Numerical Simulation of Vortex Shedding and Lock-in Characteristics for a Thin Cambered Blade

Abstract

In this paper, vortex-shedding patterns and lock-in characteristics that vortex-shedding frequency synchronizes with the natural frequency of a thin cambered blade were numerically investigated. The numerical simulation was based on solving the vorticity-stream function equations with the fourth-order Runge–Kutta scheme in time and the Chakravaythy–Oscher total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme was used to discretize the convective term. The vortex-shedding patterns for different blade attack angles were simulated. In order to confirm whether the vortex shedding would induce blade self-oscillation, numerical simulation was also carried out for blade in a forced oscillation. By changing the pitching frequency and amplitude, the occurrence of lock-in at certain attack angles was determined. Inside the lock-in zone, phase differences between the blade’s pitching displacement and the torque acting on the blade were used to infer the probability of the blade self-oscillation.