Influence of a dynamic gas film on underwater drag reduction

Abstract

The gas film at the liquid–solid interface, induced by hydrophobic microstructure, can achieve a high-efficiency underwater drag reduction. However, previous studies have rarely considered the impact of changes in gas structure morphology on drag performance, especially under turbulent conditions. We conducted numerical simulations to examine the dynamic process of gas on a hydrophobic spanwise grooved surface under turbulent conditions. Our findings indicate that the morphology of the gas phase structure at the liquid–solid interface undergoes continuous alterations due to fluid action, resulting in a dynamic state of drag performance. In addition, the gas morphology that completely covers the groove surface will reduce the turbulent kinetic energy on the groove surface, resulting in a better drag reduction effect. In the flow velocity range of 10–20 m/s, the drag reduction effect of the superhydrophobic grooved surface increases with the flow velocity. Finally, we conducted experiments to validate the effectiveness of this result. A mechanism for underwater drag reduction was proposed based on these simulation results. This study offers a novel perspective on the phenomenon of underwater gas drag reduction, which could significantly influence its practical applications, especially under real working conditions.