A numerical study of riblet effects on laminar flow through a plane channel

Numerical computations are reported of fully-developed flow through plane channels with knife-edge riblets. The study has covered riblet height: spacing ratios from 0.5 to 3 and riblet heights ranging from 0.1%–4.0% of the distance between the channel walls. In no case did results indicate a reduction in drag compared with the case of a smooth channel, a result that is in contrast with earlier studies. It is suggested that apparent drag reductions reported earlier in laminar flow may have arisen from the use of an insufficiently fine grid.