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Published November 2024 | Published
Journal Article

Transonic Buffet in Flow Past a Low-Reynolds-Number Airfoil

  • 1. ROR icon California Institute of Technology

Abstract

For propeller-driven Mars airplanes operating at low Reynolds numbers, the speed of the rotor tips may reach transonic. To date, only a few studies have investigated the transonic buffet in flow past low-Reynolds-number airfoils. In this study, direct numerical simulations of high-speed flow (𝑀=0.2, 0.6, and 0.8) past a NACA 0012 airfoil are performed with a low Reynolds number of 𝑅⁢𝑒𝑐=23,000, where transonic buffet is observed at 𝑀=0.8. We first investigated the effects of Mach number on the aerodynamic performance and flow fields. Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) and linear stability analysis (LSA) are used to analyze the flow instability mechanisms of the transonic buffet. Results showed that the multiple high-frequency oscillations are related to the vortex shedding at the trailing edge of the airfoil, and the low-frequency oscillation is caused by Type C shock motions. Both of them are confirmed to be self-sustained in feedback cycles.

Copyright and License

© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.

Acknowledgement

The funding support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12372221) is acknowledged.

Data Availability

Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions.

Additional details

Created:
October 17, 2024
Modified:
October 25, 2024