skin friction reduction on a surface moving relative to a fluid can be obtained by conditioning and ejecting a drag - reducing material , such as a polymer or other high molecular weight material , into the boundary layer . the efficacy of the ejected material is closely related to the hydration and shear stretching of the drag - reducing molecules immediately before ejection . the invention is a method and apparatus for creating a mixture / solution with optimal drag reduction characteristics . the device mixes a drag - reducing substance such as polymer powder , paste , solution or emulsion with a water flow , stretches the polymer molecules to improve hydration , and provides uniform vorticity to the mixture / solution before it is passed into an ejection system . by creating a mixture / solution with improved drag - reduction performance from any of several forms of drag - reducing material , the mixer can improve the performance and reduce the volume and storage requirements of a drag - reduction system .