INVESTIGATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD SURFACE TEXTURE ON AIRFLOW PERMEABILITY

Abstract

This paper investigates the aerodynamic effects of biomimetic surface textures within an internal combustion engine's intake manifold using high-fidelity CFD simulations. Three models (Plain, Shark Skin texture, and Lotus leaf texture) were compared at an inlet velocity of 20 m/s. Results indicate that the biomimetic textures significantly increased total drag force (up to 1,26 times) and pressure drop (up to 403 Pa), acting as surface roughness rather than drag reducers. This suggests that the scale of the textures was too large relative to the boundary layer, leading to increased turbulence. Future research should focus on micro-scale optimization to achieve potential drag reduction benefits.