Aside from air being a subset of liquids, one must consider several things
before choosing the surface roughness.
A simplistic view of the Reynolds number for an airfoil is the air speed
times the chord length divided by the viscosity of the air. Thus, a glider
at 1/4 the speed (50 vs 200 KIAS) and with a chord about 1/2 of a
Lancair 320 reduces the Reynolds number almost an order of magnitude when trying
to compare characteristics.
Laminar flow has been compared to tossing a deck of cards across a rug
- each laminar strata sliding over the one beneath it. Air to air
friction is low (like card to card) until the bottom layer of air against wing
(card against rug). There is concern about the friction induced
drag.
All things being equal, at high velocities skin friction drag
increases. At low Reynolds numbers, skin friction becomes less of a drag
component than the transition from separation to turbulent and the subsequent
wake - where viscosity has more of an effect than velocity.
Certain bodies passing thru air more slowly can have the wake drag reduced
by not allowing laminar flow to take place thus inducing turbulent flow about
the body. Golf balls and bicycle racers (dimpled helmets and rough surface
suits) come to mind. Maybe even slow moving gliders.
Anecdotal evidence that roughness is good for high-speed laminar
flow would be to find a Reno racer that does not maintain a smooth
surfaced wing and a very highly polished prop. The prop is interesting
since the outer third of the blade is probably operating above .7 Mach. My
prop tip is at .75 Mach (Sea Level, 15C, forward movement not counted), I
think I will polish and wax the sucker.
I will happily race anyone that roughens up their Lancair 320 wing.
Hmmmmmm.... Maybe even a 360.
I will be even happier to race a 320 powered spam can - rivet heads being
similar to the obverse of dimples. Maybe even the leading edge
paint will be spider-webbed from sitting out in the sun for twenty years.
No, not this Spam Can:
the other ones.
Finally, if you long-board sanded your wings enough to remove the waves,
applied high-gloss paint with no stripes or fancy checker-boards tripping
the airflow and use a product such as Dri-Wash (polymer coating) to further
slick up the surface, you are ready to rock!
Scott Krueger
AKA Grayhawk
Lancair N92EX IO320 SB 89/96
Aurora, IL (KARR)
Merry
Christmas to all!