Distributed Mechanical Actuators for Design of a Closed-Loop Flow-Control System (Postprint)
Abstract
This report was developed under a SBIR contract. Active flow control experiments were conducted on a two-dimensional, single-element NACA 4312 airfoil to assess the performance of vortex generators and gurney flaps as lift-enhancing devices for the control of longitudinal dynamics of an air vehicle. The vortex-generators are shown to delay boundary layer separation and provide an increase in the lift coefficient for angles of attack above 12 deg, and the gurney flaps yield a constant shift in the lift curve for all angles of attack up to stall angle. The vortex-generators are most effective when used between 2 to 5% chord, and the gurney flap is most effective when used at the trailing-edge. Experiments from actuators distributed spanwise along the wing reveal that there is minimal interaction between individual gurney flaps at low-to-moderate angles of attack, while, the interactions between the individual vortex-generators are slightly more pronounced at high angles of attack. The effects of these individual actuators can be combined linearly to produce a desired net effect.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA466359
Entities
People
- Mehul P. Patel
- Richard M. Kolacinski
- S. K. Patil
- T. T. Ng