Questions concerning the functional role of spanwise wing corrugation in living systems are experimentally investigated. Attention was initially directed to this problem by observation of the irregular shape of many insect wings as well as other studies indicating higher lift on these wings. First, a flow visualization scheme was used to observe and photograph streamlines around two different wing sections. One of these, a sheet metal model with geometry matching that of a butterfly wing, was studied at a chord Reynolds number of 1500 and at a Reynolds number of 80 based on corrugation depth. A steady-state recirculation region near the model leading edge was found, and the separated flow region above this recirculation zone formed a laminar reattachment to the model. A second thicker wing was corrugated on the upper surface. Closed streamlines inside these upper surface corrugations were photographed at Reynolds numbers of 8000 and 3800 based on chord length, and 200 and 90 based on corrugation depth. Reductions in pressures on the corrugated upper wing surface relative to a smooth upper wing surface were then measured.

This paper studies the rapid shearing flow of dry metal powders. To perform this study, we built and used an annular shear cell test apparatus. In this apparatus the dry metal powders are rapidly sheared by rotating one of the shear surfaces while the other shear surface remains fixed. The shear stress and normal stress on the stationary surface were measured as a function of three parameters: the shear-cell gap thickness, the shear-rate and the fractional solids content. Stresses are measured while holding both the fractional-solids content and the gap thickness at prescribed values. The results show the dependence of the normal stress and the shear stress on the shear-rate. Likewise, a significant stress dependence on both the fractional solids content and the shear-cell gap thickness was observed. Our experimental results are compared with the results of other reported experimental studies.

An analysis for hydrodynamic, non-Newtonian lubrication of misaligned journal bearings is given. The hydrodynamic load-carrying capacity for partial arc journal bearings lubricated by power-law, non-Newtonian fluids is calculated for small valves of the bearing aspect ratios. These results are compared with: numerical solutions to the non-Newtonian modified Reynolds equation, with Ocvirk’s experimental results for misaligned bearings, and with other numerical simulations. The cavitation (i.e., film rupture) boundary location is calculated using the Reynolds’ free-surface, boundary condition.

This paper studies the rapid simple shearing flow of dry cohesionless metal powders contained between parallel rotating plates. In this study, an annular shear cell test apparatus was used; the dry metal powders are rapidly sheared by rotating one of the shear surfaces while the other shear surface remains fixed. Such a flow geometry is of interest to tribologists working in the area of dry or powder lubrication. The shear stress and normal stress on the stationary surface are measured as a function of the following parameters: shear surface boundary material and roughness, the shear-cell gap thickness, the shear-rate and the fractional solids content. Both the fractional solids content and the gap thickness are kept at prescribed values during stress measurements. In this experiment the metal powder tested is different from the shear transmission surface material; the effect on the measured normal and shear stress data are reported. The results show the dependence of the normal stress and the shear stress on the shear-rate, particle density and particle diameter. Likewise, a significant stress dependence on both the fractional solids content and the shear-cell gap thickness was observed.

The importance of rheological properties of lubricants has arisen from the realization that non-Newtonian fluid effects are manifested over a broad range of lubrication applications. In this paper a theoretical investigation of short journal bearings performance characteristics for non-Newtonian power-law lubricants is given. A modified form of the Reynolds’ equation for hydrodynamic lubrication is studied in the asymptotic limit of small slenderness ratio (i.e., bearing length to diameter, L/D = λ→0). Fluid film pressure distributions in short bearings of arbitrary azimuthal length are studied using matched asymptotic expansions in the slenderness ratio. The merit of the short bearing approach used in solving a modified Reynolds’ equation by the method of matched asymptotic expansions is emphasized. Fluid film pressure distributions are determined without recourse to numerical solutions to a modified Reynolds’ equation. Power-law rheological exponents less than and equal to one are considered; power-law fluids exhibit reduced load capacities relative to the Newtonian fluid. The cavitation boundary shape is determined from Reynolds’ free surface condition; and the boundary shape is shown to be independent of the bearing eccentricity ratio.