Flow Separation Control of Backward-Facing Step Airfoil NACA0015 by Blowing Technique

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to control the flow separation above backward-facing step (BFS) airfoil type NACA 0015 by blowing method. The flow field over airfoil has been studied both experimentally and computationally. The study was divided into two parts: a practical study through which NACA 0015 type with a backward -facing step (located at 44.4% c from leading edge) on the upper surface containing blowing holes parallel to the airfoil chord was used. The tests were done over two-dimensional airfoil in an open circuit suction subsonic wind tunnel with flow velocity 25m/s to obtain the pressure distribution coefficients. A numerical study was done by using ANSYS Fluent software version 16.0 on three models of NACA 0015, the first one has backward-facing step without blowing, the second with single blowing holes and the third have multi blowing holes technique. Both studies (experimental and numerical) were done at low Reynolds number (Re=4.4x10⁵) and all models have chord length 0.27m.The experimental investigations and CFD simulations have been performed on the same geometry dimensions, it has been observed that the flow separation on the airfoil can be delayed by using  velocity blowing (30m/s) on the upper surface. The multi blowing holes with velocity improved the aerodynamics properties.The multi blowing holes and single blowing hole thesame effect on pressure distribution coefficients