Nonlinear dynamics and synthetic-jet-based control of a canonical separated flow

2010 ◽  
Vol 654 ◽  
pp. 65-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
RUPESH B. KOTAPATI ◽  
RAJAT MITTAL ◽  
OLAF MARXEN ◽  
FRANK HAM ◽  
DONGHYUN YOU ◽  
...  

A novel flow configuration devised for investigation of active control of separated airfoil flows using synthetic jets is presented. The configuration consists of a flat plate, with an elliptic leading edge and a blunt trailing edge, at zero incidence in a free stream. Flow separation is induced on the upper surface of the airfoil at the aft-chord location by applying suction and blowing on the top boundary of the computational domain. Typical separated airfoil flows are generally characterized by at least three distinct frequency scales corresponding to the shear layer instability, the unsteadiness of the separated region and the vortex shedding in the wake, and all these features are present in the current flow. Two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulations of this flow at a chord Reynolds number of 6 × 104 have been carried out to examine the nonlinear dynamics in this flow and its implications for synthetic-jet-based separation control. The results show that there is a strong nonlinear coupling between the various features of the flow, and that the uncontrolled as well as the forced flow is characterized by a variety of ‘lock-on’ states that result from this nonlinear coupling. The most effective separation control is found to occur at the highest forcing frequency for which both the shear layer and the separated region lock on to the forcing frequency. The effects of the Reynolds number on the scaling of the characteristic frequencies of the separated flow and its subsequent control are studied by repeating some of the simulations at a higher Reynolds number of 1 × 105.

2011 ◽  
Vol 681 ◽  
pp. 411-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
HEMANT K. CHAURASIA ◽  
MARK C. THOMPSON

A detailed numerical study of the separating and reattaching flow over a square leading-edge plate is presented, examining the instability modes governing transition from two- to three-dimensional flow. Under the influence of background noise, experiments show that the transition scenario typically is incompletely described by either global stability analysis or the transient growth of dominant optimal perturbation modes. Instead two-dimensional transition effectively can be triggered by the convective Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) shear-layer instability; although it may be possible that this could be described alternatively in terms of higher-order optimal perturbation modes. At least in some experiments, observed transition occurs by either: (i) KH vortices shedding downstream directly and then almost immediately undergoing three-dimensional transition or (ii) at higher Reynolds numbers, larger vortical structures are shed that are also three-dimensionally unstable. These two paths lead to distinctly different three-dimensional arrangements of vortical flow structures. This paper focuses on the mechanisms underlying these three-dimensional transitions. Floquet analysis of weakly periodically forced flow, mimicking the observed two-dimensional quasi-periodic base flow, indicates that the two-dimensional vortex rollers shed from the recirculation region become globally three-dimensionally unstable at a Reynolds number of approximately 380. This transition Reynolds number and the predicted wavelength and flow symmetries match well with those of the experiments. The instability appears to be elliptical in nature with the perturbation field mainly restricted to the cores of the shed rollers and showing the spatial vorticity distribution expected for that instability type. Indeed an estimate of the theoretical predicted wavelength is also a good match to the prediction from Floquet analysis and theoretical estimates indicate the growth rate is positive. Fully three-dimensional simulations are also undertaken to explore the nonlinear development of the three-dimensional instability. These show the development of the characteristic upright hairpins observed in the experimental dye visualisations. The three-dimensional instability that manifests at lower Reynolds numbers is shown to be consistent with an elliptic instability of the KH shear-layer vortices in both symmetry and spanwise wavelength.


