In this study, aerodynamic characteristics of a NACA0012 airfoil section whose part of the skin of the upper surface was constructed of polydimethylsiloxane membrane (PDMS) were experimentally studied in a wind tunnel at a Reynolds number (based on the airfoil chord length) of . The aim of this concept is to take advantage of passive vibration of an elastic membrane in the air to enhance mixing, which energizes the flow near the blade surface. As a result, flow separation on blades can be delayed or even suppressed, widening the usable range of angles of attack for a general-purpose airfoil having a wide range of applications. During the experiment, the blade model was connected to a rotary table with an attached stepper motor, which allowed the angle of attack to vary. A two-component balance was used to measure the lift and drag forces on models, and a smoke-wire technique was adopted to visualize the flowfield around the tested airfoil. Influences of geometric parameters of the PDMS on the effectiveness of flow separation control over the airfoil were systematically analyzed. The results suggested that with the appropriate thickness and Young’s modulus the airfoil having the leading-edge membrane displayed better aerodynamic characteristics such as a delay in dynamic stall angle and higher lift-to-drag ratio at relatively large angles of attack compared to its conventional counterpart. As PDMS is an inexpensive, durable, and readily available material, the present study therefore provides a potentially feasible approach for passive flow separation control in numerous aeronautical and turbomachine applications.
Experimental Study of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Partially Flexible NACA0012 Airfoil
AIAA Journal ; 60 , 9 ; 5386-5400
2022-06-14
15 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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