill boundary-layer thinning hypothesis''. Considering a plate of section s moving perpendicular to itself at velocity U⊥ and applying the boundary-layer approximation for the incoming flow, the drag force per unit surface is shown to scale as √{U⊥ / s }. An analogous two-dimensional Navier-Stokes problem by artificially accelerating the flow in a channel of finite height is solved numerically, showing the robustness of the analytical results. Solving the problem for an undulatory plate motion similar to fish swimming, we find a drag enhancement which can be estimated to be of the order of 20 to 100%, depending on the geometry and the motion. M.J. Lighthill, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 179, 125 (1971).

USM3D Analysis of Low Boom Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Melissa B.; Campbell, Richard L.; Nayani, Sudheer N.

2011-01-01

In the past few years considerable improvement was made in NASA's in house boom prediction capability. As part of this improved capability, the USM3D Navier-Stokes flow solver, when combined with a suitable unstructured grid, went from accurately predicting boom signatures at 1 body length to 10 body lengths. Since that time, the research emphasis has shifted from analysis to the design of supersonic configurations with boom signature mitigation In order to design an aircraft, the techniques for accurately predicting boom and drag need to be determined. This paper compares CFD results with the wind tunnel experimental results conducted on a Gulfstream reduced boom and drag configuration. Two different wind-tunnel models were designed and tested for drag and boom data. The goal of this study was to assess USM3D capability for predicting both boom and drag characteristics. Overall, USM3D coupled with a grid that was sheared and stretched was able to reasonably predict boom signature. The computational drag polar matched the experimental results for a lift coefficient above 0.1 despite some mismatch in the predicted lift-curve slope.

Assessment of a Conceptual Flap System Intended for Enhanced General Aviation Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Bryan A.; Carter, Melissa B.

2017-01-01

A novel multielement trailing-edge flap system for light general aviation airplanes was conceived for enhanced safety during normal and emergency landings. The system is designed to significantly reduce stall speed, and thus approach speed, with the goal of reducing maneuveringflight accidents and enhancing pilot survivability in the event of an accident. The research objectives were to assess the aerodynamic performance characteristics of the system and to evaluate the extent to which it provided both increased lift and increased drag required for the low-speed landing goal. The flap system was applied to a model of a light general aviation, high-wing trainer and tested in the Langley 12- Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. Data were obtained for several device deflection angles, and component combinations at a dynamic pressure of 4 pounds per square foot. The force and moment data supports the achievement of the desired increase in lift with substantially increased drag, all at relatively shallow angles of attack. The levels of lift and drag can be varied through device deflection angles and inboard/outboard differential deflections. As such, it appears that this flap system may provide an enabling technology to allow steep, controllable glide slopes for safe rapid descent to landing with reduced stall speed. However, a simple flat-plate lower surface spoiler (LSS) provided either similar or superior lift with little impact on pitch or drag as compared to the proposed system. Higher-fidelity studies are suggested prior to use of the proposed system.

Wingtip vortex turbine investigation for vortex energy recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abeyounis, William K.; Patterson, James C., Jr.; Stough, H. P., III; Wunschel, Alfred J.; Curran, Patrick D.

1990-01-01

A flight test investigation has been conducted to determine the performance of wingtip vortex turbines and their effect on aircraft performance. The turbines were designed to recover part of the large energy loss (induced drag) caused by the wingtip vortex. The turbine, driven by the vortex flow, reduces the strength of the vortex, resulting in an associated induced drag reduction. A four-blade turbine was mounted on each wingtip of a single-engine, T-tail, general aviation airplane. Two sets of turbine blades were tested, one with a 15' twist (washin) and one with no twist. Th power recovered by the turbine and the installed drag increment were measured. A trade-off between turbine power and induced drag reduction was found to be a function of turbine blade incidence angle. This test has demonstrated that the wingtip vortex turbine is an attractive alternate, as well as an emergency, power source.

An investigation of drag reduction fairings on the space shuttle vehicle 5 configuration (model 74-OTS) in the MSFC 14 inch trisonic wind tunnel (FA14)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramsey, P. E.

1976-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted in the MSFC 14-inch TWT (FA14, TWT 600) to determine the static stability and drag on a 0.004 scale model of the shuttle ascent configuration. The primary objective was to study the possibility of reducing the launch vehicle drag by using Orbiter/ET/SRB fairings, streamlined orbiter fore and aft attach structures, SRB and ET alternative nose configurations, and devices for modifying the flow between the orbiter and ET. The secondary objective was to determine the longitudinal and directional characteristics of the ascent configuration with the most promising of the drag reduction devices installed. Data were obtained for a Mach number range of 0.6 through 4.96 and angles of attack from -5 through 5 degrees at zero degrees side slip angle.

Nonlinear Aerodynamics and the Design of Wing Tips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroo, Ilan

1991-01-01

The analysis and design of wing tips for fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft still remains part art, part science. Although the design of airfoil sections and basic planform geometry is well developed, the tip regions require more detailed consideration. This is important because of the strong impact of wing tip flow on wing drag; although the tip region constitutes a small portion of the wing, its effect on the drag can be significant. The induced drag of a wing is, for a given lift and speed, inversely proportional to the square of the wing span. Concepts are proposed as a means of reducing drag. Modern computational methods provide a tool for studying these issues in greater detail. The purpose of the current research program is to improve the understanding of the fundamental issues involved in the design of wing tips and to develop the range of computational and experimental tools needed for further study of these ideas.

Micro-rheology on (polymer-grafted) colloids using optical tweezers.

PubMed

Gutsche, C; Elmahdy, M M; Kegler, K; Semenov, I; Stangner, T; Otto, O; Ueberschär, O; Keyser, U F; Krueger, M; Rauscher, M; Weeber, R; Harting, J; Kim, Y W; Lobaskin, V; Netz, R R; Kremer, F

2011-05-11

Optical tweezers are experimental tools with extraordinary resolution in positioning (± 1 nm) a micron-sized colloid and in the measurement of forces (± 50 fN) acting on it-without any mechanical contact. This enables one to carry out a multitude of novel experiments in nano- and microfluidics, of which the following will be presented in this review: (i) forces within single pairs of colloids in media of varying concentration and valency of the surrounding ionic solution, (ii) measurements of the electrophoretic mobility of single colloids in different solvents (concentration, valency of the ionic solution and pH), (iii) similar experiments as in (i) with DNA-grafted colloids, (iv) the nonlinear response of single DNA-grafted colloids in shear flow and (v) the drag force on single colloids pulled through a polymer solution. The experiments will be described in detail and their analysis discussed.

Active skin for turbulent drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rediniotis, Othon K.; Lagoudas, Dimitris C.; Mani, Raghavendran; Karniadakis, George

2002-07-01

Drag reduction for aerial vehicles has a range of positive ramifications: reduced fuel consumption with the associated economic and environmental consequences, larger flight range and endurance and higher achievable flight speeds. This work capitalizes on recent advances in active turbulent drag reduction and active material based actuation to develop an active or 'smart' skin for turbulent drag reduction in realistic flight conditions. The skin operation principle is based on computational evidence that spanwise traveling waves of the right amplitude, wavelength and frequency can result in significant turbulent drag reduction. Such traveling waves can be induced in the smart skin via active-material actuation. The flow control technique pursued is 'micro' in the sense that only micro-scale wave amplitudes (order of 30mm) and energy inputs are sufficient to produce significant benefits. Two actuation principles have been proposed and analyzed. Different skin designs based on these two actuation principles have been discussed. The feasibility of these different actuation possibilities (such as Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric material based actuators) and relative merits of different skin designs are discussed. The realization of a mechanically actuated prototype skin capable of generating a traveling wave, using a rapid prototyping machine, for the purpose of validating the proposed drag reduction technique is also presented.

A mechanism of wave drag reduction in the thermal energy deposition experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markhotok, A., E-mail: amarhotk@phys.washington.edu

2015-06-15

Many experimental studies report reduced wave drag when thermal energy is deposited in the supersonic flow upstream of a body. Though a large amount of research on this topic has been accumulated, the exact mechanism of the drag reduction is still unknown. This paper is to fill the gap in the understanding connecting multiple stages of the observed phenomena with a single mechanism. The proposed model provides an insight on the origin of the chain of subsequent transformations in the flow leading to the reduction in wave drag, such as typical deformations of the front, changes in the gas pressuremore » and density in front of the body, the odd shapes of the deflection signals, and the shock wave extinction in the plasma area. The results of numerical simulation based on the model are presented for three types of plasma parameter distribution. The spherical and cylindrical geometry has been used to match the data with the experimental observations. The results demonstrate full ability of the model to exactly explain all the features observed in the drag reduction experiments. Analytical expressions used in the model allow separating out a number of adjustment parameters that can be used to optimize thermal energy input and thus achieve fundamentally lower drag values than that of conventional approaches.« less

Transonic Investigation of Two-Dimensional Nozzles Designed for Supersonic Cruise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capone, Francis J.; Deere, Karen A.

2015-01-01

An experimental and computational investigation has been conducted to determine the off-design uninstalled drag characteristics of a two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle designed for a supersonic cruise civil transport. The overall objectives were to: (1) determine the effects of nozzle external flap curvature and sidewall boattail variations on boattail drag; (2) develop an experimental data base for 2D nozzles with long divergent flaps and small boattail angles and (3) provide data for correlating computational fluid dynamic predictions of nozzle boattail drag. The experimental investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at Mach numbers from 0.80 to 1.20 at nozzle pressure ratios up to 9. Three-dimensional simulations of nozzle performance were obtained with the computational fluid dynamics code PAB3D using turbulence closure and nonlinear Reynolds stress modeling. The results of this investigation indicate that excellent correlation between experimental and predicted results was obtained for the nozzle with a moderate amount of boattail curvature. The nozzle with an external flap having a sharp shoulder (no curvature) had the lowest nozzle pressure drag. At a Mach number of 1.2, sidewall pressure drag doubled as sidewall boattail angle was increased from 4deg to 8deg. Reducing the height of the sidewall caused large decreases in both the sidewall and flap pressure drags. Summary

Aerodynamic study of state transport bus using computational fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanekar, Siddhesh; Thakre, Prashant; Rajkumar, E.

