Study of airfoil flow control with microcylinders using optical method

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of circular-shaped microcylinders on the flow field around an airfoil, using time-resolved particle image velocimetry. The results show that microcylinders can significantly modify the flow pattern around the NACA 0012 airfoil. The optimal configuration of microcylinder-airfoil depends on the angle of attack and the position of the microcylinder. The obtained results have practical implications for the development of more efficient and sustainable aircraft designs and wind turbine blades. The paper presents a physical analysis of flow fields using streamlines and vorticity structures to illustrate mechanisms of flow control for improving the aerodynamic properties of the airfoil. Overall, this work provides new insights into the fundamental physics of flow control using microcylinders, including general physics and optics, with potential application in various contexts, such as aerodynamics, flow control, airfoil design, optical diagnostics, and particle image velocimetry techniques.