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Transient Development of a Laminar Separation Bubble Over a Low Reynolds Number Airfoil

delete2026-04-01
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PRE
AI
Z
Zilstra, Alison *
J
Johnson, David A.
DOI:10.1115/1.4070836delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Airfoils operating in low Reynolds number (Re) conditions frequently have a laminar separation bubble (LSB) form as a part of the natural boundary layer (BL) transition. A transient analysis of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) rolls in the LSB uncovered a new pressure feedback process that alters the development of the BL transition. The SD 7037 airfoil at a modest Re of 4.1 & times; 10 4 is studied using large eddy simulation (LES) where a free-shear flow filter length criterion is applied to capture the K-H roll development. Multiple detailed experimental datasets are used to validate the chordwise positioning of the time-averaged LSB and the dominant K-H roll frequency. The K-H rolls are shown to pinch-off from the reverse flow region of the LSB, and the lift-off and subsequent touchdown of the K-H rolls are the source of the pressure feedback. The pressure feedback occurs consistently at 1 deg angle of attack (AOA), resulting in a dominance of the K-H roll frequency throughout the transitional BL. The dominant frequency is relevant to the aeroacoustic performance of low Re airfoils, where K-H rolls at a consistent frequency can generate tonal noise. The intermittent feedback at 5 deg AOA provides a clear distinction between the transition structures during a natural BL transition and feedback-initiated transition. The analysis of the K-H rolls and the discovery of a novel feedback mechanism provide invaluable information for the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of low Re airfoils.
Keywords:
CONTROLLED-DIFFUSION AEROFOIL
DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS
LARGE-EDDY SIMULATION
NOISE
TRANSITION
PREDICTION
FLOW

Journal

J
JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME
IF:
2.4
Papers:
79
Citations:
0

Organization

U
university of waterloo
Scholars:
2.1K
Papers: 1.1K
Citations: 1
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