Influence of surface slip on hydrodynamics and flow field around a two-dimensional hydrofoil at a moderate Reynolds number

In the present study, the effects of surface slip on the hydrodynamics and flow around a two-dimensional National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 0012 hydrofoil are systematically investigated by numerical methods. The objective is to fully understand the effects of surface slip on the streamlined body. Three slip positions (both surfaces, the upper surface, the lower surface) and eight slip lengths (in a wide range from 1 to 500 μm) under 0°–10° angles of attack are fully investigated at a moderate Reynolds number of 1.0 × 106. Surface slip has been found to increase lift and reduce drag by postponing the flow transition, laminar separation bubble, and flow separation on the hydrofoil surface under both surfaces and the upper surface slip conditions. Slip has also been found to induce upshift of the mean velocity profile, decrease the displacement thickness, and mitigate the turbulent kinetic energy in the flow field. However, counterintuitive phenomenon occurs under the lower surface slip condition, where the total drag of the hydrofoil is increased compared to that under the no slip condition. Total drag increase is found mainly due to the increase in the pressure drag under small slip lengths and relatively large angles of attack. Flow maps demonstrating the complex interaction between different surface slip conditions and the flow field are further presented. The results suggest that surface slip can not only reduce drag, but also increase the drag of the streamlined body, which shall provide valuable insights for practical applications of slippery materials.