Abstract
The two-dimensional, incompressible flow at Reynolds number based on chord length of 1.3. 106 around an inextensible, massless sail (flexible membrane airfoil) with varying excess length is examined solving the Reynolds-Averaged NavierStokes (RANS) equations on computational grids deforming according to the sail movement. The grid deformation is computed using the same numerical procedure solving the basic equations of displacements for an isotropic, linearly elastic continuum. Results are presented for fully turbulent conditions employing closure models of different degree of complexity in comparison with experimental and analytical results obtained from literature. The sail is modelled as a chain with frictionless hinges. Good agreement can be found for low angle of attack and small excess length. However, for higher angle of attack, approaching onset of separation and beyond, the predictive accuracy varies significantly with the representation of turbulence in conjunction with strong unsteady phenomena.
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