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At least 91 records · Page 5

An Experimental Study of Dynamic Stall on Advanced Airfoil Sections: Hot-Wire and Hot Film Measurements - Volume 3

Detailed unsteady boundary layer measurements are presented for eight airfoils oscillated in pitch through the dynamic stall regime. The present report (the third of three volumes) describes the techniques developed for analysis and evaluation of the hot film and hot wire signals, offers some interpretation of the results, and tabulates all the cases in which flow reversal has been recorded.

Carr, L. W.↗

Development of High Speed Interferometry Imaging and Analysis Techniques for Compressible Dynamic Stall

The development of a high-speed, phase-locked, realtime, point diffraction interferometry system for quantitative imaging unsteady separated flows is described. The system enables recording of up to 224 interferograms of the dynamic stall flow over an oscillating airfoil using a drum camera at rates of up to 40 KHz controlled by custom designed electronic interlocking circuitry. Several thousand interferograms of the flow have been obtained using this system. A comprehensive image analysis package has been developed for automatic processing of this large number of images. The software has been specifically tuned to address the special characteristics of airfoil flow interferograms. Examples of images obtained using the standard and the high-speed interferometry techniques are presented along with a demonstration of the image processing routine's ability to resolve the fine details present in these images.

Chandrasekhara, M. S.↗

Observations of dynamic stall phenomena using liquid crystal coatings

Novel, shear stress-sensitive/temperature-insensitive liquid crystal coatings have been applied to the surface of an oscillating airfoil in order to ascertain the unsteady fluid physics associated with the dynamic-stall process. Surface microtufts and laser sheet/smoke-particle flow visualization were used to compare the liquid-crystal results. Boundary-layer transition and turbulent separation locations were measured as a function of geometric angle of attack. The results obtained are compared with Eppler (1980) aerodynamic design code predictions.

Reda, Daniel C.↗

Dynamic stall experiments on the NACA 0012 airfoil

The flow over a NACA 0012 airfoil undergoing large oscillations in pitch was experimentally studied at a Reynolds number of and over a range of frequencies and amplitudes. Hot-wire probes and surface-pressure transducers were used to clarify the role of the laminar separation bubble, to delineate the growth and shedding of the stall vortex, and to quantify the resultant aerodynamic loads. In addition to the pressure distributions and normal force and pitching moment data that have often been obtained in previous investigations, estimates of the unsteady drag force during dynamic stall have been derived from the surface pressure measurements. Special characteristics of the pressure response, which are symptomatic of the occurrence and relative severity of moment stall, have also been examined.

Mcalister, K. W.↗

Dynamic stall of an oscillating wing. Part 1: Evaluation of turbulence models

Unsteady flowfields of a two-dimensional oscillating wing are calculated using an implicit, finite-difference, Navier-Stokes numerical scheme using five widely used turbulence models. The objective of this study is to identify an appropriate turbulence model for accurate simulation of three-dimensional dynamic stall. Three unsteady flow conditions corresponding to attached flow, light-stall, and deep-stall of an oscillating wing experiment were chosen as test cases for computations. Results of unsteady airload hysteresis curves, harmonics of unsteady pressures, and instantaneous flow pictures are presented. Comparison of unsteady airloads with experiment show that all models are deficient in some sense and not a single model predicts all airloads consistently and in agreement with experiment for all flow conditions. For the attached flow condition, the Renormalization Group Theory (RNG), the Johnoson-King (J-K), and the Spalart-Allmaras (S-A) models have better performance. The Baldwin-Lomax (B-L) and the Baldwin-Barth (B-B) models fair poorly. At the light-stall condition, the results for the RNG, the J-K, and S-A models are in agreement with experiment for the upstroke but they all over predict the separation shown by the experiment and therefore have bigger hysteresis loops than experimental results. The B-B model results are also in good agreement for upstroke but have poor lift hysteresis for downstroke. It has superior drag and pitching-moment predictions. For deep-stall conditions, the airloads for the RNG, the B -B, and the S-A models have fair agreement with experiment, but the B-B model performed better at the extreme deep-stall condition. Overall, the RNG model provides significant improvement over the B-L model in all flow regimes with no additional computational cost. The Baldwin-Barth model is the most expensive of the models considered here, costing about 2.5 times that of the Baldwin-Lomax model. Finally, a brief discussion of the effects of grid density, time-step size, and numerical dissipation on the unsteady solutions are also presented.

Srinivasan, G. R.↗

Reattachment studies of an oscillating airfoil dynamic stall flow field

The reattaching flow over an oscillating airfoil executing large amplitude sinusoidal motion around a mean angle of attack of 10 degrees has been studied using the techniques of stroboscopic schlieren, two component laser Doppler velocimetry and point diffraction interferometry, for a free stream Mach number of 0.3 and a reduced frequency of 0.05. The results show that the dynamically stalled flow reattaches in a process that begins when the airfoil is very close to the static stall angle on its downward stroke and progresses over the airfoil through a large range of angles of attack as the airfoil decreases to about 6 degrees. The airfoil suction peak shows a dramatic rise as the static stall angle is approached and the velocity profiles develop such that the flow near the surface is accelerated. The process completes through the disappearance of a separation bubble that forms over the airfoil.

