3 ms·
Super interesting - is a perfectly smooth cylinder most desirable? or should it be a little rough in order to better tug on the air as it spins?
by voldacar 6y ago
Super interesting - is a perfectly smooth cylinder most desirable? or should it be a little rough in order to better tug on the air as it spins?
- cadence- 6y agoOn photos it always looks smooth. I guess you also need to make sure it doesn’t cause too much drag when not in use (for example, if you travel against the wind).
- blacksmith_tb 6y agoI wondered that as well - I suppose the added weight/complexity of using vanes that could be folded in (sort of like a big turbocharger) must not be worth any gains. Hard to beat the simplicity of a big tube.
- hliyan 6y agoTheoretically, there is no aerodynamic difference between a rotating, perfectly smooth cylinder and a non-rotating one. I'm not a physicist, but judging by the fact that basketballs tend to perform best in popular Magnus effect demonstrations, I'm assuming some surface texture is necessary.