Numerical model of boundary-layer control using air-jet generated vortices

Numerical calculations of the three-dimensional flowfield generated by pitched and skewed air jets issuing into an otherwise undisturbed turbulent boundary layer are presented. It is demonstrated that each such jet produces a single strong longitudinal vortex. The strength of the vortex, as inferred from its effect on the development of skin friction, is shown to be influenced by pitch and skew angles, exit velocity, and downstream distance in ways which accord with published experimental results. The calculated beneficial effect that the longitudinal vortices have on the development of skin friction in an adverse pressure gradient demonstrates the mechanism by which vortex generators delay boundary-layer separation. It follows that the numerical model could be used to optimize arrays of air-jet vortex generators. Furthermore, the facility to quantify the interaction between the vortex and the boundary layer should also be valuable in the application of vane vortex generators, and possible even more generally. 18 refs.