Numerical evaluation of passive control of shock wave/boundary layer interaction on NACA0012 airfoil using jagged wall

Abstract

Shock formation due to flow compressibility and its interaction with boundary layers has adverse effects on aerodynamic characteristics, such as drag increase and flow separation. The objective of this paper is to appraise the practicability of weakening shock waves and, hence, reducing the wave drag in transonic flight regime using a two-dimensional jagged wall and thereby to gain an appropriate jagged wall shape for future empirical study. Different shapes of the jagged wall, including rectangular, circular, and triangular shapes, were employed. The numerical method was validated by experimental and numerical studies involving transonic flow over the NACA0012 airfoil, and the results presented here closely match previous experimental and numerical results. The impact of parameters, including shape and the length-to-spacing ratio of a jagged wall, was studied on aerodynamic forces and flow field. The results revealed that applying a jagged wall method on the upper surface of an airfoil changes the shock structure significantly and disintegrates it, which in turn leads to a decrease in wave drag. It was also found that the maximum drag coefficient decrease of around 17 % occurs with a triangular shape, while the maximum increase in aerodynamic efficiency (lift-to-drag ratio) of around 10 % happens with a rectangular shape at an angle of attack of 2.26 $$^\circ $$ .