Author(s):  
Subhadeep Gan ◽  
Urmila Ghia ◽  
Karman Ghia

Most practical flows in engineering applications are turbulent, and exhibit separation which is generally undesirable because of its adverse effects on performance and efficiency. Therefore, control of turbulent separated flows has been a topic of significant interest as it can reduce separation losses. Often, flow control work employs passive techniques to manipulate the flow. These approaches do not require any additional energy source to achieve the control, but are accompanied by additional viscous losses. However, it is more desirable to employ active techniques as these can be turned on and off, depending on the flow control requirement. Use of synthetic jets has gained popularity in recent times for active flow control because of their ability to transfer linear momentum to the flow system without net-mass injection across the boundary in the vicinity of separation. The present work is Case 3 of the 2004 CFD Validation on Synthetic Jets and Turbulent Separation Control Workshop, http://cfdval2004.larc.nasa.gov/case3.html, conducted by NASA for the flow over a wall-mounted hump. This flow is characterized by a simple geometry, but, nevertheless, is rich in many complex flow phenomena such as shear layer instability, separation, reattachment, and vortex interactions. The baseline case and control case with steady suction has been successfully simulated by Gan et al., (2007 and 2008). The present work is focused on implementing a synthetic jet to achieve flow control. The jet was simulated by implementing an analytical sinusoidal velocity boundary condition at the surface of the jet exit. The jet-exit velocity has a parabolic profile across the control slot, and a sinusoidal temporal variation. The flow is simulated at a Reynolds number of 371,600, based on the hump chord length, C, and a Mach number of 0.04. The synthetic control jet exits through a slot located at approximately 0.65 C. Solutions are obtained using the three-dimensional RANS SST turbulence model, and the DES and LES turbulence modeling approaches. Multiple turbulence modeling approaches help to ascertain what techniques are most appropriate for capturing the physics of this complex separated flow. The location of the reattachment behind the hump is compared with experimental results. The successful control of this turbulent separated flow leads to a reduction in the reattachment length, compared with the baseline case. Velocity contours at several streamwise locations are presented and compared to experimental results. Mean flow parameters such as pressure coefficients and skin-friction coefficient are presented. The paper includes detailed comparisons of turbulent parameters such as the Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) and Reynolds stress profiles, with experimental results. Instantaneous vorticity contours are presented from the simulations. Discussion are presented of the effects of synthetic jet control on flow separation and reattachment and the resulting enhancement of performance and efficiency.


Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Bons ◽  
Jon Pluim ◽  
Kyle Gompertz ◽  
Matthew Bloxham ◽  
John P. Clark

The synchronous application of flow control in the presence of unsteady wakes was studied on a highly-loaded low pressure turbine blade. The L1A blade has a design Zweifel coefficient of 1.34 and a suction peak at 58% axial chord, making it an aft-loaded pressure distribution. Velocity and pressure data were acquired at Rec = 20,000 with 3% incoming freestream turbulence. Unsteady wakes from an upstream vane row are simulated with a moving row of bars at a flow coefficient of 0.76. At this Reynolds number, the blade exhibits a non-reattaching separation bubble beginning at 57% axial chord under steady flow conditions without upstream wakes. The separation zone is modified substantially by the presence of unsteady wakes, producing a smaller separation zone and reducing the area-averaged wake total pressure loss by more than 50%. The wake disturbance accelerates transition in the separated shear layer but stops short of reattaching the flow. Rather, a new time-averaged equilibrium location is established for the separated shear layer, further downstream than without wakes. The focus of this study was the application of pulsed flow control using two spanwise rows of discrete vortex generator jets (VGJs). The VGJs were located at 59% Cx, approximately the peak cp location, and at 72% Cx. The most effective separation control was achieved at the 59% Cx location. Wake total pressure loss decreased 60% from the wake only level and the cp distribution fully recovered its high Reynolds number (attached flow) performance. The VGJ disturbance dominates the dynamics of the separated shear layer, with the wake disturbance assuming a secondary role only. When the pulsed jet actuation (30% duty cycle) was initiated at the 72% Cx location, synchronization with the wake passing frequency (10.6Hz) was key to producing the most effective separation control. A 25% improvement in effectiveness was obtained by aligning the jet actuation between wake events. Evidence suggests that flow control using VGJs will be effective in the highly unsteady LPT environment of an operating gas turbine, provided the VGJ location and amplitude are adapted for the specific blade profile.


1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Buckholz

Questions concerning the functional role of spanwise wing corrugation in living systems are experimentally investigated. Attention was initially directed to this problem by observation of the irregular shape of many insect wings as well as other studies indicating higher lift on these wings. First, a flow visualization scheme was used to observe and photograph streamlines around two different wing sections. One of these, a sheet metal model with geometry matching that of a butterfly wing, was studied at a chord Reynolds number of 1500 and at a Reynolds number of 80 based on corrugation depth. A steady-state recirculation region near the model leading edge was found, and the separated flow region above this recirculation zone formed a laminar reattachment to the model. A second thicker wing was corrugated on the upper surface. Closed streamlines inside these upper surface corrugations were photographed at Reynolds numbers of 8000 and 3800 based on chord length, and 200 and 90 based on corrugation depth. Reductions in pressures on the corrugated upper wing surface relative to a smooth upper wing surface were then measured.


