Dynamic pitching effect on a laminar separation bubble

Abstract

The unsteady effect of a periodic pitching motion on the characteristic of a laminar separation bubble on the suction side of a SD7003 aerofoil is investigated by means of time-resolved planar and tomographic particle image velocimetry. The measurements provide information on the separation, transition and vortex roll-up onset as well as the spanwise distribution of vortical structures, for both the dynamic pitching between 4° and 8° and corresponding cases at a static pitch angle. During pitching, a clear hysteresis behaviour is observed for the vortex roll-up position and shedding frequency, showing a strongly delayed recovery of the shear layer with respect to the steady aerofoil case. The development of the shear layer transition exhibits initially 2D Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers that are interrupted, forming Λ-shaped rollers, which eventually evolve into 3D arch-shaped hairpin structures. The 3D analysis of undulated rollers allowed the determination of the rollers streamwise spatial separation for both static and pitching aerofoil cases.