Aeroelastic Response of Airfoils Accounting for Synthetic Jet Actuation: Modeling and Comparison of CFD and Reduced Order Models

Abstract

Two-dimensional incompressible turbulent simulations of a synthetic jet actuator on a NACA 0012 airfoil experiencing a 1-degree-of-freedom pitching aeroelastic motion, are performed by means of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations solved in a commercial CFD code. Turbulence is modeled through the k-! shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model. Dynamic airfoil validations are performed for a forced pitching motion about a 0deg mean angle of attack, the oscillations having an amplitude of ±2deg and reduced pitching frequencies of k = 0.2 and k = 0.4. CFD computations are compared to the theoretical Theodorsen and Indicial Models, and to the results obtained through the Panel method. A reduced-order-model for the airfoil with a synthetic jet is proposed and validated with the results from the CFD calculations on a static airfoil at 2deg angle of attack. Validation of RANS k-! SST aeroelastic model is performed by comparing the response of the system to the Indicial Model by angular position. Preliminary results conclude that at velocities beyond the flutter speed the SJA limits the magnitude of the aeroelastic response and provides a small amount of aerodynamic damping. SJA does not greatly aect the frequency of the ”controlled” system, which implies the possibility for a simple and eective control system.