A Study of Drag Reduction on Cylinders with Different V-Groove Depths on the Surface

Abstract

In this study, the drag reduction effect is studied for a cylinder with different V-groove depths on its surface using a k-ω/SST (Shear Stress Transport) turbulence model of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), while a particle image velocimetry (PIV) system is employed to analyze the wake characteristics for a smooth cylinder and a cylinder with different V-groove depths on its surface at different Reynolds numbers. The study focuses on the characteristics of the different V-groove depths on lift coefficient, drag coefficient, the velocity distribution of flow field, pressure coefficient, vortex shedding, and vortex structure. In comparison with a smooth cylinder, the lift coefficient and drag coefficient can be reduced for a cylinder with different V-groove depths on its surface, and the maximum reduction rates of lift coefficient and drag coefficient are about 34.4% and 16%, respectively. Otherwise, the vortex structure presents a complete symmetry for the smooth cylinder, however, the symmetry of the vortex structure becomes insignificant for the V-shaped groove structure with different depths. This is also an important reason for the drag reduction effect of a cylinder with a V-groove surface.