Comparative Analysis of the Effect of Roughness on Two Different Types of Airfoils

摘要

The presence of contamination on aircraft surfaces is known to adversely affect aerodynamic performance. The objective of this research project is to numerically investigate the variations in aerodynamic characteristics with contamination of a two-dimensional wing section representing a modern low-speed airfoil, the NASA GA(W)-1, and another representing a modern high-speed airfoil, the RAE 2822. In this investigation, the roughness intensity as a function of roughness parameter and the extent of roughness coverage have been varied for both airfoils to compare their relative effect. The airfoils' geometric parameters, such as the thickness, camber and leading edge radius, have been systematically changed to evaluate their effects on the airfoils' sensitivity to a nominal magnitude of roughness intensity and coverage. The effect of contamination on the take-off configuration was also investigated. It was found that the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoils degrade differently when contamination is present.