AeroGT3 wrote:
Circulation control on high lift devices is undergoing a lot of research at my University. I've seen it in the tunnel and implemented in CFD - very cool stuff!
I've seen it simply modeled using panel codes by shedding vortices and applying the "work" through the vortices and crocco's theorem.
Lets divide these devices into three camps .. static, moveable, and externally powered. Auto racing only embraces the static model, which is where things like VGs and surface texturing to control boundary flows comes into play. I believe that even the FSAE has nixed fan charged devices. The old exhaust outlets in the diffuser is a version of a blown flap, if I'm reading things right.
For airplanes some of this stuff has been tried for a while and I've seen some stuff on computer contolled vibrating and moveable VGs in wings. This stuff works for sure but I don't want to have to fly when we're banking on a set of VGs working all the time.
What I would consider a revolution would be a static, flush/recessed VG. That would rethink aero surfaces everywhere as it would have no drag penalties.
I imagine that much of the future improvement in aero is going to come from boundary flow enhancements and developments. The big stuff seems to be figured out, at least in terms of motorsport .. till we go hypersonic
