Active Flow Control on a S10 Glider Configuration

Abstract

This paper presents active flow control results using periodic excitation on a wing section with a plain flap of a Stemme S10 glider configuration. The experiments were carried out in a closed loop wind tunnel at a Reynolds number of \(Re_c=1.75\cdot 10^6\). A periodic pulsating jet, introduced from the suction side of the flap near the separation area, was used to delay flow separation for a flap angle greater than 16°. The control of the detached flow on the flap leads to an increase in lift and a reduction in drag, resulting in an improvement of the lift-to-drag ratio of up to 25 percent. The aerodynamic forces and torques were determined by a six-component balance. In addition, pressure measurements in the middle section of the model as well as TR-PIV measurements were carried out. All experiments were conducted in the Collaborative Research Centre 557 Control of Complex Shear Flows set up at the Berlin University of Technology.