Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Analysis Of Wingtip Vortex Structure Generated By Bio-Inspired Winglets, D'Zahn A. Smith
Analysis Of Wingtip Vortex Structure Generated By Bio-Inspired Winglets, D'Zahn A. Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
Bio-inspired winglets were studied with the goal of better understanding the structure of the wingtip vortices they generate. Measurements of the tip vortex were previously carried out using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (sPIV). The bio-inspired winglet was tested on a rectangular NACA 0012 wing section at a 5-degree angle of attack and at a chord Reynolds number of 900,000. Velocity field measurements were recorded at 0.7 and 2 chord lengths aft of the wing’s trailing edge. Compared to the wing with no attachment and a traditional blended winglet, the bio-inspired winglet’s vortex exhibited significantly less intense flow field properties. These …