Unsteady Flow Separation and Attachment Induced by Pitching Airfoils

Abstract

The dynamics of induced, separated vortices generated from sinusoidal airfoil oscillations were examined across a range of unsteady flow parameters. Leading edge vortical initiation, development, and interaction with trailing edge vorticity were summarized via stroboscopic flow visualization and hotwire anemometry. Results indicate the sensitivity of vortical development at both leading and trailing edges to reduced frequency parameter and magnitude of oscillation angle. Certain optimal parametric conditions resulted in dramatic interactions of leading and trailing edge vorticity. At diminished oscillation angles, separated flow attachment was evident in the absence of the large induced vortical structures characteristic of large oscillation amplitudes. (sdw)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 13, 1983
Accession Number
ADA217785

Entities

People

  • Marvin W. Luttges
  • Michael C. Robinson

Organizations

  • University of Colorado Boulder

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Data Acquisition
  • Flow
  • Flow Fields
  • Flow Separation
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Leading Edges
  • Measurement
  • Reynolds Number
  • Trailing Edges
  • Turbulent Flow
  • Unsteady Flow
  • Viscous Flow

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.