WINGTIP OF THE FUTURE USING FLOW CONTROL

Sze Chai Jonathan Pun

Supervisor: A/Prof N.A. Ahmed
Research Theme: Resources and Infrastructure for the Future
1. Background and Motivation
Lift force is generated due to the pressure difference between the top and bottom surface on a wing. As air tends to flow from a region of high pressure to that of a low one, air near the further end of the wing, the
wingtip, will curl around. This phenomenon is known as wingtip vortex. Wingtip vortex is an unavoidable side-effect of three-dimensional lift generation, and is definitely unfavoured, because:
• Vortices are produced that give rise to drag and alter the original flow direction on the wing. The change in flow direction creates a downwash and the
subsequent induced drag. Typically, 30% or more of the total drag on a subsonic cruising flight is induced drag [1].
• Vortex flows are very unstable. The vortices produced by large aircraft can even make some aircrafts particularly smaller
ones following go out of control. Thus, in order to prevent accidents, aviation regulations require that a sufficient
distance is maintained between consecutive aircrafts during landing and taking off at airports [2].
The implication is therefore that vortex reduction has the potential to improve the: Chord: 0.2 m
• A erodynamics efficiency of aircraft
• Aircraft handling efficiency and airports’ operation costs
One of the conventional method of reducing the strength of vortices is through the deployment of winglet. Winglets
are essentially tiny wing at the wingtip. A newer approach involves using flow control at the wingtip instead [3]. The
advantage of such a method is that the weight penalty is much less than a winglet. Two novel ideas, one naming
ordinary jet blowing and the other oscillating jet blowing, are therefore proposed and form the basis of this project. Span: 0.6 m

Figure 1: A dyed wingtip vortex [4] 2. Aims and Objectives

To assess the aerodynamics benefits of:
1. Ordinary jet blowing 2. Spanwise oscillating jet blowing at the wingtip

3. Method
Plastic wingtip model
In order to obtain relevant data, wind tunnel experiments were carried out. The wind tunnel used was a 30-inch Open Section
Open Circuit wind tunnel, which was operated at 20 m/s, or at Reynolds number of 2.7 x 105 based on chord length. Metallic NACA23021 wing
The model tested was a NACA23012 metallic wing. The chord length was 0.2 m and the span was 0.6 m. Different wingtip Beam to adjust angle of attack
models were designed and then attached to the end of the wing for testing. Pressure distributions around the wingtip and the
forces of the wing were measured using pressure transducer and load cell respectively. Figure 2: L
 aboratory setup

3.1 Ordinary Jet Blowing 3.2 Spanwise Oscillating Jet Blowing

Most flow control methods require the input of additional energy, which during implementation The oscillating jet device was a feedback-free type oscillator, that was manufactured using a 3D
produce weight penalty and hence may negate the performance gains sought. model printer. The basic principle of this device relies on the fact that it is created by a flow input
The proposed method, however, requires no energy at all since it takes air from the bottom surface into one channel and then bifurcated into two channels before reattaching them again into a single
of the wing near the tip, which is channel thereby oscillate flow
then piped and ejected out at the top JET OUT through instability during this 4 x Feedback-free fluidic oscillator
process. uniformly distributed along the chord
surface in various directions (see
Fig. 3). Thus some energy used in
the vortex formation is recycled.
This method therefore is a significant
innovation as it has the potential
to improve the performance and Bolt holes for assembling the model
reduces induced drag as well as JET OUT
Figure 3: CAD Model of wingtip for Figure 5: S
 chematics diagram
the cost of operation of an aircraft AIR IN ordinary jet blowing
substantially. of oscillator [1]
Figure 4: C
 AD Model of wingtip for
oscillating jet blowing AIR IN, at stagnation line near leading edge

4. Result
4.1 Ordinary Jet Blowing 4.2 Spanwise Oscillating Jet Blowing
The model configuration tested in this project:
• Jet inlet @ 3cm from the tip, @ 25% chord length;
pointing perpendicularly
• Jet outlet @ 10cm from the tip @ 30% chord length;
pointing 60˚ from the tangential direction, along the free-stream direction
Result summary:
Angle Flow speed at point Flow speed at point The results obtained indicate around
of Device in front of jet outlet after jet outlet 2-3% improvement in the flow speed
Attack Value % Change Value % Change on the top surface of the wing when
On 24.12 22.71
the jet device implemented is on.
0˚ 0.95% 2.34% This is very promising since the
Off 23.89 22.19
extra suction created on the wing
On 24.64 22.88
4˚ 0.55% 2.46% comes from the use of a flow that
Off 24.50 22.33
otherwise would have been wasted. Figure 6: S
 ectional Lift Coefficient at Figure 7: S
 ectional Drag Coefficient at
On 25.42 23.38 wingtip v.s. Angle of Attack α wingtip v.s. Angle of Attack α
8˚ 0.51% 2.26% This implies that the sectional lift
Off 25.29 22.86 force at the wingtip has the potential
On 25.47 23.84 to be increased upon jet injection, The comparison between the sectional lift coefficient and drag coefficient shows that with the fluidic
12˚ 0.31% 2.11%
Off 25.39 23.35 which further signifies a decrease oscillator employed, there is no apparent improvement in sectional lift force and some increases in
On 25.31 24.40 in induced drag with the devices drag force. It should, however, be pointed out that the investigations conducted in this project were
16˚ -0.37% 1.73% of limited scope and hence no definitive conclusion can be drawn from these results.
Off 25.40 23.99 installed and used.

Acknowledgements
5. Conclusion & Future Planning The author would like to extend my gratitude to
• A/Prof. Noor Ahmed for his kind guidance, and for coming up with the interesting idea of jet
5.1 Ordinary Jet Blowing blowing devices.
• Good indications of the usefulness and potential application of the jet blowing device. • Mr. Terry Flynn, the aerodynamics laboratory officer, for his kind assistance in the designing,
manufacturing, assembling, and testing of the models.
• Further detailed experiments, such as obtaining a detailed pressure profile over the wingtip for further analysis, are required.
• Mr. Yunchao Zhang, for his assistance in wind tunnel experiments and complex mathematical
• Other wingtip configuration could be tested to optimise the device, such as changing the direction of jet or the number of jet, etc. analyses.
• The author’s friends in church for supporting him in this research period, and helped him to
5.2 Oscillating Jet Blowing proof-read this poster.
• No clear indications of usefulness of this type of wingtip device from the limited tests to provide definitive conclusions. References
• Other oscillating devices should be tried and a greater understanding of the mechanisms be obtained for useful outcomes. [1] L.N. Cattafesta III, and M. Sheplak, “Actuators for Active Flow Control”, Annual Review of
Fluid Mechanics, vol. 47, pp. 247-272, Jan. 2011
• Models of a larger scale could be used, as factors such as the flow rates and the oscillation frequencies may play important roles.
[2] S.E. Widnall, “The Structure and Dynamics of Vortex Filaments”, Annual Review of Fluid
• An active approach can be implemented instead of taking air in naturally. This can be achieved using engine bleed air, or via Mechanics, vol. 7, pp. 141-168, Jan. 1975
pumping air. [3] R.G. Simpson, N.A. Ahmed, and R.D. Archer, “Near Field Study of Vortex Attenuation using
Wing Tip Blowing’, The Aeronautical Journal, vol. 102, pp. 117-200, Mar. 2002
[4] NASA-LaRC, (1990, May 4), Wake Vortex Study at Wallops Island [online], Available: http://
lisar.larc.nasa.gov/UTILS/info.cgi?id=EL-1996-00130