2017-11-01

The main purpose of this study was to develop the aerodynamic study of a Maharashtra state road transport bus. The rising fuel price and strict government regulations makes the road transport uneconomical now days. With the objective of increasing fuel efficiency and reducing the emission of harmful exhaust gases. It has been proven experimentally that vehicle consumes almost 40% of the available useful engine power to overcome the drag resistance. This provides us a huge scope to study the influence of aerodynamic drag. The initial of the project was to identify the drag coefficient of the existing ordinary type model called “Parivartan” from ANSYS fluent. After preliminary analysis of the existing model corresponding changes are made in such a way that their implementation should be possible at workshop level. The simulation of the air flow over the bus was performed in two steps: design on SolidWorks CAD and ANSYS (FLUENT) is used as a virtual analysis tool to estimate the drag coefficient of the bus. We have used the turbulence models k-ε Realizable having a better approximation of the actual result. Around 28% improvement in the drag coefficient is achieved by CFD driven changes in the bus design. Coefficient of drag is improved by 28% and fuel efficiency increased by 20% by CFD driven changes.

Sensitivity of forces to wall transpiration in flow past an aerofoil

PubMed Central

Mao, X.

2015-01-01

The adjoint-based sensitivity analyses well explored in hydrodynamic stability studies are extended to calculate the sensitivity of forces acting on an aerofoil with respect to wall transpiration. The magnitude of the sensitivity quantifies the controllability of the force, and the distribution of the sensitivity represents a most effective control when the control magnitude is small enough. Since the sensitivity to streamwise control is one order smaller than that to the surface-normal one, the work is concentrated on the normal control. In direct numerical simulations of flow around a NACA0024 aerofoil, the unsteady controls are far less effective than the steady control owing to the lock-in effect. At a momentum coefficient of 0.0008 and a maximum control velocity of 3.6% of the free-stream velocity, the steady surface-normal control reduces drag by 20% or enhances lift by up to 140% at Re=1000. A suction around the low-pressure region on the upper surface upstream of the separation point is found to reduce drag and enhance lift. At higher Reynolds numbers, the uncontrolled flow becomes three dimensional and the sensitivity diverges owing to the chaotic dynamics of the flow. Then the mechanism identified at lower Reynolds numbers is exploited to obtain the control, which is localized and can be generated by a limited number of actuators. The control to reduce drag or enhance lift is found to suppress unsteadiness, e.g. vortex shedding and three-dimensional developments. For example, at Re=2000 and α=10°, the control with a momentum coefficient of 0.0001 reduces drag by 20%, enhances lift by up to 200% and leads to a steady controlled flow. PMID:26807041

Flight Software Development for the Liberdade Flying Wing Glider

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-24

gliders. Bigger gliders are more efficient at horizontal transport. Surveys of natural and man-made flyers ( McMasters , 1974) confirm this relation...The other benefit of a large wing area is that it reduces the coefficient of lift and the associated induced drag (the largest component of drag at...greater reduction in specific energy consumption than does a proportionally smaller lift coefficient . Increases in aspect ratio, in turn, must be

A methodology for reduced order modeling and calibration of the upper atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Piyush M.; Linares, Richard

2017-10-01

Atmospheric drag is the largest source of uncertainty in accurately predicting the orbit of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Accurately predicting drag for objects that traverse LEO is critical to space situational awareness. Atmospheric models used for orbital drag calculations can be characterized either as empirical or physics-based (first principles based). Empirical models are fast to evaluate but offer limited real-time predictive/forecasting ability, while physics based models offer greater predictive/forecasting ability but require dedicated parallel computational resources. Also, calibration with accurate data is required for either type of models. This paper presents a new methodology based on proper orthogonal decomposition toward development of a quasi-physical, predictive, reduced order model that combines the speed of empirical and the predictive/forecasting capabilities of physics-based models. The methodology is developed to reduce the high dimensionality of physics-based models while maintaining its capabilities. We develop the methodology using the Naval Research Lab's Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter model and show that the diurnal and seasonal variations can be captured using a small number of modes and parameters. We also present calibration of the reduced order model using the CHAMP and GRACE accelerometer-derived densities. Results show that the method performs well for modeling and calibration of the upper atmosphere.

Smart vortex generator transformed by change in ambient temperature and aerodynamic force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Tadashige; Masuda, Shinya; Ueda, Tetsuhiko

2007-04-01

A Smart Vortex Generator (SVG) concept has been proposed, where the SVG is autonomously transformed between an upright vortex-generating position in take-off and landing and a flat drag-reducing position in a cruise. This SVG is made of a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), which is in the austenite phase and memorizes the upright position at high temperatures of the take-off and landing. At low temperatures during ascent the SVG is transformed into a martensite phase, and it lies flat against a base structure due to external or/and internal forces. In this paper, we examine whether the SVG can be transformed into the drag-reducing position by an aerodynamic force. To this end, numerical simulations are carried out with a simple line element model. The aerodynamic force applied on the SVG is calculated by a commercial CFD program. Result reveals that this SVG can be transformed from the upright vortex-generating position into the drag-reducing position by just an airplane climbing, and vice versa, if the SMA applied to the SVG has the two-way shape memory effect. If the SMA has the one-way shape memory effect, it is necessary to reduce the stiffness of the SVG or/and use a counter spring.

A drag-free Lo-Lo satellite system for improved gravity field measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischell, R. E.; Pisacane, V. L.

1978-01-01

At very low altitudes, the effect of atmospheric drag results in drastically reduced orbit lifetimes and considerable uncertainty in satellite motions. The concept suggested herein employs a DISturbance COmpensation System (DISCOS) on each of a pair of satellites at very low altitudes to provide refined measurements of the earth's gravitational field. The DISCOS maintains the satellites in orbit and essentially eliminates motion uncertainties due mostly to drag and to a lesser extent from solar radiation pressure. By a closed-loop measurement of the relative rangerate between the two low satellites, one can determine the earth's gravitational field with a considerably greater accuracy than could be obtained by tracking a single satellite.

An investigation of drag reduction on box-shaped ground vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muirhead, V. U.

1976-01-01

A wind tunnel investigation was conducted to determine the reduction in drag which could be obtained by making various configuration changes to a box-shaped ground vehicle. Tests were conducted at yaw (relative wind) angles of 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 degrees and Reynolds numbers of 300,000 to 850,000. The power required to overcome the aerodynamic drag was reduced by a maximum of 73% for a head wind for the best configuration relative to the smooth bottom box-shape, or 75% relative to the rough bottom box-shape. The reduction for a 20 MPH wind at 30 deg to the vehicle path was, respectively, 77% and 79%.

Optimal feedback control of turbulent channel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bewley, Thomas; Choi, Haecheon; Temam, Roger; Moin, Parviz

1993-01-01

Feedback control equations were developed and tested for computing wall normal control velocities to control turbulent flow in a channel with the objective of reducing drag. The technique used is the minimization of a 'cost functional' which is constructed to represent some balance of the drag integrated over the wall and the net control effort. A distribution of wall velocities is found which minimizes this cost functional some time shortly in the future based on current observations of the flow near the wall. Preliminary direct numerical simulations of the scheme applied to turbulent channel flow indicates it provides approximately 17 percent drag reduction. The mechanism apparent when the scheme is applied to a simplified flow situation is also discussed.

Experiments and analysis concerning the use of external burning to reduce aerospace vehicle transonic drag. Ph.D. Thesis - Maryland Univ., 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trefny, Charles J.

1992-01-01

The external combustion of hydrogen to reduce transonic drag was investigated. A control volume analysis is developed and indicates that the specific impulse performance of external burning is competitive with other forms of airbreathing propulsion and depends on the fuel-air ratio, freestream Mach number, and the severity of the base drag. A method is presented for sizing fuel injectors for a desired fuel-air ratio in the unconfined stream. A two-dimensional Euler analysis is also presented which indicates that the total axial force generated by external burning depends on the total amount of energy input and is independent of the transverse and streamwise distribution of heat addition. Good agreement between the Euler and control volume analysis is demonstrated. Features of the inviscid external burning flowfield are discussed. Most notably, a strong compression forms at the sonic line within the burning stream which may induce separation of the plume and prevent realization of the full performance potential. An experimental program was conducted in a Mach 1.26 free-jet to demonstrate drag reduction on a simple expansion ramp geometry, and verify hydrogen-air stability limits at external burning conditions. Stable combustion appears feasible to Mach number of between 1.4 and 2 depending on the vehicle flight trajectory. Drag reduction is demonstrated on the expansion ramp at Mach 1.26; however, force levels showed little dependence on fuel pressure or altitude in contrast to control volume analysis predictions. Various facility interference mechanisms and scaling issues were studied and are discussed.

Implementation of a turbulent orographic form drag scheme in WRF and its application to the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xu; Yang, Kun; Wang, Yan

2018-04-01

Sub-grid-scale orographic variation (smaller than 5 km) exerts turbulent form drag on atmospheric flows and significantly retards the wind speed. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) includes a turbulent orographic form drag (TOFD) scheme that adds the drag to the surface layer. In this study, another TOFD scheme has been incorporated in WRF3.7, which exerts an exponentially decaying drag from the surface layer to upper layers. To investigate the effect of the new scheme, WRF with the old scheme and with the new one was used to simulate the climate over the complex terrain of the Tibetan Plateau from May to October 2010. The two schemes were evaluated in terms of the direct impact (on wind fields) and the indirect impact (on air temperature and precipitation). The new TOFD scheme alleviates the mean bias in the surface wind components, and clearly reduces the root mean square error (RMSEs) in seasonal mean wind speed (from 1.10 to 0.76 m s-1), when referring to the station observations. Furthermore, the new TOFD scheme also generally improves the simulation of wind profile, as characterized by smaller biases and RMSEs than the old one when referring to radio sounding data. Meanwhile, the simulated precipitation with the new scheme is improved, with reduced mean bias (from 1.34 to 1.12 mm day-1) and RMSEs, which is due to the weakening of water vapor flux at low-level atmosphere with the new scheme when crossing the Himalayan Mountains. However, the simulation of 2-m air temperature is little improved.

