Aerodynamics of the turbulent flow around a multi­element airfoil in cruse configuration and in takeoff and landing configuration

Abstract

Numerical modeling of multi-element airfoil's aerodynamics employs the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations of incompressible environment, which are related via a single-parametric differential turbulence model by Spalart-Allmaras. The system of initial equations has been recorded with respect to an arbitrary curvilinear coordinate system. The pressure and velocity fields have been aligned by using an artificial compressibility method modified for calculating the nonstationary problems. The system of initial equations has been integrated numerically by applying a control volume method. The counter-flow Rogers-Kwak approximation has been used for convection flows, based on the Roe scheme of third-order accuracy. The turbulence models, in order to approximate the convection components, employed a TVD scheme with the third-order flow limiter ISNAS. The paper reports results from calculating a turbulent flow around a multi-element airfoil in a wide range of the angles of attack. The result of the current research is the performed analysis of the flow field around a multi-element airfoil, pressure coefficients, the lifting force, as well as the drag force. Physical features in a flow structure at flowing around the multi-element airfoil 30P30N have been identified. In the investigated range of the angles of attack, flowing around a airfoil in the takeoff and landing configuration is stationary in nature except for the regions where the flow is detached from sharp edges, such as the slat's inside part and a region in the tail part of the main profile. There are recirculation currents within these regions. With an increase in the angle of attack, dimensions of the detachable zone at the slat's inner surface decrease while remaining almost unchanged in the tail part of the main profile. At the top surface of the main profile there forms a jet of air, due to the acceleration of the flow between the slat and the leading edge of the main profile. The existence of a gap between the main profile and the flap leads to the interference of jet currents at the upper surface of the slat. It has been shown that the takeoff and landing configuration demonstrates the higher values of the lifting force coefficient than the cruise configuration, especially at large angles of attack. The calculation results agree well with the data by other authors.