Effects of hydrophobic surfaces on the drag and lift of a circular cylinder

Abstract

Effects of hydrophobic surfaces on the drag and lift of a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers of 300 and 3900 are investigated using numerical simulations. A cylinder of which the entire surface is no-slip, a cylinder of which the entire surface is hydrophobic, and cylinders with alternating circumferential bands of slip and no-slip conditions are considered. The width of the alternating bands ranges from 0.5 lambda(z) to 2 lambda(z), where lambda(z) is a spanwise characteristic wavelength in the near wake. At Reynolds number 300, the hydrophobic surface consisting of alternating slip and no-slip bands of width lambda(z) is found to be most effective in enhancing wake instability, thereby decreasing the base suction, drag, and rms lift coefficients. At Reynolds number 3900, hydrophobic surface treatments are found to delay flow separation, thereby decreasing the drag and rms lift.