Analysis of the Airfoil Stall With a Modification of Viscous-Inviscid Interaction Concept

Abstract

A modification of the viscous-inviscid interaction concept with the employment of coupled vortices around the airfoil wake is introduced for analyzing the airfoil stall. The analyzed flow includes the laminar boundary layers, laminar separation bubble, laminar-turbulent transition zone, turbulent boundary layers, turbulent separation zone, wake, and outer inviscid flow. Integral methods are employed for the boundary layers. The boundaries of separation zones are analyzed as free surfaces, however, their lengths and shapes depend on the Reynolds number. The described modification is validated by a comparison of the numerical results with the previously published experimental data for various airfoils and Reynolds numbers at low Mach numbers. This modification achieves a reasonably good agreement of the computed lift and moment coefficients with their measured values.