A Fundamental Principle of Aeronautical Engineering Has Been Overturned
Key takeaways
- When an aircraft or car body moves at high speed, a thin layer of air called the “boundary layer” is formed on its surface.
- The longer the air stays in the laminar flow state with low friction, the smaller the air resistance becomes, but as the air speed increases, it transitions to turbulent flow.
- The same Tohoku University research team recently announced a discovery that significantly advances this trend.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Illustration: ktsimage/Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Aerodynamic drag is a major “barrier” in high-speed airplanes, automobiles, and bullet trains. This is because a design with less aerodynamic drag allows the aircraft to move at higher speeds with less energy.
When an aircraft or car body moves at high speed, a thin layer of air called the “boundary layer” is formed on its surface. This boundary layer has two states: laminar flow, in which air flows in an orderly fashion, and turbulent flow, which involves turbulence.
The longer the air stays in the laminar flow state with low friction, the smaller the air resistance becomes, but as the air speed increases, it transitions to turbulent flow. The key to reducing aerodynamic drag is how to delay this transition to turbulence.