NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE

EFFECT OF MICRO CYLINDER

LOCATED NEAR THE LEADING EDGE
ON THE AERODYNAMIC
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRFOIL
Presented by,
U. Dharani,
K. Manjula,
S. Muhammed kadher Muhaideen,
S. Seyed Jahubar Sathik,
Department of Aeronautical,
Mohamed Sathak Engineering college,
Kilakarai.
ABSTRACT
Flow separation over the airfoils is unavoidable due to the formation of a large
adverse pressure gradient. However such flow separation has a great negative
effect on the flow characteristics over the airfoil and significantly influences the
aerodynamic performances of the airfoil. The idea of flow control over airfoils to
improve the aerodynamic performance has attracted widespread research interest in
the area of Aerodynamics and Wind engineering. Current research proposes a
passive flow control method by utilizing micro cylinders ahead of the airfoil to
enhance the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil by effectively delaying the
flow separation. NACA 4415 airfoil were chosen for the study and the
computational investigations were carried out at various angles of attack ranging
from 0o to 25o at a mean free stream velocity corresponding to Re=2×10 6.
Numerical investigations proved that placing the micro cylinder ahead of the
airfoil transfers a part of its wake kinetic energy in to the boundary layer thus
energizing the flow over the airfoil resulting in the delay in flow separation.
Furthermore, attempts were made to identify the optimum diameter of the micro
cylinder by varying the diameter in the range of 0.5c to 1.5c. Similarly, the micro
cylinders were also replaced with a flat plate and the results were compared to
identify the optimum increase in aerodynamic characteristics.
AIRFOIL
 Invented in 19th century by Mr. George Cayley developed from the design of bird’s
feathers.
 Most important aerodynamic force in airfoil is Lift produced according to Bernoulli’s
principle.

 Airfoils are mostly used in wind turbines, aircraft wings, compressor blades, turbine
blades, engine rotors etc.
FLOW SEPARATION
 Any solid object immersed in a flowing fluid (or vice versa) experiences boundary
layer separation, where the viscous force dominates in the layer.
 This in turn results in an effect called adverse pressure gradient where velocity
falls.
 Thus the fluid gets detached from the surface and form as vortices or eddies.
 This often results in increase of pressure drag in airfoil.
 FLOW CONTROL
 Process of delaying the flow separation in the
airfoil.
 Controlling such layer laid way to alter
transition delay, lift improvement, separation,
separation postponed, drag reduction,
turbulence augmentation, skin friction
reduction.
 Three types of flow control are
 Active flow control:- It involves addition
of auxiliary power to the flow
 Passive flow control:- It does not involve
addition of power to flow
 Hybrid flow control:- It involves mixture
of both active and passive.
PROBLEM FORMULATION
 To solve thee problem of flow separation we use passive flow control
technique, in which we install a micro cylinder prior to the leading edge of
airfoil exposed to the flow.
 The geometric parameters of the cylinder is fixed as below.

1. Diameter of the cylinder= 1%c

2. X axis distance from leading edge= 5%c

3. Y axis distance from leading edge= 5%c

 CFD
 Computational Fluid Dynamics is a study about the
mechanics of the fluid that includes the numerical and
data analysis calculations of the properties of the fluid
flow.
 CFD is nothing but a collection of software package
that contains three different stages or steps which can
be done in different set of softwares.
 GAMBIT software is used for both modeling and
meshing which is simple and easy for beginners.
 Analysis can be done in FLUENT software.
 MODELING
Model without micro cylinder Model with micro cylinder
 MESHING

Mesh without micro cylinder Mesh with micro cylinder

PRESSURE CONTOUR

Original model

Modified model
VELOCITY CONTOUR

Original model

Modified model
COEFFICIENT OF LIFT
Original Model Modified Model
1.6 1.6
NACA 4415 Baseline Airfoil Model CYL0155
1.4 1.4
) L

) L
1.2 1.2

1 1
ift(C

ift(C
oefficientofL

oefficientofL
0.8
0.8
C

0.6
0.6

0.4
0 5 10 15 20 25 0.4
Angle of Attack () 0 5 10 15 20 25
Angle of Attack ()
COEFFICIENT OF DRAG
Original Model Modified Model
0.35
NACA 4415 Baseline Airfoil Model CYL0155
0.3 0.3

