Advanced tools to predict turbulence
The aim of the EU-funded RECEPT (Receptivity and amplitude-based transition prediction) project was to increase accuracy for predicting the performance of aircraft with laminar wings, thereby enabling the design of advanced and innovative aircraft. Project partners conducted experiments to investigate the effect of external vortices on 3D boundary layer flows to external vortical perturbations. The experiments were performed in a wind tunnel, using controlled external perturbations and surface roughness quality. This research has improved understanding of transition in 3D flows, resulting in new tools for predicting the transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The project's experimental and numerical studies increased understanding of the processes involved in the generation of disturbances in 3D boundary layer flows resulting from free-stream turbulence and surface roughness. The latter provided valuable information with regard to the required surface quality for aircraft with laminar flow technology. These improvements will enable aircraft manufacturers within the RECEPT consortium to more accurately predict the flight performance of such aircraft. This new knowledge and the greatly improved prediction methods can be directly applied to the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative. The work conducted by RECEPT will also have a significant impact on academic research in the fields of aeronautics and fluid mechanics. Furthermore, the phenomenon of laminar-turbulent transition is an important factor in a large number of applications, including combustion, papermaking, and atmospheric and ocean flows. It also has direct application in sustainable energy production such as wind and water power. Improved transition prediction will increase the capability of designing aircraft with laminar wings and facilitate better modelling of the important phenomenon associated with the effects of laminar flow control. This is a major step towards the design of more advanced control devices. These can help to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft with regard to lowering fuel consumption and reducing emissions, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of the EU manufacturing sector.
Keywords
Turbulent flow, aircraft, laminar wings, RECEPT, transition prediction, boundary layer flows
