4002771

Go-Faster Strips, Stripes, Riblets, etc.: Speedskating Drag Reduction and the 'Lost Dutchman Olympic Gold Mine'

(Bänder und Streifen für eine höhere Geschwindigkeit etc.: Reduzierung des Luftwiderstandes im Eisschnellauf)

The American Speedwyre® technology is claimed to trip turbulence in the downstream boundary layer which reduces the drag. The Dutch 'Go-Faster Stripe' may also use the trip wire effect. However, it also incorporates a zigzag V-shape similar to the riblet effect. The Dutch version may have some similarity with the riblet -- reducing the tangential drag although probably not down to the flat plate limit. The V-shapes must modify the downstream boundary layer in such a way that the pressure is more nearly equalized in the upstream-downstream directions. Apparently this drops the pressure drag force more than the Speedwyre® does. The claimed decrease in elapsed time (up to nearly 7 seconds for a 5000 meter race) is close to what would be expected from the riblet effect but the dimensions do not appear to be close to those usually associated with riblets. It seems likely that the V-shape strips generate vortices which keep the air flow close to the skater rather than letting it separate into a broad boundary layer which would have more drag. It would be surprising if the Dutch have reached the optimum design. It is likely that there is more Olympic Gold to be mined here. Who's got a wind tunnel?
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Schlagworte: Analyse Bekleidung Biomechanik Eisschnelllauf Geschwindigkeit Hilfsgerät Hochleistungssport Inlineskating Leistungssport USA
Notationen: Ausdauersportarten Naturwissenschaften und Technik
Veröffentlicht: 1998
Dokumentenarten: elektronische Publikation
Multimediadokument
Sprache: Englisch
Level: hoch