Effect of Molecular Flexibility upon Ice Adhesion Shear Strength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Joseph G.; Wohl, Christopher J.; Kreeger, Richard E.; Palacios, Jose; Knuth, Taylor; Hadley, Kevin

2016-01-01

Ice formation on aircraft surfaces effects aircraft performance by increasing weight and drag leading to loss of lift. Current active alleviation strategies involve pneumatic boots, heated surfaces, and usage of glycol based de-icing fluids. Mitigation or reduction of in-flight icing by means of a passive approach may enable retention of aircraft capabilities, i.e., no reduction in lift, while reducing the aircraft weight and mechanical complexity. Under a NASA Aeronautics Research Institute Seedling activity, the effect of end group functionality and chain length upon ice adhesion shear strength (IASS) was evaluated with the results indicating that chemical functionality and chain length (i.e. molecular flexibility) affected IASS. Based on experimental and modeling results, diamine monomers incorporating molecular flexibility as either a side chain or in between diamine functionalities were prepared, incorporated into epoxy resins that were subsequently used to fabricate coatings on aluminum substrates, and tested in a simulated icing environment. The IASS was found to be lower when molecular flexibility was incorporated in the polymer chain as opposed to a side chain.

Gas-Liquid Flow in Pipelines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas J. Hanratty

A research program was carried out at the University of Illinois in which develops a scientific approach to gas-liquid flows that explains their macroscopic behavior in terms of small scale interactions. For simplicity, fully-developed flows in horizontal and near-horizontal pipes. The difficulty in dealing with these flows is that the phases can assume a variety of configurations. The specific goal was to develop a scientific understanding of transitions from one flow regime to another and a quantitative understanding of how the phases distribute for a give regime. These basic understandings are used to predict macroscopic quantities of interest, such asmore » frictional pressure drop, liquid hold-up, entrainment in annular flow and frequency of slugging in slug flows. A number of scientific issues are addressed. Examples are the rate of atomization of a liquid film, the rate of deposition of drops, the behavior of particles in a turbulent field, the generation and growth of interfacial waves. The use of drag-reducing polymers that change macroscopic behavior by changing small scale interactions was explored.« less

Turbulent Boundary Layer Drag Reduction by Spanwise Wall Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo, S. M.; Bogard, D. G.; Ball, K. S.

1997-11-01

Changes in turbulence structure were investigated in a turbulent water boundary layer flow for which wall shear had been reduced 25 percent by spanwise wall oscillations. LDV and hot film measurements were made of streamwise and wall-normal velocities. For all wall oscillations examined, drag reduction was found to scale best with the peak velocity of the wall oscillation. Burst and sweep strength and duration were all reduced by the wall oscillation, with the greatest effects seen for the strongest events. The pdf of the velocity in the near-wall region showed greatly increased periods of low velocities, but little change was observed in the streamwise velocity autocorrelation.

Trim drag reduction concepts for horizontal takeoff single-stage-to-Orbit vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaughnessy, John D.; Gregory, Irene M.

1991-01-01

The results of a study to investigate concepts for minimizing trim drag of horizontal takeoff single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicles are presented. A generic hypersonic airbreathing conical configuration was used as the subject aircraft. The investigation indicates that extreme forward migration of the aerodynamic center as the vehicle accelerates to orbital velocities causes severe aerodynamic instability and trim moments that must be counteracted. Adequate stability can be provided by active control of elevons and rudder, but use of elevons to produce trim moments results in excessive trim drag and fuel consumption. To alleviate this problem, two solution concepts are examined. Active control of the center of gravity (COG) location to track the aerodynamic center decreases trim moment requirements, reduces elevon deflections, and leads to significant fuel savings. Active control of the direction of the thrust vector produces required trim moments, reduces elevon deflections, and also results in significant fuel savings. It is concluded that the combination of active flight control to provide stabilization, (COG) position control to minimize trim moment requirements, and thrust vectoring to generate required trim moments has the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption during ascent to orbit of horizontal takeoff SSTO vehicles.

Reconfiguration of broad leaves into cones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Laura

2013-11-01

Flexible plants, fungi, and sessile animals are thought to reconfigure in the wind and water to reduce the drag forces that act upon them. Simple mathematical models of a flexible beam immersed in a two-dimensional flow will also exhibit this behavior. What is less understood is how the mechanical properties of a leaf in a three-dimensional flow will passively allow roll up and reduce drag. This presentation will begin by examining how leaves roll up into drag reducing shapes in strong flow. The dynamics of the flow around the leaf of the wild ginger Hexastylis arifolia are described using particle image velocimetry. The flows around the leaves are compared with those of simplified sheets using 3D numerical simulations and physical models. For some reconfiguration shapes, large forces and oscillations due to strong vortex shedding are produced. In the actual leaf, a stable recirculation zone is formed within the wake of the reconfigured cone. In physical and numerical models that reconfigure into cones, a similar recirculation zone is observed with both rigid and flexible tethers. These results suggest that the three-dimensional cone structure in addition to flexibility is significant to both the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations and the forces experienced by the leaf.

Stable dispersions of polymer-coated graphitic nanoplatelets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Sonbinh T. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor); Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A method of making a dispersion of reduced graphite oxide nanoplatelets involves providing a dispersion of graphite oxide nanoplatelets and reducing the graphite oxide nanoplatelets in the dispersion in the presence of a reducing agent and a polymer. The reduced graphite oxide nanoplatelets are reduced to an extent to provide a higher C/O ratio than graphite oxide. A stable dispersion having polymer-treated reduced graphite oxide nanoplatelets dispersed in a dispersing medium, such as water or organic liquid is provided. The polymer-treated, reduced graphite oxide nanoplatelets can be distributed in a polymer matrix to provide a composite material.

Fluidic Actuation and Control of Munition Aerodynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-31

downstream of a sharp-edged blunt face. Acoustic actuation control was applied at the point of separation in order to decrease drag through reducing...a novel approach, Higuchi et. al. (2006) levitated a blunt faced cylinder using a magnetic field support in a wind tunnel to measure drag without...Simulation, Modeling, and Active Control of Flow/ Acoustic Resonance in Open Cavities”, AIAA Paper, 2001-0076, 2001. Corke, T., Tillotson, D., Patel, M., Su

On the connection between Maximum Drag Reduction and Newtonian fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whalley, Richard; Park, Jae-Sung; Kushwaha, Anubhav; Dennis, David; Graham, Michael; Poole, Robert

2014-11-01

To date, the most successful turbulence control technique is the dissolution of certain rheology-modifying additives in liquid flows, which results in a universal maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote. The MDR asymptote is a well-known phenomenon in the turbulent flow of complex fluids; yet recent direct numerical simulations of Newtonian fluid flow have identified time intervals showing key features of MDR. These intervals have been termed ``hibernating turbulence'' and are a weak turbulence state which is characterised by low wall-shear stress and weak vortical flow structures. Here, in this experimental investigation, we monitor the instantaneous wall-shear stress in a fully-developed turbulent channel flow of a Newtonian fluid with a hot-film probe whilst simultaneously measuring the streamwise velocity at various distances above the wall with laser Doppler velocimetry. We show, by conditionally sampling the streamwise velocity during low wall-shear stress events, that the MDR velocity profile is approached in an additive-free, Newtonian fluid flow. This result corroborates recent numerical investigations, which suggest that the MDR asymptote in polymer solutions is closely connected to weak, transient Newtonian flow structures.

Study of Potential for Motor Vehicle Fuel Economy Improvement : Technology Panel Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

The authors evaluate individual technologies which could produce improved automobile fuel economy in the areas of vehicle improvement (reduced weight and aerodynamic drag), transmission improvement, engine improvements and reduced performance acceler...

Flight and wind-tunnel measurements showing base drag reduction provided by a trailing disk for high Reynolds number turbulent flow for subsonic and transonic Mach numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, Sheryll Goecke; Huffman, Jarrett K.; Fox, Charles H., Jr.

1986-01-01

The effectiveness of a trailing disk, or trapped vortex concept, in reducing the base drag of a large body of revolution was studied from measurements made both in flight and in a wind tunnel. Pressure data obtained for the flight experiment, and both pressure and force balance data were obtained for the wind tunnel experiment. The flight test also included data obtained from a hemispherical base. The experiment demonstrated the significant base drag reduction capability of the trailing disk to Mach 0.93 and to Reynolds numbers up to 80 times greater than for earlier studies. For the trailing disk data from the flight experiment, the maximum decrease in base drag ranged form 0.08 to 0.07 as Mach number increased from 0.70 to 0.93. Aircraft angles of attack ranged from 3.9 to 6.6 deg for the flight data. For the trailing disk data from the wind tunnel experiment, the maximum decrease in base and total drag ranged from 0.08 to 0.05 for the approximately 0 deg angle of attack data as Mach number increased from 0.30 to 0.82.