Ahmed, S.↗

A method for analyzing dynamic stall of helicopter rotor blades

A model for each of the basic flow elements involved in the unsteady stall of a two-dimensional airfoil in incompressible flow is presented. The interaction of these elements is analyzed using a digital computer. Computations of the loading during transient and sinusoidal pitching motions are in good qualitative agreement with measured loads. The method was used to confirm that large torsional response of helicopter blades detected in flight tests can be attributed to dynamic stall.

Crimi, P.↗

Dynamic stall study of a multi-element airfoil

Unsteady flow behavior and load characteristics of a VR-7 airfoil with and without a slat were studied in the water tunnel of the Aeroflightdynamics Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center. Both airfoils were oscillated sinusoidally between 5 and 25 degrees at a Reynolds number of 200,000 to obtain the unsteady lift, drag and pitching moment data. A fluorescing dye was released from an orifice located at the leading edge of the airfoil for the purpose of visualizing the boundary layer and wake flow. The flow field and load predictions of an incompressible Navier-Stokes code based on a velocity-vorticity formulation were compared with the test data. The test and predictions both confirm that the slatted VR-7 airfoil delays both static and dynamic stall as compared to the VR-7 airfoil alone.

Tung, Chee↗

Characterization of dynamic stall phenomenon using two-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations

Among the new significant aspects of the present work are: (1) the treatment of the far-field boundary; (2) the use of C-grid topology, with the branch-cut singularity treated analytically; (3) evaluation of the effect of the envelope of prevailing initial states, and finally; (4) the ability to employ streakline/pathline 'visualization' to probe the unsteady features prevailing in vortex-dominated flows. The far-field boundary is placed at infinity, using appropriate grid stretching. This contributes to the accuracy of the solutions, but raised a number of important issues which needed to be resolved; this includes determining the equivalent time-dependent circulation for the pitching airfoil. A secondary counter-clockwise vortex erupts from within the boundary layer and immediately pinches off the energetic leading-edge shear layer which then, through hydrodynamic instability, rolls up into the dynamic stall vortex. The streakline/pathline visualization serves to provide information for insight into the physics of the unsteady separated flow.

Ghia, K. N.↗

The quest for stall-free dynamic lift

During the past decade, numerous major effects have addressed the question of how to control or alleviate dynamic stall effects on helicopter rotors, but little concrete evidence of any significant reduction of the adverse characteristics of the dynamic stall phenomenon has been demonstrated. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the control of dynamic stall is an achievable goal. Experiments performed at the US Army Aeroflight-dynamics Directorate more than a decade ago demonstrated that dynamic stall is not an unavoidable penalty of high amplitude motion, and that airfoils can indeed operate dynamically at angles far above the static-stall angle without necessarily forming a stall vortex. These experiments, one of them featuring a slat that was designed from static airfoil considerations, showed that unsteadiness can be a very beneficial factor in the development of high-lift devices for helicopter rotors. The experience drawn from these early experiments is now being focused on a program for the alleviation of dynamic-stall effects on helicopter rotors. The purpose of this effort is to demonstrate that rotor stall can be controlled through an improved understanding of the unsteady effects on airfoil stall and to document the role of specific means that lead to stall alleviation in the three dimensional unsteady environment of helicopter rotors in forward flight. The first concept to be addressed in this program will be a slatted airfoil. A two dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes code has been modified to compute the flow around a two-element airfoil.

Tung, C.↗

High-Speed Experiments on Combustion-Powered Actuation for Dynamic Stall Suppression

This work documents high-speed wind tunnel experiments conducted on a pitching airfoil equipped with an array of combustion-powered actuators (COMPACT). The main objective of these experiments was to demonstrate the stall-suppression capability of COMPACT on a high-lift rotorcraft airfoil, the VR-12, at relevant Mach numbers. Through dynamic pressure measurements at the airfoil surface it was shown that COMPACT can positively affect the stall behavior of the VR-12 at Mach numbers up to 0.4. Static airfoil results demonstrated 25% and 50% increases in post-stall lift at Mach numbers of 0.4 and 0.3, respectively. Deep dynamic stall results showed cycle-averaged lift coefficient increases up to 11% at Mach 0.4. Furthermore, it was shown that these benefits could be achieved with relatively few pulses during down-stroke and with no need to pre-anticipate the stall event. The flow mechanisms responsible for stall suppression were investigated using particle image velocimetry.

