No abstract

Deflected control surfaces can be used as variable camber control in different flight conditions, and a convex corner resembles a simplified configuration for the upper surface. This experimental study determines the presence of passive vortex generators, VGs (counter-rotating vane type), on shock-induced boundary layer separation for transonic convex-corner flow. The mean surface pressure distributions in the presence of VGs for h/δ = 0.2 and 0.5 are similar to those for no flow control. If h/δ = 1.0 and 1.5, there is an increase in the amplitude of the mean surface pressure upstream of the corner’s apex, which corresponds to greater device drag and less downstream expansion. There is a decrease in peak pressure fluctuations as the value of h/δ increases, because there is a decrease in separation length and the frequency of shock oscillation. The effectiveness of VGs also depends on the freestream Mach number. For M = 0.89, there is an extension in the low-pressure region downstream of a convex corner, because there is greater convection and induced streamwise vorticity. VGs with h/δ ≤ 0.5 are preferred if deflected control surfaces are used to produce lift.

Solar panels mounted on the roof of a building or ground are often vulnerable to strong wind loads. This study aims to investigate wind loads on solar panels using computational fluid dynamic (CFD). The results show good agreement with wind tunnel data, e.g. the streamwise distribution of mean surface pressure coefficient of a solar panel. Wind uplift for solar panels with four aspect ratios is evaluated. The effect of inclined angle and clearance (or height) of a solar panel is addressed. It is found that wind uplift of a solar panel increases when there is an increase in inclined angle and the clearance above ground shows an opposite effect.