) D
) D

0.25 0.25

0.2 0.2

rag(C
rag(C

0.15
fD
0.15
oefficientofD

efficiento
0.1
0.1
o
C
C

0.05
0.05
0
0 0 5 10 15 20 25
0 5 10 15 20 25
Angle of Attack () Angle of Attack ()
COEFFICIENT OF PRESSURE
Original model at α=20°
COEFFICIENT OF PRESSURE
Modified model at α=20°
DETERMINATION OF OPTIMAL CONDITION
 To determine the optimal condition of the micro cylinder we vary the diameter of

the micro cylinder to 0.5%C and 1.5%C, and simulated the same for various angle
of attack.

 From the results we conclude that 1%C diameter model is optimized .

 the 0.5%C model does not have enough strength to suppress the flow separation.

 And the 1.5%c model is producing over energy that disturb the flow of the fluid
COEFFICIENT OF LIFT
MODEL WITH 0.5%C DIA
MODEL WITH 1.5%C DIA
COEFFICIENT OF DRAG
MODEL WITH 0.5%C DIA MODEL WITH 1.5%C DIA
PROPOSAL OF MODEL

Original model

Modified mode with micro cylinder

Modified mode with flat plate

MODIFIED MODEL WITH FLAT PLATE
Flat plate angle(β) Angle of attack(α) Plate width=2%c Plate height=1%c
 While considering the flat plate into account the above geometry is made
and various condition are tested
 The flat plate is placed ahead of the leading edge in distance 5%C in X-axis
and 5%C in Y-axis

 The geometry is altered by changing the angle of the flat plate(β)

various condition are

1. β =0°
2. β =45°
3. β =90°
Pressure contour for various condition of flat plate
α=20°(stall angle for cylinder model is considered)

β =0°

β =45°

β =90°
Velocity contour for various condition of flat plate
α=20°(stall angle for cylinder model is considered)

β =0°

β =45°

β=90°
C o e ffic ie n t o f D r a g (C D )

MODIFIED MODEL CALCULATIONS(FLAT PLATE)

Flat plate2155 β=0°
1.6

Flat plate2155 β=0° 1.4

0.35
1.2

Coefficient of lift (CL)

0.3
1
0.25
0.8
0.2
0.6
0.15

0.1 0.4

0.05 0.2
0
0 5 10 15 20
0
0 5 10 15 20
Angle of attack(α)
Angle of attack(α)
MODIFIED MODEL CALCULATIONS(FLAT PLATE)

Flat plate2155 β=45° Flat plate2155 β=45°

0.35 1.6

0.3 1.4
Coefficient of Drag (CD)

Coefficient Of lift (CL)

1.2
0.25
1
0.2
0.8
0.15
0.6
0.1
0.4
0.05 0.2
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
Angle of attack(α) Angle of attack(α)
MODIFIED MODEL CALCULATIONS(FLAT PLATE)
Flat plate2155 β=90°
Flat plate2155 β=90°
0.35 1.6
1.4
0.3
Coefficient of Drag (CD)

Coefficient of Lift (CL)

1.2
0.25
1
0.2
0.8
0.15
0.6
0.1 0.4
0.05 0.2
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20

Angle of attack(α) Angle of attack(α)

CD COMPARISON
0.4

0.35
Coefficient of Drag (CD)

0.3

0.25

0.2 Baseline model

0.15 CYL0155
FP2155
0.1

0.05

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Angle of attack(α)
CL COMPARISON
1.6
1.4
Coefficient of Lift (CL)

1.2
1
0.8
Baseline model
0.6 CYL0155
0.4 FP2155

0.2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Angle of attack(α)
CONCLUSION
 The simulation results have proven that installing a micro cylinder ahead of
leading edge will increase the lift and also delay the flow separation.

 That is the boundary layer separation effect is much more delayed by this
modified model

 This may be varied when considering a finite wing since the tip vortices
effect is included.

 Flat plate results are much less effective than cylinder because the flow loss
some of its energy in the flow separation occurs in the flat plate itself.
THANK YOU