Experimental and numerical analysis of the aerodynamics and vortex interactions on multi-swept delta wings

Abstract

Abstract The flow field around a generic multi-swept delta wing configuration is investigated under transonic flow conditions, both experimentally and numerically. A special focus is on the analysis of vortex/vortex and vortex/shock interactions at moderate angles of attack. In the present study, the Mach number is varied between $$\textrm{Ma} = {0.50}$$ Ma = 0.50 and $$\textrm{Ma} = {1.41}$$ Ma = 1.41 and the angle of attack is varied between $$\alpha = 8^\circ$$ α = 8 ∘ and $$\alpha = 28^\circ$$ α = 28 ∘ . Numerical results are validated using experimental surface pressure data from pressure taps, as well as forces and moments based on strain gauge measurements. For selected cases, velocity field data from particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements are available as well. Over a broad range of angle of attack and Mach number, strong vortex/vortex interactions, including vortex braiding and vortex merging, occur. The location of vortex merging is moving downstream with increasing angle of attack and increasing Mach number. Additionally, at $$\textrm{Ma} = {0.85}$$ Ma = 0.85 , vortex/shock interaction occurs above the wing. For moderate angles of attack, shock-induced vortex breakdown is observed.