Flow pattern alteration near a hydrofoil due to effective slip: An experimental study

Abstract

We present an experimental investigation of water flow around a hydrofoil with a superhydrophobic patterned surface. The experimental setup uses a water tunnel to measure the drag over the hydrofoil and acquire velocity field measurements using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Drag reduction on the order of 10% or higher was observed on hydrofoils with irregular surface textures combined with super-hydrophobic coating, leading to effective Navier slip on the surface. However, we report that other macroscopic flow characteristics, including the stall angle, are also changed by application of the coating.