Evaluation of Hydrodynamic Drag on Experimental Fouling-release Surfaces, using Rotating Disks

Fouling by biofilms significantly increases frictional drag on ships' hulls. A device, the friction disk machine, designed to measure torque on rotating disks, was used to examine differences among experimental fouling-release coatings in the drag penalty due to accumulated biofilms. Penalties were measured as the percentage change in the frictional resistance coefficient Cf. Drag penalties due to microfouling ranged from 9% to 29%, comparable to previously reported values. An antifouling control coating showed a smaller drag penalty than the fouling-release coatings. There were also significant differences among the fouling-release coatings in drag due to biofilm formation. These results indicate that the friction disk machine may serve as a valuable tool for investigating the effects of experimental coatings, both antifouling and fouling-release, on microfouling and associated drag penalties.

[1]  George I. Loeb,et al.  The Influence of Microbial Fouling Films on Hydrodynamic Drag of Rotating Discs , 1984 .

[2]  M Atlar,et al.  The Measurement of the Drag Characteristics of Tin-free Self-polishing Co-polymers and Fouling Release Coatings Using a Rotor Apparatus , 2003, Biofouling.

[3]  M. Callow.  Chapter 1 A World-Wide Survey of Slime Formation on Anti-Fouling Paints , 1986 .

[4]  A. C. Birchenough,et al.  The TBT Ban: Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire? , 2000 .

[5]  S. Dexter,et al.  Influence of Substrate Wettability on the Attachment of Marine Bacteria to Various Surfaces , 1975, Applied microbiology.

[6]  Michael P. Schultz,et al.  Frictional Resistance of Antifouling Coating Systems , 2004 .

[7]  Søren Kiil,et al.  Experimental Study of Drag Resistance Using a Laboratory Scale Rotary Set-up , 2003, Biofouling.

[8]  Paul S Granville.  Similarity-Law Characterization Methods for Arbitrary Hydrodynamic Roughnesses. , 1978 .

[9]  J. Stein,et al.  A biological assay for detection of heterogeneities in the surface hydrophobicity of polymer coatings exposed to the marine environment , 2000, Biofouling.

[10]  A Abbott,et al.  Cost-benefit analysis of the use of TBT: the case for a treatment approach. , 2000, The Science of the total environment.

[11]  D. Allison,et al.  The Biofilm Matrix , 2003, Biofouling.

[12]  D. Voltolina,et al.  SLIME FILMS ON ANTIFOULING PAINTS. SHORT-TERM INDICATORS OF LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS , 1985 .

[13]  Stephen C. Dexter,et al.  Influence of substratum critical surface tension on bacterial adhesion—in Situ studies☆ , 1979 .

[14]  R. Townsin.  The Ship Hull Fouling Penalty , 2003, Biofouling.

[15]  M. Schultz,et al.  The influence of biofilms on skin friction drag , 2000, Biofouling.

[16]  M A Champ,et al.  A review of organotin regulatory strategies, pending actions, related costs and benefits. , 2000, The Science of the total environment.

[17]  J. Pringle,et al.  Influence of Substratum Wettability on Attachment of Freshwater Bacteria to Solid Surfaces , 1983, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[18]  M. Schultz,et al.  The effect of biofilms on turbulent boundary layers , 1999 .

[19]  D. J. Finney.  Biological assay. , 1951, British medical bulletin.

[20]  R. L. Fletcher,et al.  Chapter 7 Diatom Communities on Non-Toxic Substrata and Two Conventional Antifouling Surfaces Immersed in Langstone Harbour, South Coast of England. , 1986 .

[21]  Paul Stoodley,et al.  Viscoelastic Properties of a Mixed Culture Biofilm from Rheometer Creep Analysis , 2003, Biofouling.

[22]  M. Schultz,et al.  Comparison of three roughness function determination methods , 2003 .

[23]  Michael,et al.  Lectins probe molecular films in biofouling: characterization of early films on non-living and living surfaces , 1995 .

[24]  C. Alexander,et al.  Bacterial Adhesion at Synthetic Surfaces , 1999, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[25]  L. Ista,et al.  Surface-Grafted, Environmentally Sensitive Polymers for Biofilm Release , 1999, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[26]  A. Milne,et al.  Chapter 10 The Control of Fouling by Non-Biocidal Systems , 1986 .