Experimental Study on the Drag Reduction Effect with an Underwater Environment depending on Varying Surface Energy

A considerable amount of research has been conducted over the past few centuries on the development of various types of underwater unmanned vehicles(UUV). Among these parameters, propulsion performance is considered a primary indicator of system effectiveness. In this study, we investigated the flow characteristics of specimens with varying angles and surface properties, focusing on drag reduction. Specifically, the surface energy of the specimen was modified by applying drag reduction coatings. Drag measurement was conducted using flow visualization techniques as opposed to load cells, thus enabling the assessment of drag forces within the range of several millinewtons (mN). In the future, we aim to utilize the findings of this study to develop drag-reducing coatings that can be applied to a variety of object shapes.