On Improved Understanding of Airfoil Performance Evaluation Methods at Low Reynolds Numbers

What is it about?

The Eppler 387 airfoil performance at low Reynolds numbers is studied numerically and compared to existing experimental data. The work illustrates that bubble flapping, and the resulting mean airfoil performance, can be analyzed using laminar Navier-Stokes simulations, and that it does not necessitate external disturbances or three-dimensional instabilities. The shear layer transition over airfoils is found to be dominated by two-dimensional vortex shedding resulting in unsteady reattachment.

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