Aerodynamics Investigation on Bio-Inspired Surface Design by Use of Shark-Skin Surface on the Aircraft Wing for Drag Reduction

Using numerical approach, this study analyzes the possible use of bio-inspired surface design for drag reduction in aircraft wings. The study specifically focuses on the usefulness of the shark-skin surfaces in lowering drag. ANSYS Fluent is used to simulate a 1.5 m wing model. NACA 2412 airfoil form, with and without surface alterations based on shark-skin-inspired features, is used in this study. The wing model with shark-skin-inspired surface alterations lowers the drag coefficient compared to the smooth surface model, thereby showing the potential of bio-inspired surface design. The shark-skin-inspired surface reduced the drag by around 4% in contrast to the smooth-surfaced wing. The introduction of the shark denticle to the smooth surface has some negative effect on the lift performance of the wing but the referred blade design had almost no effect on the wing's overall aerodynamic performance.