Characterizing 3D Reattached Flow on an Airfoil with Finite-Span Synthetic Jets

TL;DR

This study offers a detailed 3D characterization of reattached flow over an airfoil controlled by finite-span synthetic jet arrays, revealing flow regions and interactions crucial for aerodynamic flow control.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive 3D description of reattached flow with finite-span SJA arrays, integrating visualizations and measurements to understand flow interactions.

Findings

Identification of three flow regions: controlled, unaffected, transitional

Insights into shear layer behavior and flow interactions

Broad applicability across different SJA configurations

Abstract

This paper synthesizes prior studies to develop a comprehensive three-dimensional description of reattached flow over an airfoil controlled by finite-span SJA arrays. When applied to a longer-span wing, the flow field exhibits three distinct regions: a directly controlled region, an unaffected region, and a transitional zone between them. Through the integration of multiple visualizations and measurements from both discrete and slot-style SJAs, this work provides insights into the shear layer behavior. The analysis of reattached mean flow provides insight into the interactions between controlled and surrounding flows, demonstrating broad applicability across different SJA configurations