Wingtip Vortex Control Via Tip Mounted Half Delta Wings of Different Geometric Configurations

Abstract

The control of the tip vortex, generated by a rectangular NACA 0012 wing, via tipmounted halfdelta wings (HDWs), of different slendernesses خ›, root chords cr, and deflections خ´, was investigated experimentally at Re = 2.45 أ— 105. The results show that regardless of خ›, cr, and خ´, the addition of HDWs consistently led to a diffused tip vortex. The degree of diffusion was, however, found to increase with decreasing خ› and cr. HDWs with cr ≤ 50% of the baselinewing chord c caused a rapid diffusion of vorticity and rendered a weak circulation flowlike tip vortex, suggesting an enhanced wakevortex decay and alleviation. The cr = 0.5c HDW also produced an improved lifttodrag ratio. A unique doublevortex pattern also exhibited downstream of the cr ≤ 50%c HDW wings. The interaction and merging of the double vortex were expedited by upward HDW deflection.