Reducing the surface resistance of underwater vehicles plays an important role in improving cruising speed and cruising mileage. The epidermis of loaches is not only covered with a layer of scale structure but also secretes mucus tissue with a lubricating effect, which makes loaches swim rapidly in muddy water. Study the morphology and structure of the skin of loach and establish a two-stage biomimetic drag reduction model. Adjust the different structural parameters of the model and select the parameters with the best drag reduction rate for the modeling design. The numerical simulation results show that the optimal drag reduction rate of the two-stage drag reduction structure is greater than 21%. In the flow channel test experiment, the drag reduction rate is slightly lower than the simulation results. Numerical simulation and experimental data show that the underwater drag reduction function can be realized by simulating the microstructure of loach skin. Finally, analyze the velocity gradient, vortices, etc., and search for the drag reduction mechanism. The simulation design of the microstructure of the loach skin can increase the thickness of the boundary layer, promote the vortex structure near the wall surface, change the flow mode of the solid-liquid interface, and reduce the wall resistance. At the same time, the drag reduction model provides key technical support for the practical application of reducing surface resistance, such as in underwater vehicles.
© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.