A Comparison of Different Active Flow Control Methods on a Generic Vertical Tail

Abstract

The use of Active Flow Control (AFC) methods was studied to enhance the performance of a vertical tail plane (VTP). A generic mode scale VTP was used as a joint test case to conduct, both, experiments and simulations and compare their effect and efficiency in generating additional side force at the VTP. Three different methods have been applied: vortex generating devices, tangential blowing and alternately pulsed blowing, each in some different variations and with different mass flow rate. The results show that the choice of the most efficient method is dependent on the overall effect that needs to be created: The vortex generating devices can crate small additional side force with very high efficiency. Alternately blowing pulsed jets require more mass flow rate to be operated, but can achieve larger side force. And finally the tangential blowing can generate large side forces, but eventually requires a noteworthy mass flow rate. For a given rudder deflection, an additional side force coefficient between 0.1 and 0.4 can be generated, the efficiency in terms of the lift gain factor can reach values as high as 100, if only small additional side force is required, but drops to values between 40 and 20, if larger side force is desired.