Overview
The use of vortex generators as a means of passive flow control for airplane wings is well established, though most are relatively large features that extend beyond the boundary layer thickness, which reduces their efficiency. Edge Aerodynamix developed a “conformal vortex generator” (CVG) that was shown to produce persistent coherent structures on small airplane wings and reduction of fuel consumption on a Boeing 737. This project has provided fundamental insights in to how the CVG modifies the momentum distribution and quantifying the potential impact on the airplane performance.
Selected Publications
- G Kibble, JD Jacob, BR Elbing, A Alexander, P Ireland & JAB Black (2017) “Aerodynamic investigation of the conformal vortex generator,” 47th AIAA Fluid Dynamic Conference, 2017 AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition, FD-01 Boundary Layer Control Session, Denver, CO (June 5-9).
- RJ KC, NA Lucido, TC Wilson, BR Elbing, JD Jacob, AS Alexander, P Ireland & JA Black (2019) “Investigation of wake survey over a wing with conformal vortex generators,” 2019 AIAA SciTech Forum, Applied Aerodynamics: Flow Control Demonstrations and Applications, AIAA-2019-0578, San Diego, CA (Jan 7-11).
- NA Lucido, RJ KC, JD Jacob, AS Alexander, BR Elbing, P Ireland & JA Black (accepted) “Laminar boundary layer scaling over a conformal vortex generator,” 2019 AIAA SciTech Forum, Fluid Dynamics: Flow Control (Fundamentals and Physics), AIAA-2019-1135, San Diego, CA (Jan 7-11).
- TC Wilson, RJ KC, NA Lucido, BR Elbing, AS Alexander, JD Jacob, P Ireland & JA Black (2019) “Computational investigation of the conformal vortex generator,” 2019 AIAA SciTech Forum, Fluid Dynamics: Wall-Bounded Flows, AIAA-2019-2138, San Diego, CA (Jan 7-11) (doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-2138).
Funding
BR Elbing (PI), JD Jacob, A Alexander “Edge Aerodynamix conformal vortex generators,” Edge Aerodynamix, $527K, 3.5 years.