Thermodynamic analysis of shark skin texture surfaces for microchannel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Hai-Yan; Zhang, Hao-Chun; Guo, Yang-Yu; Tan, He-Ping; Li, Yao; Xie, Gong-Nan

2016-09-01

The studies of shark skin textured surfaces in flow drag reduction provide inspiration to researchers overcoming technical challenges from actual production application. In this paper, three kinds of infinite parallel plate flow models with microstructure inspired by shark skin were established, namely blade model, wedge model and the smooth model, according to cross-sectional shape of microstructure. Simulation was carried out by using FLUENT, which simplified the computation process associated with direct numeric simulations. To get the best performance from simulation results, shear-stress transport k-omega turbulence model was chosen during the simulation. Since drag reduction mechanism is generally discussed from kinetics point of view, which cannot interpret the cause of these losses directly, a drag reduction rate was established based on the second law of thermodynamics. Considering abrasion and fabrication precision in practical applications, three kinds of abraded geometry models were constructed and tested, and the ideal microstructure was found to achieve best performance suited to manufacturing production on the basis of drag reduction rate. It was also believed that bionic shark skin surfaces with mechanical abrasion may draw more attention from industrial designers and gain wide applications with drag-reducing characteristics.

Drag Reduction On Multiscale Superhydrophobic Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenner, Elliot; Barbier, Charlotte; D'Urso, Brian

2013-11-01

Fluid drag reduction is of great interest in a variety of fields, including hull engineering, microfluidics, and drug delivery. We fabricated samples with multi-scale superhydrophobic surfaces, which consist of hexagonally self-ordered microscopic spikes grown via anodization on macroscopic grooves cut in aluminum. The hydrodynamic drag properties were studied with a cone-and-plate rheometer, showing significant drag reduction near 15% in turbulent flow and near 30% in laminar flow. In addition to these experiments, numerical simulations were performed in order to estimate the slip length at high speeds. Furthermore, we will report on the progress of experiments with a new type of surface combining superhydrophobic surfaces like those discussed above with Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS), which utilize an oil layer to create a hydrophobic self-repairing surface. These ``Super-SLIPS'' may combine the best properties of both superhydrophobic surfaces and SLIPS, by combining a drag reducing air-layer and an oil layer which may improve durability and biofouling resistance. This research was supported by the ORNL Seed Money Program. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Dept. of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Predicted Performance of a Thrust-Enhanced SR-71 Aircraft with an External Payload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conners, Timothy R.

1997-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center has completed a preliminary performance analysis of the SR-71 aircraft for use as a launch platform for high-speed research vehicles and for carrying captive experimental packages to high altitude and Mach number conditions. Externally mounted research platforms can significantly increase drag, limiting test time and, in extreme cases, prohibiting penetration through the high-drag, transonic flight regime. To provide supplemental SR-71 acceleration, methods have been developed that could increase the thrust of the J58 turbojet engines. These methods include temperature and speed increases and augmentor nitrous oxide injection. The thrust-enhanced engines would allow the SR-71 aircraft to carry higher drag research platforms than it could without enhancement. This paper presents predicted SR-71 performance with and without enhanced engines. A modified climb-dive technique is shown to reduce fuel consumption when flying through the transonic flight regime with a large external payload. Estimates are included of the maximum platform drag profiles with which the aircraft could still complete a high-speed research mission. In this case, enhancement was found to increase the SR-71 payload drag capability by 25 percent. The thrust enhancement techniques and performance prediction methodology are described.

The Effects of Propulsive Jetting on Drag of a Streamlined body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krieg, Michael; Mohseni, Kamran

2017-11-01

Recently an abundance of bioinspired underwater vehicles have emerged to leverage eons of evolution. Our group has developed a propulsion technique inspired by jellyfish and squid. Propulsive jets are generated by ingesting and expelling water from a flexible internal cavity. We have demonstrated thruster capabilities for maneuvering on AUV platforms, where the internal thruster geometry minimized forward drag; however, such a setup cannot characterize propulsive efficiency. Therefore, we created a new streamlined vehicle platform that produces unsteady jets for forward propulsion rather than maneuvering. The streamlined jetting body is placed in a water tunnel and held stationary while jetting frequency and background flow velocity are varied. For each frequency/velocity pair the flow field is measured around the surface and in the wake using PIV. Using the zero jetting frequency as a baseline for each background velocity, the passive body drag is related to the velocity distribution. For cases with active jetting the drag and jetting forces are estimated from the velocity field and compared to the passive case. For this streamlined body, the entrainment of surrounding flow into the propulsive jet can reduce drag forces in addition to the momentum transfer of the jet itself. Office of Naval Research.

Bioinspired Surface for Low Drag, Self-Cleaning, and Antifouling: Shark Skin, Butterfly and Rice Leaf Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bixler, Gregroy D.

In this thesis, first presented is an overview of inorganic-fouling and biofouling which is generally undesirable for many medical, marine, and industrial applications. A survey of nature's flora and fauna are studied in order to discover new antifouling methods that could be mimicked for engineering applications. New antifouling methods will presumably incorporate a combination of physical and chemical controls. Presented are mechanisms and experimental results focusing on laminar and turbulent drag reducing shark skin inspired riblet surfaces. This includes new laser etched and riblet film samples for closed channel drag using water, oil, and air as well as in wind tunnel. Also presented are mechanisms and experimental results focusing on the newly discovered rice and butterfly wing effect surfaces. Morphology, drag, self-cleaning, contact angle, and contact angle hysteresis data are presented to understand the role of sample geometrical dimensions, wettability, viscosity, and velocity. Hierarchical liquid repellent coatings combining nano- and micro-sized features and particles are utilized to recreate or combine various effects. Such surfaces have been fabricated with photolithography, soft lithography, hot embossing, and coating techniques. Discussion is provided along with new conceptual models describing the role of surface structures related to low drag, self-cleaning, and antifouling properties. Modeling provides design guidance when developing novel low drag and self-cleaning surfaces for medical, marine, and industrial applications.

Observations from varying the lift and drag inputs to a noise prediction method for supersonic helical tip speed propellers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, J. H.

1984-01-01

Previous comparisons between calculated and measured supersonic helical tip speed propeller noise show them to have different trends of peak blade passing tone versus helical tip Mach number. It was postulated that improvements in this comparison could be made first by including the drag force terms in the prediction and then by reducing the blade lift terms at the tip to allow the drag forces to dominate the noise prediction. Propeller hub to tip lift distributions were varied, but they did not yield sufficient change in the predicted lift noise to improve the comparison. This result indicates that some basic changes in the theory may be needed. In addition, the noise predicted by the drag forces did not exhibit the same curve shape as the measured data. So even if the drag force terms were to dominate, the trends with helical tip Mach number for theory and experiment would still not be the same. The effect of the blade shock wave pressure rise was approxmated by increasing the drag coefficient at the blade tip. Predictions using this shock wdave approximation did have a curve shape similar to the measured data. This result indicates that the shock pressure rise probably controls the noise at supersonic tip speed and that the linear prediction method can give the proper noise trend with Mach number.

Theoretical Calculations of Supersonic Wave Drag at Zero Lift for a Particular Store Arrangement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margolis, Kenneth; Malvestuto, Frank S , Jr; Maxie, Peter J , Jr

1958-01-01

An analysis, based on the linearized thin-airfoil theory for supersonic speeds, of the wave drag at zero lift has been carried out for a simple two-body arrangement consisting of two wedgelike surfaces, each with a rhombic lateral cross section and emanating from a common apex. Such an arrangement could be used as two stores, either embedded within or mounted below a wing, or as auxiliary bodies wherein the upper halves could be used as stores and the lower halves for bomb or missile purposes. The complete range of supersonic Mach numbers has been considered and it was found that by orienting the axes of the bodies relative to each other a given volume may be redistributed in a manner which enables the wave drag to be reduced within the lower supersonic speed range (where the leading edge is substantially subsonic). At the higher Mach numbers, the wave drag is always increased. If, in addition to a constant volume, a given maximum thickness-chord ratio is imposed, then canting the two surfaces results in higher wave drag at all Mach numbers. For purposes of comparison, analogous drag calculations for the case of two parallel winglike bodies with the same cross-sectional shapes as the canted configuration have been included. Consideration is also given to the favorable (dragwise) interference pressures acting on the blunt bases of both arrangements.

Seagrass blade motion under waves and its impact on wave decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhar, M.; Infantes, E.; Nepf, H.

2017-05-01

The hydrodynamic drag generated by seagrass meadows can dissipate wave-energy, causing wave decay. It is well known that this drag depends on the relative motion between the water and the seagrass blades, yet the impact of blade motion on drag and wave-energy dissipation remains to be fully characterized. In this experimental study, we examined the impact of blade motion on wave decay by concurrently recording blade posture during a wave cycle and measuring wave decay over a model seagrass meadow. We also identified a scaling law that predicts wave decay over the model meadow for a range of seagrass blade density, wave period, wave height, and water depth scaled from typical field conditions. Blade flexibility led to significantly lower drag and wave decay relative to theoretical predictions for rigid, upright blades. To quantify the impact of blade motion on wave decay, we employed an effective blade length, le, defined as the rigid blade length that leads to equivalent wave-energy dissipation. We estimated le directly from images of blade motion. Consistent with previous studies, these estimates showed that the effective blade length depends on the dimensionless Cauchy number, which describes the relative magnitude of the wave hydrodynamic drag and the restoring force due to blade rigidity. As the hydrodynamic forcing increases, the blades exhibit greater motion. Greater blade motion leads to smaller relative velocities, reducing drag, and wave-energy dissipation (i.e., smaller le).

Statistical Analysis of CFD Solutions from 2nd Drag Prediction Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemsch, M. J.; Morrison, J. H.

