Numerical study of a flow around a small wing encountering a discrete gust

Abstract

This study numerically investigates the unsteady aerodynamics of a small airfoil under a discrete longitudinal gust with large amplitude in low Reynolds number flow. A significant change in lift and drag forces appears in the freestream variation and is followed by transient forces with the same order amplitude in the forces. A shear layer separated from the leading edge of the wing generates small vortices. The pressure distribution around the airfoil with velocity vectors clearly suggested that the small vortices generate a low-pressure region on the airfoil surface.