scholarly journals Aerodynamic characteristics of owl like airfoil at low reynolds number.

Author(s):  
Ishfaq Fayaz ◽  
Syeeda Needa Fathima ◽  
Y.D. Dwivedi

The computational investigation of aerodynamic characteristics and flow fields of a smooth owl-like airfoil without serrations and velvet structures.The bioinspired airfoil design is planned to serve as the main-wing for low-reynolds number aircrafts such as (MAV)micro air vechiles.The dependency of reynolds number on aerodynamics could be obtained at low reynolds numbers.The result of this experiment shows the owl-like airfoil is having high lift performance at very low speeds and in various wind conditions.One of the unique feature of owl airfoil is a separation bubble on the pressure side at low angle of attack.The separation bubble changes location from the pressure side to suction side as the AOA (angle of attack) increases. The reynolds number dependancy on the lift curve is insignificant,although there’s difference in drag curve at high angle of attacks.Eventually, we get the geometric features of the owl like airfoil to increase aerodynamic performance at low reynolds numbers.

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-285
Author(s):  
Katsuya Hirata ◽  
◽  
Ryo Nozawa ◽  
Shogo Kondo ◽  
Kazuki Onishi ◽  
...  

[abstFig src='/00280003/02.jpg' width=""300"" text='Iso-Q surfaces of very-slow flow past an iNACA0015' ] The airfoil is often used as the elemental device for flying/swimming robots, determining its basic performances. However, most of the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil have been investigated at Reynolds numbers Re’s more than 106. On the other hand, our knowledge is not enough in low Reynolds-number ranges, in spite of the recent miniaturisation of robots. In the present study, referring to our previous findings (Hirata et al., 2011), we numerically examine three kinds of high-performance airfoils proposed for very-low Reynolds numbers; namely, an iNACA0015 (the NACA0015 placed back to front), an FPBi (a flat plate blended with iNACA0015 as its upper half) and an FPBN (a flat plate blended with the NACA0015 as its upper half), in comparison with such basic airfoils as a NACA0015 and an FP (a flat plate), at a Reynolds number Re = 1.0 × 102 using two- and three-dimensional computations. As a result, the FPBi shows the best performance among the five kinds of airfoils.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Pal Singh ◽  
S. H. Winoto ◽  
D. A. Shah ◽  
K. G. Lim ◽  
Robert E. K. Goh

Abstract Performance characteristics of some low Reynolds number airfoils for the use in micro air vehicles (MAVs) are computationally studied using XFOIL at a Reynolds number of 80,000. XFOIL, which is based on linear-vorticity stream function panel method coupled with a viscous integral formulation, is used for the analysis. In the first part of the study, results obtained from the XFOIL have been compared with available experimental data at low Reynolds numbers. XFOIL is then used to study relative aerodynamic performance of nine different airfoils. The computational analysis has shown that the S1223 airfoil has a relatively better performance than other airfoils considered for the analysis.


Author(s):  
Dongli Ma ◽  
Guanxiong Li ◽  
Muqing Yang ◽  
Shaoqi Wang

Laminar separation and transition have significant effects on aerodynamic characteristics of the wing under the condition of low Reynolds numbers. Using the flow control methods to delay and eliminate laminar separation has great significance. This study uses the method combined with water tunnel test and numerical calculation to research the effects of suction flow control on the flow state and aerodynamic force of the wing at low Reynolds numbers. The effects of suction flow rate and suction location on laminar separation, transition and aerodynamic performance of the wing are further researched. The results of the research show that, the suction can control laminar separation and transition effectively, when the suction holes are in the interior of the separation bubble, and close to the separation point, the suction has the best control effect. When the Reynolds number is Re = 3.0 × 105, the suction flow control can make the lift-to-drag ratio of the wing increase by 8.62%, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing are improved effectively.