2004-01-01

In June 2001, the first AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop was held to evaluate results obtained from extensive N-Version testing of a series of RANS CFD codes. The geometry used for the computations was the DLR-F4 wing-body combination which resembles a medium-range subsonic transport. The cases reported include the design cruise point, drag polars at eight Mach numbers, and drag rise at three values of lift. Although comparisons of the code-to-code medians with available experimental data were similar to those obtained in previous studies, the code-to-code scatter was more than an order-of-magnitude larger than expected and far larger than desired for design and for experimental validation. The second Drag Prediction Workshop was held in June 2003 with emphasis on the determination of installed pylon-nacelle drag increments and on grid refinement studies. The geometry used was the DLR-F6 wing-body-pylon-nacelle combination for which the design cruise point and the cases run were similar to the first workshop except for additional runs on coarse and fine grids to complement the runs on medium grids. The code-to-code scatter was significantly reduced for the wing-body configuration compared to the first workshop, although still much larger than desired. However, the grid refinement studies showed no sign$cant improvement in code-to-code scatter with increasing grid refinement.

Elastically Shaped Wing Optimization and Aircraft Concept for Improved Cruise Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan; Trinh, Khanh; Reynolds, Kevin; Kless, James; Aftosmis, Michael; Urnes, James, Sr.; Ippolito, Corey

2013-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a study conducted tn 2010 by the NASA Innovation Fund Award project entitled "Elastically Shaped Future Air Vehicle Concept". The study presents three themes in support of meeting national and global aviation challenges of reducing fuel burn for present and future aviation systems. The first theme addresses the drag reduction goal through innovative vehicle configurations via non-planar wing optimization. Two wing candidate concepts have been identified from the wing optimization: a drooped wing shape and an inflected wing shape. The drooped wing shape is a truly biologically inspired wing concept that mimics a seagull wing and could achieve about 5% to 6% drag reduction, which is aerodynamically significant. From a practical perspective, this concept would require new radical changes to the current aircraft development capabilities for new vehicles with futuristic-looking wings such as this concept. The inflected wing concepts could achieve between 3% to 4% drag reduction. While the drag reduction benefit may be less, the inflected-wing concept could have a near-term impact since this concept could be developed within the current aircraft development capabilities. The second theme addresses the drag reduction goal through a new concept of elastic wing shaping control. By aeroelastically tailoring the wing shape with active control to maintain optimal aerodynamics, a significant drag reduction benefit could be realized. A significant reduction in fuel burn for long-range cruise from elastic wing shaping control could be realized. To realize the potential of the elastic wing shaping control concept, the third theme emerges that addresses the drag reduction goal through a new aerodynamic control effector called a variable camber continuous trailing edge flap. Conventional aerodynamic control surfaces are discrete independent surfaces that cause geometric discontinuities at the trailing edge region. These discontinuities promote vorticities which result in drag rises as well as noise sources. The variable camber trailing edge flap concept could provide a substantial drag reduction benefit over a conventional discrete flap system. Aerodynamic simulations show a drag reduction of over 50% could be achieved with the flap concept over a conventional discrete flap system.

NASA Innovation Fund 2010 Project Elastically Shaped Future Air Vehicle Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan

2010-01-01

This report describes a study conducted in 2010 under the NASA Innovation Fund Award to develop innovative future air vehicle concepts. Aerodynamic optimization was performed to produce three different aircraft configuration concepts for low drag, namely drooped wing, inflected wing, and squashed fuselage. A novel wing shaping control concept is introduced. This concept describes a new capability of actively controlling wing shape in-flight to minimize drag. In addition, a novel flight control effector concept is developed to enable wing shaping control. This concept is called a variable camber continuous trailing edge flap that can reduce drag by as much as 50% over a conventional flap. In totality, the potential benefits of fuel savings offered by these concepts can be significant.

NLF technology is ready to go

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Bruce J.

1988-01-01

Natural laminar flow (NLF) can reduce drag on aircraft developed using modern structural design methods. Modern metal and composite construction methods can meet NLF requirements for subsonic commuter and business airframes. NLF research at NASA concentrates on expanding the practical application of NLF drag reduction technology; payoffs include progress with liquid-crystal flow visualization, NLF on three-dimensional bodies, and the effects of acoustics on laminar stability. Fuel savings from 2 to 4 percent are expected if laminar flow could be achieved over the forward 50 percent of engine nacelles on large transports depending on the configuration. It is concluded that the skill required to use NLF for drag reduction depends on understanding the conservative design corridors within which laminar flow is durable and reliable.

A new method to calculate unsteady particle kinematics and drag coefficient in a subsonic post-shock flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordoloi, Ankur D.; Ding, Liuyang; Martinez, Adam A.; Prestridge, Katherine; Adrian, Ronald J.

2018-07-01

We introduce a new method (piecewise integrated dynamics equation fit, PIDEF) that uses the particle dynamics equation to determine unsteady kinematics and drag coefficient (C D) for a particle in subsonic post-shock flow. The uncertainty of this method is assessed based on simulated trajectories for both quasi-steady and unsteady flow conditions. Traditional piecewise polynomial fitting (PPF) shows high sensitivity to measurement error and the function used to describe C D, creating high levels of relative error (1) when applied to unsteady shock-accelerated flows. The PIDEF method provides reduced uncertainty in calculations of unsteady acceleration and drag coefficient for both quasi-steady and unsteady flows. This makes PIDEF a preferable method over PPF for complex flows where the temporal response of C D is unknown. We apply PIDEF to experimental measurements of particle trajectories from 8-pulse particle tracking and determine the effect of incident Mach number on relaxation kinematics and drag coefficient of micron-sized particles.

Flight test evaluation of drag effects on surface coatings on the NASA Boeing 737 TCV airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George-Falvy, D.; Sikavi, D. A.

1981-01-01

A flight test program was conducted in which the effects of various surface coatings on aerodynamic drag were investigated; results of this program are described in this report. The tests were conducted at NASA-Langley Research Center on the terminal configured vehicle (TCV) Boeing 737 research airplane. The Boeing Company, as contractor with NASA under the Energy Efficient Transport (EET) program, planned and evaluated the experiment. The NASA-TCV Program Office coordinated the experiment and performed the flight tests. The principal objective of the test was to evaluate the drag reduction potential of an elastomeric polyurethane surface coating, CAAPCO B-274, which also has been considered for application on transport airplanes to protect leading edges from erosion. The smooth surface achievable with this type of coating held some promise of reducing the skin friction drag as compared to conventional production type aircraft surfaces, which are usually anodized bare metal or coated with corrosion protective paint. Requirements for high precision measurements were the principal considerations in the experiment.

On the Application of Contour Bumps for Transonic Drag Reduction(Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milholen, William E., II; Owens, Lewis R.

2005-01-01

The effect of discrete contour bumps on reducing the transonic drag at off-design conditions on an airfoil have been examined. The research focused on fully-turbulent flow conditions, at a realistic flight chord Reynolds number of 30 million. State-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics methods were used to design a new baseline airfoil, and a family of fixed contour bumps. The new configurations were experimentally evaluated in the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research center, which utilizes an adaptive wall test section to minimize wall interference. The computational study showed that transonic drag reduction, on the order of 12% - 15%, was possible using a surface contour bump to spread a normal shock wave. The computational study also indicated that the divergence drag Mach number was increased for the contour bump applications. Preliminary analysis of the experimental data showed a similar contour bump effect, but this data needed to be further analyzed for residual wall interference corrections.

Exact Calculation of Laminar Boundary Layer in Longitudinal Flow over a Flat Plate with Homogeneous Suction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iglisch, Rudolf

1949-01-01

Lately it has been proposed to reduce the friction drag of a body in a flow for the technically important large Reynolds numbers by the following expedient: the boundary layer, normally turbulent, is artificially kept laminar up to high Reynolds numbers by suction. The reduction in friction drag thus obtained is of the order of magnitude of 60 to 80 percent of the turbulent friction drag, since the latter, for large Reynolds numbers, is several times the laminar friction drag. In considering the idea mentioned one has first to consider whether suction is a possible means of keeping the boundary layer laminar. This question can be answered by a theoretical investigation of the stability of the laminar boundary layer with suction. A knowledge, as accurate as possible, of the velocity distribution in the laminar boundary layer with suction forms the starting point for the stability investigation. E. Schlichting recently gave a survey of the present state of calculation of the laminar boundary layer with suction.

Flow field interactions between two tandem cyclists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, Nathan; Burton, David; Sheridan, John; Thompson, Mark; Brown, Nicholas A. T.

2016-12-01

Aerodynamic drag is the primary resistive force acting on cyclists at racing speeds. Many events involve cyclists travelling in very close proximity. Previous studies have shown that interactions result in significant drag reductions for inline cyclists. However, the interaction between cyclist leg position (pedalling) and the vortical flow structures that contribute significantly to the drag on an isolated cyclist has not previously been quantified or described for tandem cyclists of varying separation. To this end, scale model cyclists were constructed for testing in a water channel for inline tandem configurations. Particle image velocimetry was used to capture time-averaged velocity fields around two tandem cyclists. Perhaps surprisingly, the wake of a trailing cyclist maintains strong similarity to the characteristic wake of a single cyclist despite a significant disturbance to the upstream flow. Together with streamwise velocity measurements through the wake and upstream of the trailing cyclist, this work supports previous findings, which showed that the trailing cyclist drag reduction is primarily due to upstream sheltering effects reducing the stagnation pressure on forward-facing surfaces.

Reducible, Dibromomaleimide-linked Polymers for Gene Delivery

PubMed Central

Tan, James-Kevin Y.; Choi, Jennifer L.; Wei, Hua; Schellinger, Joan G.; Pun, Suzie H.

