The steady vortex and enhanced drag effects of dandelion seeds immersed in low-Reynolds-number flow

Dandelion seeds can stably diffuse owing to the dominant drag rather than the lift-based mechanism of the streamlined leaves of the plant, where this is known to favor their long-distance dispersal with the steady vortex attached. However, the generation mechanism of the vortex and the aerodynamic force exerted on the seeds through multiple filaments remain unknown. Clarifying these subjects may help realize the optimal performance of porous structures under different flight conditions. This study conducts numerical simulations to illuminate the influence of gaps and the Reynolds number (Re) on the wake structures and consequent drag force of dandelion seeds. We fabricate the seeds into circular disks composed of evenly distributed square cylinders placed in a vertical flow field with Re of 100 and 400, with the porosity of the pappus (ε) ranging from 0.887 to 0.964. We explain the geometric properties of the attached, steady vortex rings and clarify their generation mechanism, i.e., the base bleed and convection effects competed with vorticity generation, based on which the gaps are confirmed to delay chaotic vortices from occurring compared with the solid case. The weakened leeward pressure is critical for the increase in the drag coefficient to reach the peak level. The enhanced drag coefficient is several times higher than that in the solid case, endowing the seeds with a high loading capacity, and the porosity corresponding to its peak is beneficial for the structural design. These conclusions provide positive insights into the design of ventilated aircrafts with optimal long-distance dispersal performance.