Receptivity and Stability Theory Analysis of a Transonic Swept Wing Experiment

Abstract

Surface suction provides an efficient way to delay boundary layer transitions. In order to verify the suction effects and determine the mechanism of suction control in transonic swept wing boundary layers, wind tunnel transition measurements in a hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) wind tunnel model uses an infrared thermography technique in the Aircraft Research Association (ARA) 2.74 m × 2.44 m low turbulence level transonic wind tunnel. Based on the experimental data of stationary crossflow dominant transitions without and with surface suction in transonic swept wing boundary layers, in this paper, the effects on the receptivity and linear and nonlinear evolution of stationary crossflow vortices have been analyzed with the consideration of curvature. Theoretical analysis agreed with the experimental observations in regard to the transition delay caused by boundary layer suction near the leading-edge region.

Keywords

• laminar flow control
• crossflow instability
• transonic flows
• boundary layer transition
• linear/nonlinear stability