Numerical Investigation of Influence of Microbubble Injection, Distribution, Void Fraction and Flow Speed on Frictional Drag Reduction

Author(s):  
Sudhir Sindagi ◽  
R. Vijayakumar ◽  
Somanath Nirali ◽  
B. K. Saxena
2018 ◽  
Vol Vol 160 (A2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sindagi ◽  
R Vijayakumar ◽  
B K Saxena

The reduction of ship’s resistance is one of the most effective way to reduce emissions, operating costs and to improve EEDI. It is reported that, for slow moving vessels, the frictional drag accounts for as much as 80% of the total drag, thus there is a strong demand for the reduction in the frictional drag. The use of air as a lubricant, known as Micro Bubble Drag Reduction, to reduce that frictional drag is an active research topic. The main focus of authors is to present the current scenario of research carried out worldwide along with numerical simulation of air injection in a rectangular channel. Latest developments in this field suggests that, there is a potential reduction of 80% & 30% reduction in frictional drag in case of flat plates and ships respectively. Review suggests that, MBDR depends on Gas or Air Diffusion which depends on, Bubble size distributions and coalescence and surface tension of liquid, which in turn depends on salinity of water, void fraction, location of injection points, depth of water in which bubbles are injected. Authors are of opinion that, Microbubbles affect the performance of Propeller, which in turn decides net savings in power considering power required to inject Microbubbles. Moreover, 3D numerical investigations into frictional drag reduction by microbubbles were carried out in Star CCM+ on a channel for different flow velocities, different void fraction and for different cross sections of flow at the injection point. This study is the first of its kind in which, variation of coefficient of friction both in longitudinal as well as spanwise direction were studied along with actual localised variation of void fraction at these points. From the study, it is concluded that, since it is a channel flow and as the flow is restricted in confined region, effect of air injection is limited to smaller area in spanwise direction as bubbles were not escaping in spanwise direction.


Author(s):  
S Sindagi ◽  
R Vijayakumar ◽  
B K Saxena

The reduction of ship’s resistance is one of the most effective way to reduce emissions, operating costs and to improve EEDI. It is reported that, for slow moving vessels, the frictional drag accounts for as much as 80% of the total drag, thus there is a strong demand for the reduction in the frictional drag. The use of air as a lubricant, known as Micro Bubble Drag Reduction, to reduce that frictional drag is an active research topic. The main focus of authors is to present the current scenario of research carried out worldwide along with numerical simulation of air injection in a rectangular channel. Latest developments in this field suggests that, there is a potential reduction of 80% & 30% reduction in frictional drag in case of flat plates and ships respectively. Review suggests that, MBDR depends on Gas or Air Diffusion which depends on, Bubble size distributions and coalescence and surface tension of liquid, which in turn depends on salinity of water, void fraction, location of injection points, depth of water in which bubbles are injected. Authors are of opinion that, Microbubbles affect the performance of Propeller, which in turn decides net savings in power considering power required to inject Microbubbles. Moreover, 3D numerical investigations into frictional drag reduction by microbubbles were carried out in Star CCM+ on a channel for different flow velocities, different void fraction and for different cross sections of flow at the injection point. This study is the first of its kind in which, variation of coefficient of friction both in longitudinal as well as spanwise direction were studied along with actual localised variation of void fraction at these points. From the study, it is concluded that, since it is a channel flow and as the flow is restricted in confined region, effect of air injection is limited to smaller area in spanwise direction as bubbles were not escaping in spanwise direction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 161 (A1) ◽  

Air ventilation of submerged surfaces of ship hulls is a promising technique for drag reduction. To ensure high performance of air cavities in a broad range of operational conditions, the cavity properties can be controlled with help of compact hydrodynamic actuators. In this study, a potential flow theory is applied to model an air cavity formed behind a wedge-shaped cavitator under a horizontal wall imitating a ship bottom. By varying the wedge angle, it is possible to achieve states with maximum drag reduction at given operational conditions. The dependence of the optimal wedge angle on Froude number and hull trim is investigated. The air-cavity ability to reduce frictional drag is found to increase with rising flow speed and bow-down hull trim.


Author(s):  
K I Matveev

Air ventilation of submerged surfaces of ship hulls is a promising technique for drag reduction. To ensure high performance of air cavities in a broad range of operational conditions, the cavity properties can be controlled with help of compact hydrodynamic actuators. In this study, a potential flow theory is applied to model an air cavity formed behind a wedge-shaped cavitator under a horizontal wall imitating a ship bottom. By varying the wedge angle, it is possible to achieve states with maximum drag reduction at given operational conditions. The dependence of the optimal wedge angle on Froude number and hull trim is investigated. The air-cavity ability to reduce frictional drag is found to increase with rising flow speed and bow-down hull trim.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (02) ◽  
pp. 118-126
Author(s):  
Bradley C. Peifer ◽  
Christopher Callahan-Dudley ◽  
Simo A. Makiharju

We examined the feasibility of combining a superhydrophobic surface (SHS) and air layer drag reduction (ALDR) to achieve the frictional drag reduction (DR) shown achievable with traditional ALDR, but at a reduced gas flux to increase the achievable net energy savings. The effect of a commercial SHS coating on the gas flux required to maintain a stable air layer (AL) for DR was investigated and compared with that of a painted non-SHS at Reynolds numbers up to 5.1 X 106. Quantitative electrical impedance measurements and more qualitative image analysis were used to characterize surface coverage and to determine whether a stable AL was formed and maintained over the length of the model. Analysis of video and still images for both the SHS and painted surface gives clear indications that the SHS is able to maintain AL consistency at significantly lower gas flux than required on the non-SHS painted surface. Hydrophobicity of the surfaces was characterized through droplet contact angle measurements, and roughness of all the flow surfaces was measured. The results from these preliminary experiments seem to indicate that for conditions explored (up to Rex = 5.1 X 106), there is a significant decrease in the amount of gas required to establish a uniform AL (and hence presumably achieve ALDR) on the SHS when compared with a hydraulically smooth painted non-SHS.


2012 ◽  
Vol 115 (1127) ◽  
pp. 688-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuichi MURAI

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduard Amromin

The effect of air flux from ventilated partial cavities on drag of bodies was studied. An integral equation method for estimation of air bubble effects on drag was employed and validated with earlier known experimental data for flat plates and bodies. The qualitative difference in the effects of flow speed and air supply rate on drag of flat plates and bodies was numerically confirmed and explained as a combined effect of the boundary layer density decrease and the increase in its displacement thickness. The numerical analysis shows reduction in the total drag of ventilated bodies with increasing air flux rate up to an optimum, but the drag rise for greater rates. A synergy of friction reduction under attached ventilated cavity and microbubble drag reduction downstream of it was shown.


Author(s):  
Xinlin Lu ◽  
Hiroharu Kato ◽  
Takafumi Kawamura

Turbulent drag reduction by very small hydrogen microbubbles was investigated experimentally. The method for generating microbubbles of 10–60 μm by water electrolysis was established firstly. Experiments were carried out using a circulating water tunnel, and it was observed that the small microbubbles generated by electrolysis can achieve the same drag reduction as the injected air bubbles at much lower void fraction. The distribution of microbubble was examined using the microscope photography. The peak of local void fraction was found to be very close to the wall, while no correlation was found between the average bubble diameter and the distance from the channel wall. The present experimental results suggest that the very small microbubbles produced by electrolysis are 10∼100 times more effective in terms of the drag reduction than large bubbles made by air injection. So it is considered that the diameters of microbubbles play an important role to drag reduction.


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