RANS Simulation and Experiments on the Stall Behaviour of a Tailplane Airfoil

Abstract

Measurements and simulations are presented of the flow past a tailplane research airfoil which is designed to show a mixed leading-edge trailing-edge stall behaviour. The numerical simulations were carded out with two flow solvers that introduce transition prediction based on linear stability theory to RANS simulations for cases involving laminar separation bubbles. One of the methods computes transition locations across laminar separation bubbles whereas the other assumes transition onset where laminar separations occur. For validation of the numerical methods an extensive measurement campaign has been carded out. It is shown, that the methodology mentioned first can simulate the size of laminar separation bubbles for angles of attack up to where the separation bubble and the turbulent separation at the trailing edge are well behaved and steady in the mean. With trailing edge separation involved, the success of the new numerical procedure relies on the diligent choice of a turbulence model. Finally, for flows with increased unsteady behaviour of both, separation bubble and turbulent separation, which were observed at higher angles of attack in the experiment between maximum lift and leading-edge stall, steady state prediction methods for transition can no longer be applied and time-accurate methods have to be developed in a further step.