2014-01-01

Polycations have been successfully used as gene transfer vehicles both in vitro and in vivo; however, their cytotoxicity has been associated with increasing molecular weight. Polymers that can be rapidly degraded after internalization are typically better tolerated by mammalian cells compared to their non-degradable counterparts. Here, we report the use of a dibromomaleimide-alkyne (DBM-alkyne) linking agent to reversibly bridge cationic polymer segments for gene delivery and to provide site-specific functionalization by azidealkyne cycloaddition chemistry. A panel of reducible and non-reducible, statistical copolymers of (2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA) were synthesized and evaluated. When complexed with plasmid DNA, the reducible and non-reducible polymers had comparable DNA condensation properties, sizes, and transfection efficiencies. When comparing cytotoxicity, the DBM-linked, reducible polymers were significantly less toxic than the non-reducible polymers. To demonstrate polymer functionalization by click chemistry, the DBM-linked polymers were tagged with an azidefluorophore and were used to monitor cellular uptake. Overall, this polymer system introduces the use of a reversible linker, DBM-alkyne, to the area of gene delivery and allows for facile, orthogonal, and site-specific functionalization of gene delivery vehicles. PMID:26214195

Method and apparatus for reducing the drag of flows over surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keefe, Laurence R. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

An apparatus, and its accompanying method, for reducing the drag of flows over a surface includes arrays of small disks and sensors. The arrays are embedded in the surface and may extend above, or be depressed below, the surface, provided they remain hydraulically smooth either when operating or when inactive. The disks are arranged in arrays of various shapes, and spaced according to the cruising speed of the vehicle on which the arrays are installed. For drag reduction at speeds of the order of 30 meters/second, preferred embodiments include disks that are 0.2 millimeter in diameter and spaced 0.4 millimeter apart. For drag reduction at speeds of the order of 300 meters/second, preferred embodiments include disks that are 0.045 millimeter in diameter and spaced 0.09 millimeter apart. Smaller and larger dimensions for diameter and spacing are also possible. The disks rotate in the plane of the surface, with their rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the surface. The rotating disks produce velocity perturbations parallel to the surface in the overlying boundary layer. The sensors sense the flow at the surface and connect to control circuitry that adjusts the rotation rates and duty cycles of the disks accordingly. Suction and blowing holes can be interspersed among, or made coaxial with, the disks for creating general three-component velocity perturbations in the near-surface region. The surface can be a flat, planar surface or a nonplanar surface, such as a triangular riblet surface. The present apparatus and method have potential applications in the field of aeronautics for improving performance and efficiency of commercial and military aircraft, and in other industries where drag is an obstacle, including gas and oil delivery through long-haul pipelines.

Application of two procedures for dual-point design of transonic airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mineck, Raymond E.; Campbell, Richard L.; Allison, Dennis O.

1994-01-01

Two dual-point design procedures were developed to reduce the objective function of a baseline airfoil at two design points. The first procedure to develop a redesigned airfoil used a weighted average of the shapes of two intermediate airfoils redesigned at each of the two design points. The second procedure used a weighted average of two pressure distributions obtained from an intermediate airfoil redesigned at each of the two design points. Each procedure was used to design a new airfoil with reduced wave drag at the cruise condition without increasing the wave drag or pitching moment at the climb condition. Two cycles of the airfoil shape-averaging procedure successfully designed a new airfoil that reduced the objective function and satisfied the constraints. One cycle of the target (desired) pressure-averaging procedure was used to design two new airfoils that reduced the objective function and came close to satisfying the constraints.

Integrated Flight-propulsion Control Concepts for Supersonic Transport Airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcham, Frank W., Jr.; Gilyard, Glenn B.; Gelhausen, Paul A.

1990-01-01

Integration of propulsion and flight control systems will provide significant performance improvements for supersonic transport airplanes. Increased engine thrust and reduced fuel consumption can be obtained by controlling engine stall margin as a function of flight and engine operating conditions. Improved inlet pressure recovery and decreased inlet drag can result from inlet control system integration. Using propulsion system forces and moments to augment the flight control system and airplane stability can reduce the flight control surface and tail size, weight, and drag. Special control modes may also be desirable for minimizing community noise and for emergency procedures. The overall impact of integrated controls on the takeoff gross weight for a generic high speed civil transport is presented.

Kevlar/PMR-15 polyimide matrix composite for a complex shaped DC-9 drag reduction fairing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kawai, R. T.; Mccarthy, R. F.; Willer, M. S.; Hrach, F. J.

1982-01-01

The Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program was established by NASA to improve the fuel efficiency of commercial transport aircraft and thereby to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by the air transportation industry. One of the final items developed by the program is an improved fairing which is the aft closure for the thrust reverser actuators on the JT8D nacelles on DC-9 aircraft. The reduced-drag fairing uses, in the interest of weight savings, an advanced composite construction. The composite material contains Kevlar 49 fibers in a PMR-15 matrix. Attention is given to the aerodynamic configuration, the material system, and aspects of fabrication development.

The Effectiveness of Shrouding on Reducing Meshed Spur Gear Power Loss - Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, I. R.; Hurrell, M. J.

2017-01-01

Gearbox efficiency is reduced at high rotational speeds due to windage drag and viscous effects on rotating, meshed gear components. A goal of NASA aeronautics rotorcraft research is aimed at propulsion technologies that improve efficiency while minimizing vehicle weight. Specifically, reducing power losses to rotorcraft gearboxes would allow gains in areas such as vehicle payload, range, mission type, and fuel consumption. To that end, a gear windage rig has been commissioned at NASA Glenn Research Center to measure windage drag on gears and to test methodologies to mitigate windage power losses. One method used in rotorcraft gearbox design attempts to reduce gear windage power loss by utilizing close clearance walls to enclose the gears in both the axial and radial directions. The close clearance shrouds result in reduced drag on the gear teeth, and reduced power loss. For meshed spur gears, the shrouding takes the form of metal side plates and circumferential metal sectors. Variably positioned axial and radial shrouds are incorporated in the NASA rig to study the effect of shroud clearance on gearbox power loss. A number of researchers have given experimental and analytical results for single spur gears, with and without shrouding. Shrouded meshed spur gear test results are sparse in the literature. Windage tests were run at NASA Glenn using meshed spur gears at four shroud configurations: unshrouded, shrouded (max. axial, max radial), and two intermediate shrouding conditions. Results are compared to available meshed spur gear power loss data analyses as well as single spur gear data/analyses. Recommendations are made for future work.

The Effectiveness of Shrouding on Reducing Meshed Spur Gear Power Loss Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, I. R.; Hurrell, M. J.

2017-01-01

Gearbox efficiency is reduced at high rotational speeds due to windage drag and viscous effects on rotating, meshed gear components. A goal of NASA aeronautics rotorcraft research is aimed at propulsion technologies that improve efficiency while minimizing vehicle weight. Specifically, reducing power losses to rotorcraft gearboxes would allow gains in areas such as vehicle payload, range, mission type, and fuel consumption. To that end, a gear windage rig has been commissioned at NASA Glenn Research Center to measure windage drag on gears and to test methodologies to mitigate windage power losses. One method used in rotorcraft gearbox design attempts to reduce gear windage power loss by utilizing close clearance walls to enclose the gears in both the axial and radial directions. The close clearance shrouds result in reduced drag on the gear teeth and reduced power loss. For meshed spur gears, the shrouding takes the form of metal side plates and circumferential metal sectors. Variably positioned axial and radial shrouds are incorporated in the NASA rig to study the effect of shroud clearance on gearbox power loss. A number of researchers have given experimental and analytical results for single spur gears, with and without shrouding. Shrouded meshed spur gear test results are sparse in the literature. Windage tests were run at NASA Glenn using meshed spur gears at four shroud configurations: unshrouded, shrouded (max. axial, max. radial), and two intermediate shrouding conditions. Results are compared to available meshed spur gear power loss data analyses as well as single spur gear data analyses.

A Sweeping Jet Application on a High Reynolds Number Semispan Supercritical Wing Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Gregory S.; Milholen, William E., II; Chan, David T.; Melton, Latunia; Goodliff, Scott L.; Cagle, C. Mark

2017-01-01

The FAST-MAC circulation control model was modified to test an array of unsteady sweeping-jet actuators at realistic flight Reynolds numbers in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two types of sweeping jet actuators were fabricated using rapid prototype techniques, and directed over a 15% chord simple-hinged flap. The model was configured for low-speed high-lift testing with flap deflections of 30 deg and 60 deg, and a transonic cruise configuration having a 0 deg flap deflection. For the 30 deg flap high-lift configuration, the sweeping jets achieved comparable lift performance in the separation control regime, while reducing the mass flow by 54% as compared to steady blowing. The sweeping jets however were not effective for the 60 deg flap. For the transonic cruise configuration, the sweeping jets reduced the drag by 3.3% at an off-design condition. The drag reduction for the design lift coefficient for the sweeping jets offer is only half the drag reduction shown for the steady blowing case (6.5%), but accomplished this with a 74% reduction in mass flow.

Mach Stability Improvements Using an Existing Second Throat Capability at the National Transonic Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, David T.; Balakrishna, Sundareswara; Walker, Eric L.; Goodliff, Scott L.

2015-01-01

Recent data quality improvements at the National Transonic Facility have an intended goal of reducing the Mach number variation in a data point to within plus or minus 0.0005, with the ultimate goal of reducing the data repeatability of the drag coefficient for full-span subsonic transport models at transonic speeds to within half a drag count. This paper will discuss the Mach stability improvements achieved through the use of an existing second throat capability at the NTF to create a minimum area at the end of the test section. These improvements were demonstrated using both the NASA Common Research Model and the NTF Pathfinder-I model in recent experiments. Sonic conditions at the throat were verified using sidewall static pressure data. The Mach variation levels from both experiments in the baseline tunnel configuration and the choked tunnel configuration will be presented and the correlation between Mach number and drag will also be examined. Finally, a brief discussion is given on the consequences of using the second throat in its location at the end of the test section.

