On Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 9:57:56 AM UTC-6, Soartech wrote:
Interesting research!
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea...-uss020618.php

The title says it all, Turbulators. hese are devices for turbulent flows. Sharkskin, V-shaped riblets, mini vortex generators are all devices that can lower drag in turbulent flows, or delay separation for specific conditions. The airfoils of high performance gliders are designed to maintain as much laminar flow on them as possible, since the friction drag on the surface in laminar flow is far less than that of turbulent flow.

A mini VG, turbulator, or zigzag tape might be useful to eliminate a long-bubble separation where the flow transitions from laminar to turbulent, but modern airfoil design typically tries to avoid these bubbles, and thus makes those devices unnecessary.

Just use good laminar flow airfoils....