Simulation of flow around a thick airfoil with a vortex trapping cavity

F. Saeed, M. Basha, A. Z. Al-Garni

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical study of a low Reynolds number flow around a thick airfoil (Eppler's E863 airfoil) with and without an upper-surface vortex-trapping cavity. The numerical model of flow is constructed using an O-grid computational domain around the airfoil and analyzed using four different turbulence models: namely standard k-ε, RNG k-ε, SST k-ω and the one-equation Spallart-Almaras (SA). Enhance wall treatment is employed for the two-equation turbulence models with the non-dimensional first cell height y+ at the wall region kept close to 1. The Reynolds number is kept constant at 354000. Results of lift & drag coefficient as well as velocity profiles are presented for four different angles of attack from 0 to 15 deg. The RNG k-ε model is found to better predict the flow field and airfoil lift and drag characteristics as compared to the other turbulence models taken into consideration in this paper. The presence of the vortex-trapping cavity midway on the upper-surface of the airfoil is found to yield higher lift coefficients as well as prevent flow separation but at the cost of increase the drag coefficient.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication11th International Conference of Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics 2013, ICNAAM 2013
Pages236-239
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume1558
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Keywords

  • airfoil
  • drag coefficient
  • lift coefficient
  • reattachment
  • vortex trapping cavity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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