Flow separation control of NACA-2412 airfoil with bio-inspired nose
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology
ISSN: 0002-2667
Article publication date: 20 June 2019
Issue publication date: 15 August 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to achieve an optimum flow separation control over the airfoil using passive flow control method by introducing bio-inspired nose near the leading edge of the NACA 2412 airfoil.
Design/methodology/approach
Two distinguished methods have been implemented on the leading edge of the airfoil: forward facing step, which induces multiple accelerations at low angle of attack, and cavity/backward facing step, which creates recirculating region (axial vortices) at high angle of attack.
Findings
The porpoise airfoil (optimum bio-inspired nose airfoil) delays the flow separation and improves the aerodynamic efficiency by increasing the lift and decreasing the parasitic drag. The maximum increase in aerodynamic efficiency is 22.4 per cent, with an average increase of 8.6 per cent at all angles of attack.
Research limitations/implications
The computational analysis has been done for NACA 2412 airfoil at low subsonic speed.
Practical implications
This design improves the aerodynamic performance and increases structural strength of the aircraft wing compared to other conventional high-lift devices and flow-control devices.
Originality/value
Different bio-inspired nose designs which are inspired by the cetacean species have been analysed for NACA 2412 airfoil, and optimum nose design (porpoise airfoil) has been found.
Keywords
Citation
Raj Mohamed, M.A., Guven, U. and Yadav, R. (2019), "Flow separation control of NACA-2412 airfoil with bio-inspired nose", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 91 No. 7, pp. 1058-1066. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-06-2018-0175
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited