Study into effects of vortex generators on a supercritical wing

Abstract

Flows around vortex generators (VGs), which serve as one of the important flow control methods, are investigated by solving Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The influences on the main flow of VGs are intended to explore. Firstly, the flow around a single VG on a flat plane is computed to validate the schemes and to acquire basic knowledge of this kind of flow. Secondly, the effects of a row of VGs mounted about 25% local chord on a supercritical wing are analyzed in transonic condition with strong SWBLI. Lastly, VGs are mounted more upwind (about 3.5% local chord) to explore the effects at low speed and high incidence condition. The numerical results show that seven VGs can effectively suppress the separations behind the strong SWBLI and decrease spanwise flow and wing-tip vortex in transonic condition. VGs also can decrease the large scope of separation over the wing at low speed with high angle of attack. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.