In flow over blunt bodies such as a cylinder, how does the pressure drag differ from the friction drag?

Drag is a force that acts in the opposite direction to an object moving through a fluid, which includes both gases and liquids. It's essential to understand that this force arises due to the interactions between the flowing fluid and the surface of the object. Two primary types of drag that come into play are pressure drag and friction drag.

Pressure drag is related to the pressure distribution around the object. When flow separates from the surface of an object and creates a wake, the pressure behind the object is lower than the pressure in front. This difference in pressure results in a net force that tends to slow the object down. On the other hand, friction drag is due to shear stresses which are caused by the viscosity of the fluid; the interaction with the object's surface creates a resistance to the movement.

Overall, drag affects the amount of energy required for an object to move through a fluid and is a critical factor in designing efficient shapes for vehicles, aircraft, and underwater objects in engineering and physics.

When a fluid flows over blunt bodies, such as cylinders or spheres, it behaves differently than when it flows over streamlined shapes. As the fluid approaches a blunt body, it decelerates abruptly, causing a build-up of pressure at the front of the body, known as the stagnation point.

Beyond the widest point of the body, the flow separates from the surface. This separation leads to a large wake region with lower pressure compared to the flow in front of the body. This difference in pressure results in pressure drag, which is often the dominant force resisting motion in blunt bodies. The sheer size of the wake is indicative of the significant effect of pressure drag, as opposed to more streamlined shapes where the flow attaches smoothly and the wake is minimized.

The boundary layer is a thin layer of fluid that forms on the surface of an object moving through a fluid. Within this layer, fluid velocity changes from zero at the surface to the free stream value away from the surface due to the no-slip condition—a concept indicating that fluid at a solid surface has the same velocity as the surface itself.

Within the boundary layer, viscosity plays a significant role, and shear stresses develop due to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the flow. These shear stresses are responsible for friction drag. The characteristics of the boundary layer, such as its thickness and whether the flow is laminar or turbulent, greatly influence the magnitude of the friction drag and, consequently, the overall drag force on the object.

The Reynolds number is a dimensionless quantity used in fluid mechanics to characterize the flow of fluids. It is represented by the formula \( Re = \frac{{\rho U L}}{{\mu}} \) where \( \rho \) is the density of the fluid, \( U \) is the velocity of flow, \( L \) is a characteristic linear dimension (like diameter for a cylinder), and \( \mu \) is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid.

Reynolds number essentially compares the relative importance of inertial forces to viscous forces in the flow. Lower values of Reynolds number, typically less than 2000, indicate laminar (smooth and orderly) flow conditions, while higher values suggest turbulent flow. The transition behavior significantly affects the type and scale of drag forces acting on the object, as higher Reynolds numbers usually indicate a more pronounced impact of pressure drag over friction drag due to increased flow separation and turbulent wake formation.