Numerical Investigation of Active Flow Control on a Pitching NACA 0015 Airfoil Using Detached-eddy Simulation

This study conducted Detached-Eddy Simulations of the actively controlled flow over a 0.35 m chord NACA0015 airfoil at an incidence angle of 11°and a chord Reynolds number of 1 million. Both pulsed blowing and a harmonic actuation (zero-net-mass flux) were used and compared. Flow separation can be delayed by both excitation mechanisms through a slot positioned at 30% of the chord length. By simulating different excitation frequencies and intensities, an optimum flow control condition was identified, which agreed well with the one in experiment.