Computational analysis to enhance the compressible flow over an aerofoil surface

Abstract

Purpose

Since the inception of aerospace engineering, reducing drag is of eternal importance. Over the years, researchers have been trying to improve the aerodynamics of National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) aerofoils in many ways. It is proved that smooth-surfaced NACA 0012 aerofoil produces more drag in compressible flow. Recent research on shark-skin pattern warrants a feasible solution to many fluid-engineering problems. Several attempts were made by many researchers to implement the idea of shark skin in the form of coatings, texture and more. However, those ideas are at greater risk when it comes to wing maintenance. The purpose of this paper is to implement a relatively larger biomimetic pattern which would make way for easy maintenance of patterned wings with improved performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, two biomimetic aerofoils are designed by optimizing the surface pattern of shark skin and are tested at different angles of attack in the computational flow domain.

Findings

The results of the biomimetic aerofoils prove that viscous and total drag can be reduced up to 33.08% and 3.68%, respectively, at high subsonic speed when validated against a NACA 0012 aerofoil. With the ample effectiveness of patched shark-skin pattern, biomimetic aerofoil generates as high as 10.42% lift than NACA 0012.

Originality/value

In this study, a feasible shark-skin pattern is constructed for NACA 0012 in a transonic flow regime. Computational results achieved using the theoretical model agree with experimental data.

Citation

Marimuthu, S. and Chinnathambi, D. (2021), "Computational analysis to enhance the compressible flow over an aerofoil surface", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 93 No. 5, pp. 925-934. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-06-2020-0122