Computation of unsteady flow and aerodynamic noise of NACA0018 airfoil using large-eddy simulation

Abstract The flow field around a symmetrical NACA airfoil in the uniform flow under generation of noise was numerically studied. The numerical simulation was carried out by a large-eddy simulation that employs a deductive dynamic model as the subgrid-scale model. The results at small angle of attack α  = 3–6° indicate that the discrete frequency noise is generated when the separated laminar flow reattaches near the trailing edge of pressure side and the strong instability thereafter affects positive vortices shed near the trailing edge. The quasi-periodic behavior of negative vortex formation on the suction side is affected by the strength and the periodicity of positive vortices near the trailing edge. The computation using aero-acoustic analogy indicates the primary discrete peak at the Strouhal frequency (=2 f  ·  δ / U 0 ) of 0.15 by the vortex shedding from the trailing edge, which is in a close agreement with the experiment.