Book Description

The present research work has been concerned with the measurement and computation of incompressible turbulent flow development around single and multi-element aerofoils. Detailed measurements of the mean velocity and turbulence stress fields over NACA 4412 aerofoil and NACA 4415 flap section are made using a flying hot-wire system. The results are analyzed and characteristics of the mean flow and turbulence field development as a function of angle of attack and flap gap/deflection are presented. The results indicate increasing intermittent separation over single aerofoil with increase in angle of incidence. A large separation is observed for multi-element cases at large incidences (......) accompanied by high turbulence levels observed in the separated shear layers. The effectiveness of the flap in the multi-element aerofoil as a source of additional lift is observed only at low angles of attack (......) and with moderate flap deflections only. The numerical computations are carried out by solving Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations employing both the standard .... and Reynolds stress (RSM) turbulence models using a commercially available CFD package. The problems associated with geometry complexity, deriving from closely coupled configuration of multi-element aerofoils, are overcome by employing structured computational grids using curvilinear coordinates. The comparison of computations with experimental results for single element aerofoil gives reasonable accuracy at low angles of attack (....) using both turbulence models. However, for the multi-element aerofoil discrepancies are observed near the trailing edge of the main aerofoil at large incidences even with RSM, implying the insufficient and simplifying assumptions used in modeled terms which are unable to deal with complex flow features observed in the present investigation. It is recommended that the various modeled terms (such as pressure-strain) be reexamined to take into account the curved mixing layers.