Detached-Eddy Simulations of Synthetic Jets for High-Angles-of-Attack Airfoils

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of detached-eddy simulation to simulate the flow control by a synthetic jet around an airfoil. The effect of the jet exit angle is focused on. The detached-eddy simulation approach is first validated with a nonblowing, high-angle-of-attack case. Flows around a NACA 0012 airfoil including the synthetic jet cavity and its orifice at 10% chord location are then simulated at 12 deg angle of attack and Reynolds number of . The jet exit angles of 45, 60, 75, and 90 deg have been studied. Massively separated flows were eliminated in all cases. The angles of 45 and 60 deg successfully recovered stably attached flow over the airfoil with small amplitude of the aerodynamic forces, while the flow unsteadiness due to remaining separation is observed at higher jet exit angles, resulting in large amplitude of the drag force.