Author(s):  
M.P. Uthra ◽  
A. Daniel Antony

Most admirable and least known features of low Reynolds number flyers are their aerodynamics. Due to the advancements in low Reynolds number applications such as Micro Air vehicles (MAV), Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and wind turbines, researchers’ concentrates on Low Reynolds number aerodynamics and its effect on aerodynamic performance. The Laminar Separation Bubble (LSB) plays a deteriorating role in affecting the aerodynamic performance of the wings. The parametric study has been performed to analyse the flow around cambered, uncambered wings with different chord and Reynolds number in order to understand the better flow characteristics, LSB and three dimensional flow structures. The computational results are compared with experimental results to show the exact location of LSB. The presence of LSB in all cases is evident and it also affects the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. There is a strong formation of vortex in the suction side of the wing which impacts the LSB and transition. The vortex structures impact on the LSB is more and it also increases the strength of the LSB throughout the span wise direction.


Author(s):  
Roberto Pacciani ◽  
Michele Marconcini ◽  
Andrea Arnone ◽  
Francesco Bertini

A study of the separated flow in high-lift, low-Reynolds-number cascade, has been carried out using a novel three-equation, transition-sensitive, turbulence model. It is based on the coupling of an additional transport equation for the so-called laminar kinetic energy with the Wilcox k-ω model. Such an approach takes into account the increase of the non-turbulent fluctuations in the pre-transitional and transitional region. Two high-lift cascades (T106C and T108), recently tested at the von Ka´rma´n Institute in the framework of the European project TATMo (Turbulence and Transition Modelling for Special Turbomachinery Applications), were analyzed. The two cascades have different loading distributions and suction side diffusion rates, and therefore also different separation bubble characteristics and loss levels. The analyzed Reynolds number values span the whole range typically encountered in aeroengines low-pressure turbines operations. Several expansion ratios for steady inflow conditions characterized by different freestream turbulence intensities were considered. A detailed comparison between measurements and computations, including bubble structural characteristics, will be presented and discussed. Results with the proposed model show its ability to predict the evolution of the separated flow region, including bubble bursting phenomena, in high-lift cascades operating in LP-turbine conditions.


Author(s):  
Rajesh Yadav ◽  
Aslesha Bodavula

Time accurate numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the effect of triangular cavities on the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of NACA 0012 airfoil at a Reynolds number of 50,000. Right-angled triangular cavities are placed at 10%, 25% and 50% chord location on the suction and have depths of 0.025c and 0.05c, measured normal to the surface of the airfoil. The second-order accurate solution to the RANS equations is obtained using a pressure-based finite volume solver with a four-equation transition turbulence model, γ–Re θt, to model the effect of turbulence. The two-dimensional results suggest that the cavity of depth 0.025c at 10% chord improves the aerodynamic efficiency ( l/d ratio) by 52%, at an angle of attack of α = 8°, wherein the flow is steady. The shallower triangular cavity when placed at 25%c and 50%c enhances the l/d ratio by only 10% and 17%, respectively, in the steady-state regime of angles of attack between α = 6° and 10°. The deeper cavity also enhances the l/d ratio by up to 13%, 22% and 14% at angles of attack between α = 6° and 10°. Even in the unsteady vortex shedding regime, at α =12° and higher, significant improvements in the time-averaged l/d ratios are observed for both cavity depths. The improvements in l/d ratio in the steady-state, pre-stall regime are primarily because of drag reduction while in the post-stall, unsteady regime, the improvements are because of enhancements in time-averaged C l values. The current finding can thus be used to enhance the aerodynamic performance of MAVs and UAVs that fly at low Reynolds numbers.


