Riblets Information Platform

With this page we want to offer an independent information platform on the subject of Riblets. The purpose of this site is to provide a comprehensive overview of how Riblets work and the basic mechanics behind them. In addition, you will find a section called 'Literature' - a collected list of all papers related to Riblets. 

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Short information about what Riblets are: 
Riblets consist of tiny grooves arranged longitudinally along the flow. These friction-reducing structures allow different benefits in different fields such as aviation, generation of energy or industrial applications.

Boundary Layer

Due to their height, riblets mainly interact with the viscous sublayer of the boundary layer, where they impede cross-stream translation of streamwise vortices, which reduces the ejection of these vortices into the outer boundary layers und subsequently their momentum transfer through twisting and tangling.

Riblet Simulation

As can be seen in the comparison of the three used geometries for CFD simulations, the trapezoidal riblets are being compared to two smooth plates, one at the height of the valley of the grooves and the other one at the height of the tip

Experiments

A faster and conveniently more compact approach was taken with utilizing a Taylor-Couette system as a testing environment.

History

Learn about the history of Riblets from the very first beginning until the application in different sectors.

Associated Benefits

Riblets not only reduce the boundary layer thickness, but also the velocity fluctuations. Additonally they can change the boundary layer profile.

Literature

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