Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
Low Reynolds number airfoils were designed for high lift-to-drag ratios. Design considerations of low Re-airfoils are discussed and design examples are presented. It is shown that the performance of advance low Reynolds airfoils critically depends on proper laminar separation and transition control for the minimum profile drag coefficient with minimum turbulator device drag. This transition control close to the laminar separation is possible by enforcing transition on the upper surface either directly by means of spanwise rows of three-dimensional roughness elements, bleed or suction holes, or indirectly by means of destabilizing the upper surface boundary layer by means of backward facing surface steps, two-dimensional or zig-zag tapes or weak boundary layer blowing. Pneumatic turbulators are found to be advantageous because they can be adjusted to different external flow conditions better than mechanical ones.
Keywords:
AERODYNAMICS
Type:
AIAA PAPER 88-3764
,
AIAA, ASME, SIAM, and APS, National Fluid Dynamics Congress; Jul 25, 1988 - Jul 28, 1988; Cincinnati, OH; United States
Format:
text
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