Numerical Investigations on Dynamic Stall of a Pitching-Plunging Helicopter Blade Airfoil

Effect of plunging motion on the pitch oscillating NACA0012 airfoil is investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A simulation model based on overset grid technology and k - ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model is established, and the numerical simulation results are compared with available experimental data and other simulations. Two cases of phase angle φ = 0, μ which represents the phase difference between the pitching and plunging motions of an airfoil are performed. Airfoil vortex generation, moving, and shedding are discussed in detail. Good agreements have been achieved with the available literature. The upward plunging motion made the equivalent angle of attack less than the actual one during pitching analysis. It is observed that the formation of the stall vortex is suppressed, resulting in a decrease in the lift coefficient and a delay of the stall angle. However, the downward plunging motion made the equivalent angle of attack higher the actual one.

Vortex Wake Formation and Its Effects on Thrust and Propulsive Efficiency of an Oscillating Airfoil

Flows over a harmonically oscillating NACA 0012 airfoil are simulated here using a two-dimensional, unsteady, incompressibleNavier-Stokes solver.Both pure-plunging and pitching-plunging combined oscillations are considered at a Reynolds number of 5000. Special attention is paid to the vortex shedding and interaction mechanism of the motions. For all the simulations presented here, the reduced frequency (k) is fixed at a value of 2.5 and plunging amplitude (h) is selected to be in the range of 0.2-0.5. The simulation results show that the interaction mechanism between the leading and trailing edge vortices has a decisive effect on the values of the resulting thrust and propulsive efficiency.