Author(s):  
D. Scott Holloway ◽  
James H. Leylek

This paper documents the computational investigation of the unsteady rollup and breakdown of a turbulent separated shear layer. This complex phenomenon plays a key role in many applications, such as separated flow at the leading edge of an airfoil at off-design conditions; flow through the tip clearance of a rotor in a gas turbine; flow over the front of an automobile or aircraft carrier; and flow through turbulated passages that are used to cool turbine blades. Computationally, this problem poses a significant challenge in the use of traditional RANS-based turbulence models for the prediction of unsteady flows. To demonstrate this point, a series of 2-D and 3-D unsteady simulations have been performed using a variety of well-known turbulence models, including the “realizable” k-ε model, a differential Reynolds stress model, and a new model developed by the present authors that contains physics that account for the effects of local unsteadiness on turbulence. All simulations are fully converged and grid independent in the unsteady framework. A proven computational methodology is used that takes care of several important aspects, including high-quality meshes (2.5 million finite volumes for 3-D simulations) and a discretization scheme that will minimize the effects of numerical diffusion. To isolate the shear layer breakdown phenomenon, the well-studied flow over a blunt leading edge (Reynolds number based on plate half-thickness of 26,000) is used for validation. Surprisingly, none of the traditional eddy-viscosity or Reynolds stress models are able to predict an unsteady behavior even with modifications in the near-wall treatment, repeated adaption of the mesh, or by adding small random perturbations to the flow field. The newly developed unsteady-based turbulence model is shown to predict some important features of the shear layer rollup and breakdown.


2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-Y. Lin ◽  
F.-B. Hsiao

AbstractThis paper experimentally studies flow separation and aerodynamic performance of a NACA633018 wing using a series of piezoelectric-driven disks, which are located at 12% chord length from the leading edge to generate a spanwise-distributed synthetic jets to excite the passing flow. The experiment is conducted in an open-type wind tunnel with Reynolds numbers (Re) of 8 × 104 and 1.2 × 105, respectively, based on the wing chord. The oscillations of the synthetic jet actuators (SJAs) disturb the neighboring passage flow on the upper surface of the wing before the laminar separation takes place. The disturbances of energy influence the downstream development of boundary layers to eliminate or reduce the separation bubble on the upper surface of the wing. Significant lift increase and drag decrease are found at the tested Reynolds number of 8 × 104 due to the actuators excitation. Furthermore, the effect of drag also reduces dominant with increasing Reynolds number, but the increase on lift is reduced with the Reynolds number increased.


Author(s):  
Hai Du ◽  
Zhiwei Shi ◽  
Keming Cheng ◽  
Xuan Jiang ◽  
Zheng Li

The surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator driven by nanosecond pulses is recognized as an effective fluid actuator for flow separation control. The operation condition of nanosecond dielectric barrier discharge actuators for separated flow control still requires further study, particularly prioritizing the improvement of the effectiveness and reducing energy consumption in flow separation control implementation. In this study, experiments are conducted using a two-dimensional NASA SC(2)-0712 airfoil in a wind tunnel with a Reynolds number of 0.5 × 106 (25 m/s). The pressure measurement experiments show that the location of actuators affects the efficiency of separation control. Particle image velocimetry results indicate that the most efficient location of the actuator is upstream of the separation point and near the original point of the separated shear layer. Meanwhile, the particle image velocimetry results show the vorticity attaches to the airfoil wall after discharge, which suggests that the reattachment is due to the generation of large-scale vortices. These present structures result in the mixing of the shear layer with the main flow thereby delaying separation and reattaching a separated flow. This study shows the most efficient location related to the separation point. Furthermore, it indicates the reattachment of flow is attributed to the motion of vortexes coherent structure.


AIAA Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 3789-3806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hikaru Aono ◽  
Soshi Kawai ◽  
Taku Nonomura ◽  
Makoto Sato ◽  
Kozo Fujii ◽  
...  

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