Visualization of Unsteady Separated Flow About a Pitching Delta Wing

Abstract

Unsteady separated flows produced by three different delta wings driven with constant pitch rates were investigated using high speed flow visualization. The large scale vortices produced were initially similar to those produced above delta wings driven sinusoidally. Subsequently, the vortices either convected away from the wing or were broken up by the complex three- dimensional flow field. Both initiation and development of the leading edge vortices were dependent upon planform geometry and nondimensional pitch rate. Variations in vortex characteristics and duration with spanwise position were also noted. Smoke wire visualization proved a valuable tool in assessing three- dimensional characteristics of the unsteady flow field. (edc)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 12, 1987
Accession Number
ADA227962

Entities

People

  • F. Gilliam
  • J. Wissler
  • Jason Walker
  • Michael Robinson

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Brushless Dc Motors
  • Delta Wings
  • Flow Fields
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Geometry
  • Leading Edges
  • Photographs
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Steady Flow
  • Swept Wings
  • Three Dimensional
  • Turbulent Mixing
  • Two Dimensional
  • Unsteady Flow

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.