Some Aspects of the Aerodynamics of Gurney Flaps on a Double-Element Wing

Abstract

Gurney flaps of different heights have been fitted to a generic double-element wing, and the effects at two typical flap angles have been observed using force and pressure measurements, and by performing flow surveys using Laser Doppler Anemometry. At a low flap setting angle of 20 deg the suction-surface flow remains attached to the trailing edge of the flap, and vortex flow features and perturbation velocities are all similar to those observed when Gurney flaps are fitted to single element wings. At a high flap deflection of 50 deg there is an extensive region of separated flow over the flap, yet the Gurney flap still alters the flow structure. The measurements suggest that the wake flow behind the Gurney flap consists of a von Karman vortex street of alternately shed vortices. The effects of the Gurney flap on the lift, zero-lift drag, and pressure distributions are reported, and the differences between the trends observed for single-element wings are discussed.