Author(s):  
Alberto Di Sante ◽  
Rene´ Van den Braembussche

The impact of Coriolis forces on low Reynolds number decelerating flows is studied by means of time resolved Particle Image Velocimetry in a 6° diverging channel. Measurements are made with a high speed camera and a continuous light source rotating at the same speed as the rotating channel. This allows a direct and accurate recording of the time varying relative velocity. The Reynolds number can be varied from 3 000 to 30 000 in combination with a change of rotation number between 0.0 and 0.33. These values are characteristic for the flow in the blade passage of centrifugal impellers used in micro gasturbines. Increasing rotation stabilizes the flow on the suction side. The peak turbulence intensity shifts away from the wall with a small increase of its amplitude. The turbulence intensity on the pressure side increases its peak value and concentrates closer to the wall when increasing rotation. Instantaneous flow field analyses indicate that elongated vortical structures characterize the boundary layer in the stationary case and on the pressure side of the rotating channel. Isotropic vortices develop relatively distant from the wall on the suction side. Their position and size are tracked in time by means of a wavelet analysis.


1993 ◽  
Vol 246 ◽  
pp. 675-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Green ◽  
J. H. Gerrard

The technique of the particle streak method has been applied to the study of bluff-body wakes at low Reynolds number. Vorticity and shear stress were measured to an accuracy of 15–20%. The vortex shedding cycles at Reynolds number of 73 and 226 are shown and the differences between the two are highlighted. Quantitative descriptions of the previously described vortex splitting phenomenon in the near wake are made, which leads to a description of the vortex shedding mechanism at low Reynolds number. The definition of low-Reynolds-number formation region length is examined. The strength of shed vortices obtained from integration of the vorticity is compared with directly measured vortex strengths and with the results of two-dimensional numerical analysis.


Author(s):  
Toyotaka Sonoda ◽  
Heinz-Adolf Schreiber

As a part of an innovative aerodynamic design concept for a single stage low pressure turbine, a high turning outlet guide vane is required to remove the swirl from the hot gas. The airfoil of the vane is a highly loaded compressor airfoil that has to operate at very low Reynolds numbers (Re ∼ 120,000). Recently published numerical design studies and experimental analysis on alternatively designed airfoils showed that blade profiles with an extreme front loaded pressure distribution are advantageous for low Reynolds number conditions. The advantage even holds true for an increased inlet Mach number at which the peak Mach number on the airfoils reaches and exceeds the critical conditions (Mss > 1.0). This paper discusses the effect of the inlet Mach number and Reynolds number on the cascade performance for both a controlled diffusion airfoil (CDA) (called baseline) and a numerically optimized front loaded airfoil. The results show that it is advantageous to design the profile with a fairly steep pressure gradient immediately at the front part in order to promote early transition or to prevent too large laminar — even shock induced — separations with the risk of a bubble burst. Profile Mach number distributions and wake traverse data are presented for design and off-design conditions. The discussion of Mach number distributions and boundary layer behavior is supported by numerical results obtained from the blade-to-blade flow solver MISES.


2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 694-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toyotaka Sonoda ◽  
Heinz-Adolf Schreiber

As a part of an innovative aerodynamic design concept for a single stage low pressure turbine, a high turning outlet guide vane is required to remove the swirl from the hot gas. The airfoil of the vane is a highly loaded compressor airfoil that has to operate at very low Reynolds numbers (Re∼120,000). Recently published numerical design studies and experimental analysis on alternatively designed airfoils showed that blade profiles with an extreme front loaded pressure distribution are advantageous for low Reynolds number conditions. The advantage even holds true for an increased inlet Mach number at which the peak Mach number on the airfoils reaches and exceeds the critical conditions (Mss>1.0). This paper discusses the effect of the inlet Mach number and Reynolds number on the cascade performance for both a controlled diffusion airfoil (CDA) (called baseline) and a numerically optimized front loaded airfoil. The results show that it is advantageous to design the profile with a fairly steep pressure gradient immediately at the front part in order to promote early transition or to prevent too large laminar—even shock induced—separations with the risk of a bubble burst. Profile Mach number distributions and wake traverse data are presented for design and off-design conditions. The discussion of Mach number distributions and boundary layer behavior is supported by numerical results obtained from the blade-to-blade flow solver MISES.


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