EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF AN UNSTEADY FLOW FIELD AROUND AN AIRFOIL

A. Hribernik, M. Fike, G. Bombek, M. Hribersek

Abstract

A small wind tunnel where basic aerodynamic properties such as the lift, drag, and pressure distribution of an airfoil can be measured was used to study an unsteady flow-field around an isolated airfoil. Transparent walls enabled the application of PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) so as to acquire a 2D velocity-field around the considered airfoil. A study was performed at various angles of attack (AOA). No separation was observed at low AOA. At 10° AOA, the separation vortex comprised 50 % of the airfoil’s chord-length, whilst complete stalling of the airfoil occurred at 20° AOA. The observed separation zone was not fixed but was found to oscillate around its mean-position at an interval of ± 10 % of the chord’s length.

Keywords

airfoil, flow separation, PIV measurement

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IMEKO-WC-2012-TC9-P1.pdf

DOI

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IMEKO TC

TC9 - Flow Measurement

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