Hydrodynamics of fossil fishes

PubMed Central

Fletcher, Thomas; Altringham, John; Peakall, Jeffrey; Wignall, Paul; Dorrell, Robert

2014-01-01

From their earliest origins, fishes have developed a suite of adaptations for locomotion in water, which determine performance and ultimately fitness. Even without data from behaviour, soft tissue and extant relatives, it is possible to infer a wealth of palaeobiological and palaeoecological information. As in extant species, aspects of gross morphology such as streamlining, fin position and tail type are optimized even in the earliest fishes, indicating similar life strategies have been present throughout their evolutionary history. As hydrodynamical studies become more sophisticated, increasingly complex fluid movement can be modelled, including vortex formation and boundary layer control. Drag-reducing riblets ornamenting the scales of fast-moving sharks have been subjected to particularly intense research, but this has not been extended to extinct forms. Riblets are a convergent adaptation seen in many Palaeozoic fishes, and probably served a similar hydrodynamic purpose. Conversely, structures which appear to increase skin friction may act as turbulisors, reducing overall drag while serving a protective function. Here, we examine the diverse adaptions that contribute to drag reduction in modern fishes and review the few attempts to elucidate the hydrodynamics of extinct forms. PMID:24943377

One-Step Laser Patterned Highly Uniform Reduced Graphene Oxide Thin Films for Circuit-Enabled Tattoo and Flexible Humidity Sensor Application.

PubMed

Park, Rowoon; Kim, Hyesu; Lone, Saifullah; Jeon, Sangheon; Kwon, Young Woo; Shin, Bosung; Hong, Suck Won

2018-06-06

The conversion of graphene oxide (GO) into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is imperative for the electronic device applications of graphene-based materials. Efficient and cost-effective fabrication of highly uniform GO films and the successive reduction into rGO on a large area is still a cumbersome task through conventional protocols. Improved film casting of GO sheets on a polymeric substrate with quick and green reduction processes has a potential that may establish a path to the practical flexible electronics. Herein, we report a facile deposition process of GO on flexible polymer substrates to create highly uniform thin films over a large area by a flow-enabled self-assembly approach. The self-assembly of GO sheets was successfully performed by dragging the trapped solution of GO in confined geometry, which consisted of an upper stationary blade and a lower moving substrate on a motorized translational stage. The prepared GO thin films could be selectively reduced and facilitated from the simple laser direct writing process for programmable circuit printing with the desired configuration and less sample damage due to the non-contact mode operation without the use of photolithography, toxic chemistry, or high-temperature reduction methods. Furthermore, two different modes of the laser operating system for the reduction of GO films turned out to be valuable for the construction of novel graphene-based high-throughput electrical circuit boards compatible with integrating electronic module chips and flexible humidity sensors.

A catalog of atmospheric densities from the drag on five balloon satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacchia, L. G.; Slowey, J. W.

1975-01-01

A catalog of atmospheric densities derived for the drag on five balloon satellites is presented. Much of the catalog was based on precisely reduced Baker-Nunn observations and, for that reason, provides much improved time resolution. The effect of direct solar radiation pressure was precisely evaluated, and that of terrestrial radiation pressure was included in every case. The interval covered for each satellite varies between 3.1 and 7.6 years, with the data extending from early 1961 to early 1973.

Transonic low aspect ratio wing-winglet designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhlman, John M.; Cerney, Michael J.; Liaw, Paul

1988-01-01

A numerical design study has been conducted to ascertain the potential of winglets as a drag-reducing measure at high subsonic Mach numbers for low aspect ratio wings. The four variants of the winglet concept studied are a 'detuned' winglet with decreased incidence at the wing-winglet juncture; a steerable winglet; more gradual pressure recovery at the wing and winglet trailing edges; and the application of supercritical airfoil technology. A further study is conducted to assess the accuracy of the numerical code's predicted pressure drag values.

Fixed Wing Project: Technologies for Advanced Air Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Rosario, Ruben; Koudelka, John M.; Wahls, Richard A.; Madavan, Nateri

2014-01-01

The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Fixed Wing (FW) Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advanced technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. Multidisciplinary advances are required in aerodynamic efficiency to reduce drag, structural efficiency to reduce aircraft empty weight, and propulsive and thermal efficiency to reduce thrust-specific energy consumption (TSEC) for overall system benefit. Additionally, advances are required to reduce perceived noise without adversely affecting drag, weight, or TSEC, and to reduce harmful emissions without adversely affecting energy efficiency or noise.The presentation will highlight the Fixed Wing project vision of revolutionary systems and technologies needed to achieve these challenging goals. Specifically, the primary focus of the FW Project is on the N+3 generation; that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe.

Aerodynamic Drag Scoping Work.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voskuilen, Tyler; Erickson, Lindsay Crowl; Knaus, Robert C.

This memo summarizes the aerodynamic drag scoping work done for Goodyear in early FY18. The work is to evaluate the feasibility of using Sierra/Low-Mach (Fuego) for drag predictions of rolling tires, particularly focused on the effects of tire features such as lettering, sidewall geometry, rim geometry, and interaction with the vehicle body. The work is broken into two parts. Part 1 consisted of investigation of a canonical validation problem (turbulent flow over a cylinder) using existing tools with different meshes and turbulence models. Part 2 involved calculating drag differences over plate geometries with simple features (ridges and grooves) defined bymore » Goodyear of approximately the size of interest for a tire. The results of part 1 show the level of noise to be expected in a drag calculation and highlight the sensitivity of absolute predictions to model parameters such as mesh size and turbulence model. There is 20-30% noise in the experimental measurements on the canonical cylinder problem, and a similar level of variation between different meshes and turbulence models. Part 2 shows that there is a notable difference in the predicted drag on the sample plate geometries, however, the computational cost of extending the LES model to a full tire would be significant. This cost could be reduced by implementation of more sophisticated wall and turbulence models (e.g. detached eddy simulations - DES) and by focusing the mesh refinement on feature subsets with the goal of comparing configurations rather than absolute predictivity for the whole tire.« less

Flow visualisation of downhill skiers using the lattice Boltzmann method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asai, Takeshi; Hong, Sungchan; Ijuin, Koichi

2017-03-01

In downhill alpine skiing, skiers often exceed speeds of 120 km h-1, with air resistance substantially affecting the overall race times. To date, studies on air resistance in alpine skiing have used wind tunnels and actual skiers to examine the relationship between the gliding posture and magnitude of drag and for the design of skiing equipment. However, these studies have not revealed the flow velocity distribution and vortex structure around the skier. In the present study, computational fluid dynamics are employed with the lattice Boltzmann method to derive the relationship between total drag and the flow velocity around a downhill skier in the full-tuck position. Furthermore, the flow around the downhill skier is visualised, and its vortex structure is examined. The results show that the total drag force in the downhill skier model is 27.0 N at a flow velocity of 15 m s-1, increasing to 185.8 N at 40 m s-1. From analysis of the drag distribution and the flow profile, the head, upper arms, lower legs, and thighs (including buttocks) are identified as the major sources of drag on a downhill skier. Based on these results, the design of suits and equipment for reducing the drag from each location should be the focus of research and development in ski equipment. This paper describes a pilot study that introduces undergraduate students of physics or engineering into this research field. The results of this study are easy to understand for undergraduate students.

Uncovering changes in spider orb-web topology owing to aerodynamic effects

PubMed Central

Zaera, Ramón; Soler, Alejandro; Teus, Jaime

2014-01-01

An orb-weaving spider's likelihood of survival is influenced by its ability to retain prey with minimum damage to its web and at the lowest manufacturing cost. This set of requirements has forced the spider silk to evolve towards extreme strength and ductility to a degree that is rare among materials. Previous studies reveal that the performance of the web upon impact may not be based on the mechanical properties of silk alone, aerodynamic drag could play a role in the dissipation of the prey's energy. Here, we present a thorough analysis of the effect of the aerodynamic drag on wind load and prey impact. The hypothesis considered by previous authors for the evaluation of the drag force per unit length of thread has been revisited according to well-established principles of fluid mechanics, highlighting the functional dependence on thread diameter that was formerly ignored. Theoretical analysis and finite-element simulations permitted us to identify air drag as a relevant factor in reducing deterioration of the orb web, and to reveal how the spider can take greater—and not negligible—advantage of drag dissipation. The study shows the beneficial air drag effects of building smaller and less dense webs under wind load, and larger and denser webs under prey impact loads. In essence, it points out why the aerodynamics need to be considered as an additional driving force in the evolution of silk threads and orb webs. PMID:24966235

Uncovering changes in spider orb-web topology owing to aerodynamic effects.

PubMed

Zaera, Ramón; Soler, Alejandro; Teus, Jaime

2014-09-06

An orb-weaving spider's likelihood of survival is influenced by its ability to retain prey with minimum damage to its web and at the lowest manufacturing cost. This set of requirements has forced the spider silk to evolve towards extreme strength and ductility to a degree that is rare among materials. Previous studies reveal that the performance of the web upon impact may not be based on the mechanical properties of silk alone, aerodynamic drag could play a role in the dissipation of the prey's energy. Here, we present a thorough analysis of the effect of the aerodynamic drag on wind load and prey impact. The hypothesis considered by previous authors for the evaluation of the drag force per unit length of thread has been revisited according to well-established principles of fluid mechanics, highlighting the functional dependence on thread diameter that was formerly ignored. Theoretical analysis and finite-element simulations permitted us to identify air drag as a relevant factor in reducing deterioration of the orb web, and to reveal how the spider can take greater-and not negligible-advantage of drag dissipation. The study shows the beneficial air drag effects of building smaller and less dense webs under wind load, and larger and denser webs under prey impact loads. In essence, it points out why the aerodynamics need to be considered as an additional driving force in the evolution of silk threads and orb webs. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Velocity and Drag Evolution From the Leading Edge of a Model Mangrove Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maza, Maria; Adler, Katherine; Ramos, Diogo; Garcia, Adrian Mikhail; Nepf, Heidi

2017-11-01

An experimental study of unidirectional flow through a model mangrove forest measured both velocity and forces on individual trees. The individual trees were 1/12th scale models of mature Rhizophora, including 24 prop roots distributed in a three-dimensional layout. Thirty-two model trees were distributed in a staggered array producing a 2.5 m long forest. The velocity evolved from a boundary layer profile at the forest leading edge to a vertical profile determined by the vertical distribution of frontal area, with significantly higher velocity above the prop roots. Fully developed conditions were reached at the fifth tree row from the leading edge. Within the root zone the velocity was reduced by up to 50% and the TKE was increased by as much as fivefold, relative to the upstream conditions. TKE in the root zone was mainly produced by root and trunk wakes, and it agreed in magnitude with the estimation obtained using the Tanino and Nepf (2008) formulation. Maximum TKE occurred at the top of the roots, where a strong shear region was associated with the change in frontal area. The drag measured on individual trees decreased from the leading edge and reached a constant value at the fifth row and beyond, i.e., in the fully developed region. The drag exhibited a quadratic dependence on velocity, which justified the definition of a quadratic drag coefficient. Once the correct drag length-scale was defined, the measured drag coefficients collapsed to a single function of Reynolds number.

