Blunt leading-edge effect on spanwise-varying leading-edge contours of an UCAV configuration

Abstract

The vortex system on the SACCON model is studied under low Reynolds number by using the flow visualization technique and the surface pressure testing measurement in a low-speed water channel and a wind tunnel, respectively. A main topic is discussed below. The blunt leading-edge section on this SACCON model induces various flow phenomena under different angles of attack. The attached flow appearing around the upstream leading-edge region at a low angle of attack induces different flow phenomena downstream, so does the branched vortices appearing near the trailing-edge. Although this attached flow is vanished at higher angle of attack, the stability of forming an outboard vortex can be shown in the results of pressure coefficients as a function of an angle of attack. Moreover, how the blunt leading-edge contour on SACCON model and other models affecting flow field can be compared with the findings given in the previous studies. The models with only blunt leading-edge contour can prompt an outboard vortex and an inner vortex, compared to the flow fields on the models with spanwise-varying leading-edge contours. This inner vortex is formed due to the attached flow inboard passing downstream and being affected by the outboard vortex. However, this attached flow is different from the attached flow observed on SACCON model. Therefore, flow phenomena occurring on different blunt leading-edge models can be differentiated.