Design, analysis and comparative study of bio-inspired surface texturing for enhanced drag reduction in rotating hydrodynamic lubrication regimes

Reducing power losses in tribological systems is crucial for improving mechanical efficiency and sustainability. This study leverages biomimicry in surface engineering to create bio-inspired textures that enhance hydrodynamic lubrication in rotating discs applications by reducing drag torque. Seven nature examples are designed and parametrized. Then, a flow dynamics model, developed using ANSYS Fluent, and validated against published results, simulates fluid behavior between rotating discs in the low-speed regime (<1500 rpm), examining the interplay between texture characteristics and flow mechanics. Conducted under the Basic Research Project WetSURF, this research underscores the pivotal role of bio-inspired surface texturing in improving tribological performance and provides valuable insights into bio-intelligent design strategies for advanced mechanical systems. • Engineering of bioinspired surface textures for drag torque reduction of rotating thin films. • Comparative study of pillar, groove and ridge geometries. • Effect of texture shape, aspect ratio and directionality on hydrodynamic lubrication. • Correlation of drag torque and inlet pressure.