Effect of Tail Surfaces on the Base Drag of a Body of Revolution at Mach Numbers of 1.5 and 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spahr, J Richard; Dickey, Robert R

1951-01-01

Wind-tunnel tests were performed at Mach numbers of 1.5 and 2.0 to investigate the influence of tail surfaces on the base drag of a body of revolution without boattailing and having a turbulent boundary layer. The tail surfaces were of rectangular plan form of aspect ratio 2.33 and has symmetrical, circular-arc airfoil section. The results of the investigation showed that the addition of these tail surfaces with the trailing edges at or near the body base incurred a large increase in the base-drag coefficient. For a cruciform tail having a 10-percent-thick airfoil section, this increase was about 70 percent at a Mach number of 1.5 and 35 percent at a Mach number of 2.0. As the trailing edge of the tail was moved forward or rearward of the base by about one tail-chord length, the base-drag increment was reduced to nearly zero. The increments in base-drag coefficient due to the presence of 10-percent-thick tail surfaces were generally twice those for 5-percent-thick surfaces. The base-drag increments due to the presence of a cruciform tail were less than twice those for a plane tail. An estimate of the change in base pressure due to the tail surfaces was made, based on a simple superposition of the airfoil-pressure field onto the base-pressure field behind the body. A comparison of the results with the experimental values indicated that in most cases the trend in the variation of the base-drag increment with changes in tail position could be predicted by this approximate method but that the quantitative agreement at most tail locations was poor.

The Triton: Design concepts and methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meholic, Greg; Singer, Michael; Vanryn, Percy; Brown, Rhonda; Tella, Gustavo; Harvey, Bob

1992-01-01

During the design of the C & P Aerospace Triton, a few problems were encountered that necessitated changes in the configuration. After the initial concept phase, the aspect ratio was increased from 7 to 7.6 to produce a greater lift to drag ratio (L/D = 13) which satisfied the horsepower requirements (118 hp using the Lycoming O-235 engine). The initial concept had a wing planform area of 134 sq. ft. Detailed wing sizing analysis enlarged the planform area to 150 sq. ft., without changing its layout or location. The most significant changes, however, were made just prior to inboard profile design. The fuselage external diameter was reduced from 54 to 50 inches to reduce drag to meet the desired cruise speed of 120 knots. Also, the nose was extended 6 inches to accommodate landing gear placement. Without the extension, the nosewheel received an unacceptable percentage (25 percent) of the landing weight. The final change in the configuration was made in accordance with the stability and control analysis. In order to reduce the static margin from 20 to 13 percent, the horizontal tail area was reduced from 32.02 to 25.0 sq. ft. The Triton meets all the specifications set forth in the design criteria. If time permitted another iteration of the calculations, two significant changes would be made. The vertical stabilizer area would be reduced to decrease the aircraft lateral stability slope since the current value was too high in relation to the directional stability slope. Also, the aileron size would be decreased to reduce the roll rate below the current 106 deg/second. Doing so would allow greater flap area (increasing CL(sub max)) and thus reduce the overall wing area. C & P would also recalculate the horsepower and drag values to further validate the 120 knot cruising speed.

Multifidelity Analysis and Optimization for Supersonic Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroo, Ilan; Willcox, Karen; March, Andrew; Haas, Alex; Rajnarayan, Dev; Kays, Cory

2010-01-01

Supersonic aircraft design is a computationally expensive optimization problem and multifidelity approaches over a significant opportunity to reduce design time and computational cost. This report presents tools developed to improve supersonic aircraft design capabilities including: aerodynamic tools for supersonic aircraft configurations; a systematic way to manage model uncertainty; and multifidelity model management concepts that incorporate uncertainty. The aerodynamic analysis tools developed are appropriate for use in a multifidelity optimization framework, and include four analysis routines to estimate the lift and drag of a supersonic airfoil, a multifidelity supersonic drag code that estimates the drag of aircraft configurations with three different methods: an area rule method, a panel method, and an Euler solver. In addition, five multifidelity optimization methods are developed, which include local and global methods as well as gradient-based and gradient-free techniques.

The Aerodynamic Optimization of Wings at Subsonic Speeds and the Influence of Wingtip Design. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmer, H.

1987-01-01

Some of the objectives of modern aircraft development are related to the achievement of reduced fuel consumption and aircraft noise. This investigation is mainly concerned with the aerodynamic aspects of aircraft development, i.e., reduction of induced drag. New studies of wing design, and in particular wing tips, are considered. Induced drag is important since, in cruising flight, it accounts for approximately one-third of the entire drag for the aircraft, and one-half while climbing. A survey is presented for the wing geometries and wing tip designs studied, and theoretical investigations of different planar wings with systematically varied wing tip forms are conducted. Attention is also paid to a theoretical study of some planar and nonplanar wings and their comparison with experimental data.

Riblets for aircraft skin-friction reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, Michael J.

1986-01-01

Energy conservation and aerodynamic efficiency are the driving forces behind research into methods to reduce turbulent skin friction drag on aircraft fuselages. Fuselage skin friction reductions as small as 10 percent provide the potential for a 250 million dollar per year fuel savings for the commercial airline fleet. One passive drag reduction concept which is relatively simple to implement and retrofit is that of longitudinally grooved surfaces aligned with the stream velocity. These grooves (riblets) have heights and spacings on the order of the turbulent wall streak and burst dimensions. The riblet performance (8 percent net drag reduction thus far), sensitivity to operational/application considerations such as yaw and Reynolds number variation, an alternative fabrication technique, results of extensive parametric experiments for geometrical optimization, and flight test applications are summarized.

Water repellent/wetting characteristics of various bio-inspired morphologies and fluid drag reduction testing research.

PubMed

Luo, Yuehao; Song, Wen; Wang, Xudong

2016-03-01

It is well-known that the bio-inspired sharkskin covering the original pattern has the apparent drag reduction function in the turbulent flowing stations, which can be regarded as "sharkskin effect", and it has progressively been put application into the fluid engineering with obtaining great profits. In this paper, the anisotropic wetting phenomena on sharkskin are discovered, the contact angles and rolling angles on different orientations are not the same. In addition, the hydrodynamic experiments on different sharkskin surfaces are conducted, and the experimental results illustrate that the super-hydrophobic and drag-reducing properties on deformed biological surfaces are improved to some extent compared to the original morphology, which has important significance to expand its practical applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extension of suboptimal control theory for flow around a square cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Yosuke; Fukagata, Koji

2017-11-01

We extend the suboptimal control theory to control of flow around a square cylinder, which has no point symmetry on the impulse response from the wall in contrast to circular cylinders and spheres previously studied. The cost functions examined are the pressure drag (J1), the friction drag (J2), the squared difference between target pressure and wall pressure (J3) and the time-averaged dissipation (J4). The control input is assumed to be continuous blowing and suction on the cylinder wall and the feedback sensors are assumued on the entire wall surface. The control law is derived so as to minimize the cost function under the constraint of linearized Navier-Stokes equation, and the impulse response field to be convolved with the instantaneous flow quanties are numerically obtained. The amplitide of control input is fixed so that the maximum blowing/suction velocity is 40% of the freestream velocity. When J2 is used as the cost function, the friction drag is reduced as expected but the mean drag is found to increase. In constast, when J1, J3, and J4 were used, the mean drag was found to decrease by 21%, 12%, and 22%, respectively; in addition, vortex shedding is suppressed, which leads to reduction of lift fluctuations.

RotCFD Analysis of the AH-56 Cheyenne Hub Drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solis, Eduardo; Bass, Tal A.; Keith, Matthew D.; Oppenheim, Rebecca T.; Runyon, Bryan T.; Veras-Alba, Belen

2016-01-01

In 2016, the U.S. Army Aviation Development Directorate (ADD) conducted tests in the U.S. Army 7- by 10- Foot Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center of a nonrotating 2/5th-scale AH-56 rotor hub. The objective of the tests was to determine how removing the mechanical control gyro affected the drag. Data for the lift, drag, and pitching moment were recorded for the 4-bladed rotor hub in various hardware configurations, azimuth angles, and angles of attack. Numerical simulations of a selection of the configurations and orientations were then performed, and the results were compared with the test data. To generate the simulation results, the hardware configurations were modeled using Creo and Rhinoceros 5, three-dimensional surface modeling computer-aided design (CAD) programs. The CAD model was imported into Rotorcraft Computational Fluid Dynamics (RotCFD), a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool used for analyzing rotor flow fields. RotCFD simulation results were compared with the experimental results of three hardware configurations at two azimuth angles, two angles of attack, and with and without wind tunnel walls. The results help validate RotCFD as a tool for analyzing low-drag rotor hub designs for advanced high-speed rotorcraft concepts. Future work will involve simulating additional hub geometries to reduce drag or tailor to other desired performance levels.