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The onset of compressibility effects for aerofoils in ground effect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

G. Doig ,
T. J. Barber ,
E. Leonardi  and
A. J. Neely
G. Doig
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
T. J. Barber
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
E. Leonardi
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
A. J. Neely
Affiliation:
School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
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Abstract

The influence of flow compressibility on a highly-cambered inverted aerofoil in ground effect is presented, based on two-dimensional computational studies. This type of problem has relevance to open-wheel racing cars, where local regions of high-speed subsonic flow form under favourable pressure gradients, even though the maximum freestream Mach number is typically considerably less than Mach 0·3. An important consideration for CFD users in this field is addressed in this paper: the freestream Mach number at which flow compressibility significantly affects aerodynamic performance. More broadly, for aerodynamicists, the consequences of this are also considered. Comparisons between incompressible and compressible CFD simulations are used to identify important changes to the flow characteristics caused by density changes, highlighting the inappropriateness of incompressible simulations of ground effect flows for freestream Mach numbers as low as 0·15.

Information

Type
Technical note
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 111 , Issue 1126 , December 2007 , pp. 797 - 806
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2007 

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