Wavelet analysis of the flow field around an oscillating airfoil undergoing pure pitching motion at low Reynolds number

Abstract

This paper investigates the flow field around a NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) 0012 airfoil undergoing pure pitching motion using continuous wavelet transform. Wind tunnel experiments were performed with a test-stand that provides a wide range of oscillation frequencies (f = 0–10 Hz). Sinusoidal pure pitching motion was considered with respect to the quarter chord for five reduced frequencies (K = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.3) at a Reynolds number of Re = 6 × 104. Mean angle of attack and pitch amplitude for all the cases were considered 0° and 6°, respectively. Unsteady surface pressure measurement was conducted, and the lift coefficient was calculated based on the phase-averaged surface pressure coefficient. The unsteady velocity distributions in the airfoil wake have been measured employing a pressure rake. The results indicate that the maximum value of the lift coefficient decreases by increasing the reduced frequency due to the “apparent mass” effects. For K = 0.05, close to the quasi-steady regime, the cl-α loop approximately follows the trend of the static case. Wavelet transform was used as a tool to examine the surface and wake pressure time series. Surface pressure wavelet transform plots indicate the presence of oscillation frequency and its superharmonics. Moreover, surface pressure wavelet analysis shows that the third and higher superharmonic frequencies are sensitive to the airfoil pitch angle during the oscillation cycle. Wavelet transform on wake reveals that the effective wake width gets smaller by increasing the reduced frequency. Furthermore, the trailing edge vortices get weaker by increasing the reduced frequency.