Measurement of Turbulent Skin Friction Drag Coefficients Produced by Distributed Surface Roughness of Pristine Marine Coatings

Skin friction drag coefficients are determined for marine antifouling coatings in pristine condition by use of Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) with uni-directionalhot-wires. Mean flow behaviour for varying surface roughness is analysed in zero pressure gradient, flat plate, turbulentboundary layers for Reynolds numbers from Rex =1:91x105 to Rex = 9:54x105.

The measurements were conducted at the Technical University of Denmark in a closed-loop wind tunnel redesigned for investigations as this. Ensemble averages of the boundary layer velocity profiles allowed for determination of skin friction drag coefficients as well as roughness Reynolds numbers for the various marine coatings across the range of Rex by fitting of the van Driest profile.

The results demonstrate sound agreement with the present ITTC method for determining skin friction coefficients for practically smooth surfaces at low Reynolds numbers compared to normal operation mode for the antifouling coatings. Thus, better estimates for skin friction of rough hulls can be realised using the proposed method to optimise preliminary vessel design.