Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Computational Analysis of the effect of Wavy Leading Edge on Stabilizer
Submission Author:
Pablo Gonzalez-DeGreiff , SP , Colombia
Co-Authors:
Pablo Gonzalez-DeGreiff, WILLIAM GOMEZ RIVERA, Pedro David Bravo-Mosquera, Hernán Cerón-Muñoz
Presenter: Pablo Gonzalez-DeGreiff
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-0221
Abstract
Wavy Leading Edge (WLE) is a bio-mimetic device inspired by the tubercles found on humpback whales. Generated by a sinusoidal function, they alter the flow field around the airfoil by increasing its momentum exchange and airfoil surface suction. Lately, there has been an increased interest in the topic; but despite that, few studies have addressed the performance effects of WLE applied to a stabilizer. This article aims to evaluate and demonstrate this possible application through the use of numerical simulations at a Reynolds number of 3x10^6 and a Mach number of 0.35. Block-structured hexahedral meshes of a NACA 0012 modified stabilizer were simulated and compared using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with the k-omega SST (Shear-Stress Transport) turbulence model. Both the wavy leading edge geometry variation, as well as the effect of altering the angle between peaks and flow direction, were evaluated. To perform this, the aerodynamic coefficients were measured for each of the six selected models; along with surface pressure coefficients and turbulence kinetic energy contours. The A = 0.03c and lambda = 0.414c configuration showed a reduced pitching moment for CL < 0.5 of around 10% less and a slightly steeper lift slope of around 3% higher. It was found that varying the tubercles angle with respect to the flow has a substantial effect, tubercles perpendicular to the leading edge showed a CL max decrease of as much as 6.3% lower. WLE could potentially reduce the structural loads in stabilizers, while slightly increasing their performance with minimal drag penalties.
Keywords
Wavy Leading Edge, WLE, Leading-edge tubercles, leading-edge protuberances, Stabilizer
