Design, analysis and comparative study of bio-inspired surface texturing for enhanced drag reduction in rotating hydrodynamic lubrication regimes
Nikolaos Rogkas, G. Adamopoulos, Dimitrios Skondras-Giousios, Vasilios Spitas
Abstract
Reducing power losses in tribological systems is crucial for improving mechanical efficiency and sustainability. This study leverages biomimicry in surface engineering to create bio-inspired textures that enhance hydrodynamic lubrication in rotating discs applications by reducing drag torque. Seven nature examples are designed and parametrized. Then, a flow dynamics model, developed using ANSYS Fluent, and validated against published results, simulates fluid behavior between rotating discs in the low-speed regime (<1500 rpm), examining the interplay between texture characteristics and flow mechanics. Conducted under the Basic Research Project WetSURF, this research underscores the pivotal role of bio-inspired surface texturing in improving tribological performance and provides valuable insights into bio-intelligent design strategies for advanced mechanical systems. • Engineering of bioinspired surface textures for drag torque reduction of rotating thin films. • Comparative study of pillar, groove and ridge geometries. • Effect of texture shape, aspect ratio and directionality on hydrodynamic lubrication. • Correlation of drag torque and inlet pressure.