Matalanis, Claude↗

Fluid mechanics of dynamic stall. I - Unsteady flow concepts

Advanced military aircraft 'supermaneuverability' requirements entail the sustained operation of airfoils at stalled flow conditions. The present work addresses the effects of separated flow on vehicle dynamics; an analytic method is presented which employs static experimental data to predict the separated flow effect on incompressible unsteady aerodynamics. The key parameters in the analytic relationship between steady and nonsteady aerodynamics are the time-lag before a change of flow conditions can affect the separation-induced aerodynamic loads, the accelerated flow effect, and the moving wall effect.

Ericsson, L. E.↗

An experimental study of dynamic stall on advanced airfoil section. Volume 2: Pressure and force data

Experimentally derived force and moment data are presented for eight airfoil sections that were tested at fixed and varying incidence in a subsonic two dimensional stream. Airfoil incidence was varied through sinusoidal oscillations in pitch over a wide range of amplitude and frequency. The surface pressure distribution, as well as the lift, drag, and pitching moment derived therefrom, are displayed in a uniform fashion to delineate the static and dynamic characteristics of each airfoil both in and out of stall.

Mcalister, K. W.↗

Dynamic stall effects and applications to high performance aircraft

Recent research conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center on the effects of large amplitude pitching motions on the aerodynamic characteristics of modern fighter aircraft configurations is highlighted. Wind tunnel tests were conducted on simple flat-plate wings to gain understanding of the complex flow phenomena during unsteady motions at high angles of attack. Studies then progressed to a representative modern fighter configuration. Using a computer controlled dynamic apparatus, tests were conducted to investigate effects of pitch rate and motion time history and to determine the persistence of unsteady effects. Data were also obtained in sideslip and with control surface deflections to investigate dynamic effects on lateral stability and available control power. Force and moment data were obtained using a 6-component internal strain-gage balance. To aid in the interpretation of the results, flow visualization using a laser light-sheet system was also obtained. Results of these tests are discussed, along with their implications on the maneuverability of future advanced airplanes designed to operate in the highly dynamic, high angle-of-attack environment.

Brandon, Jay M.↗

Investigation of nonlinear inviscid and viscous flow effects in the analysis of dynamic stall

A method for analyzing unsteady airfoil stall was refined by including nonlinear effects in the representation of the inviscid flow. Certain other aspects of the potential-flow model were reexamined and the effects of varying Reynolds number on stall characteristics were investigated. Refinement of the formulation improved the representation of the flow and chordwise pressure distribution below stall, but substantial quantitative differences between computed and measured results are still evident for sinusoidal pitching through stall. Agreement is substantially improved by assuming the growth rate of the dead-air region at the onset of leading-edge stall is of the order of the component of the free stream normal to the airfoil chordline. The method predicts the expected increase in the resistance to stalling with increasing Reynolds number. Results indicate that a given airfoil can undergo both trailing-edge and leading-edge stall under unsteady conditions.

Crimi, P.↗

Recent developments in dynamic stall

Tests were performed on an airfoil in a low-turbulence subsonic wind tunnel at fixed incidence for different speeds of the wind, the airfoil being in translatory motion normal or parallel to the wind. The resulting aerodynamic forces and moment on the airfoil were measured along with local pressure and skin friction. When the incidence is small and the boundary layer attached, no unsteady effects were observed. However, for a large incidence (16 deg), in the case of boundary layer separation, strong unsteady effects are revealed when the boundary layer is reattached in periodic flow. Reattachment can be explained assuming that for the same value of free stream velocity, the gradient of the modulus of the periodic component of the relative airspeed at the upper surface of the airfoil in a direction normal to this surface is greater than the gradient of the relative air speed at the upper surface when the airfoil is not oscillating.

Mccroskey, W. J.↗

Analysis of strong-interaction dynamic stall for laminar flow on airfoils

A compressible Navier-Stokes solution procedure is applied to the flow about an isolated airfoil. Two major problem areas were investigated. The first area is that of developing a coordinate system and an initial step in this direction has been taken. An airfoil coordinate system obtained from specification of discrete data points developed and the heat conduction equation has been solved in this system. Efforts required to allow the Navier-Stokes equations to be solved in this system are discussed. The second problem area is that of obtaining flow field solutions. Solutions for the flow about a circular cylinder and an isolated airfoil are presented. In the former case, the prediction is shown to be in good agreement with data.

Gibeling, H. J.↗

Dynamic stall of an oscillating airfoil

Unsteady separated boundary layers and wakes were studied by investigating flow past an oscillating airfoil which in part models the retreating blade stall on the helicopters. The Navier-Stokes equations in terms of the vorticity and stream function for laminar flow were solved to determine the flow field around a modified NACA 0012 airfoil. After a fully developed flow was determined at zero incidence, the airfoil was oscillated in pitch through an angle of attack range from 0 deg to 20 deg. The computed streamlines during this pitch-up motion are in qualitative agreement with the trajectories of air bubbles observed in water tunnel experiments conducted with a NACA 0012 airfoil under the same conditions. During the pitch-down motion of the airfoil, the computed flow patterns cannot be compared with the experiments because the trajectories of air bubbles intersect.

Mehta, U. B.↗