Three-dimensional characterization of passive flow control devices over an aircraft carrier ski-jump ramp

Abstract

The aircraft carrier is a key element in modern navies. On-board operations at sea take place under very severe conditions, which affect the aerodynamic flow on the flight deck. The ski-jump ramp is a curved runway that enables the aircraft to take-off using shorter runway distance. However, this geometry generates strong flow disturbances, mainly characterized by a recirculation bubble at the forward end of the ramp. This phenomenon reduces the aircraft performances and increases the pilot’s workload due to the unsteady forces which appear on the control surfaces. Passive flow control appears as a solution to this problem. Wind tunnel experimental research was developed in this study to mitigate the adverse aerodynamic effects of the ski-jump ramp presence. Different devices were tested using particle image velocimetry. Geometrical parameters of the devices were varied to study the effectiveness and select the best solution. Interesting results were found for the columnar vortex generator configurations. The optimum configuration could be applied shortly to the full-scale problem to reduce the adverse aerodynamic effects during take-off maneuvers.

Keywords

Flow control wind tunnel particle image velocimetry aircraft carrier ski-jump ramp

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Maslov LA, Valuev NO and Zharinov AV. The experience of aerodynamic disturbances research behind an aircraft-carrier ship with elements for safe operation of ship-based aircraft. In: RTO meeting proceedings 15 on fluid dynamic problems of vehicles operating near or in the air-sea interface, Paper 9-1, Amsterdam, October 1998.

Mulero M and Portabella FG. Measurement of the flow distribution over the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. In: AGARD conference proceedings CP-509, Paper 6-5, Aircraft Ship Operations, Seville, 20–23 May 1991.

Hernando JL and Martínez-Val R. Carrier suitability of land-based aircraft. In: 28th International congress of the aeronautical sciences (ICAS), Brisbane, Australia, 23–28 September, 2012.

Bardera-Mora

Barcala-Montejano

Rodríguez-Sevillano

et al.

Passive flow control over the ski-jump of aircraft carriers. Ocean Eng 2016; 114: 134–141.

Cherry

Constantino

. The burble effect: superstructure and flight deck effects on carrier air wake, Annapolis, MD: Naval Academy, 2010.

Czerwiec RM and Polsky SA (2004). LHA airwake wind tunnel and CFD comparison with and without bow flap. In: 22nd Applied aerodynamics conference and exhibit, Providence, RI, 16–19 August 2004, 4832. Reston, VA: AIAA.

Findlay DB and Ghee T. Experimental investigation of ship airwake flow control for a US Navy flight II-A class destroyer (DDG). In: Proceedings of the 3rd AIAA flow control conference, San Francisco, CA, 5–8 June 2006, pp.1303–1313. Reston, VA: AIAA.

Greenwell DI and Barrett RV (2006, June). Inclined screens for control of ship air wakes. In: Proceedings of the 3rd AIAA flow control conference, San Francisco, CA, 5–8 June 2006, pp.1314–1325. Reston, VA: AIAA.

Landman D, Lamar JE and Swift R. Particle image velocimetry measurements to evaluate the effectiveness of deck-edge columnar vortex generators on aircraft carriers. NASA Technical Report. Report no. RTO-MP-AVT-124, 1 January 2005. NATO.

10.

Nangia

Lumsden

. Novel vortex flow devices-columnar vortex generators studies for airwakes. In: 34th AIAA fluid dynamics. Portland, OR, 28 June–1 July 2004, pp.1–18. Reston, VA: AIAA.

11.

Shafer

. Active and passive flow control over the flight deck of small naval vessels. Master’s degree dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA, 2005.

12.

Shafer DM and Ghee TA. Active and passive flow control over the flight deck of small naval vessels. University Libraries, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In: 35th AIAA fluid dynamics conference and exhibit, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 6–9 June 2005, 5265. Reston, VA: AIAA.

13.

Polsky SA. CFD prediction of airwake flowfields for ships experiencing beam winds. In: 21st AIAA applied aerodynamics conference, Orlando, FL, 23–26 June 2003, AIAA paper 3657. Reston, VA: AIAA.

14.

Springer

. Evaluating aerodynamic characteristics of wind-tunnel models produced by rapid prototyping methods. J Spacecraft Rockets 1998; 35: 755–759.

15.

Tyler C, Braisted W, and Higgins J 2005. Evaluation of rapid prototyping technologies for use in wind tunnel model fabrication. In: 43rd AIAA aerospace sciences meeting and exhibit, Reno, NV, 10–13 January 2005, pp.10–13, vol. 1301. Reston, VA: AIAA.

16.

Echols

Young

. Studies of portable air-operated aerosol generator. NRL Report 5929, Washington, DC: Naval Research Laboratory, 1963.

17.

Kähler

Sammler

Kompenhans

. Generation and control of tracer particles for optical flow investigation in air. Exp Fluid 2002; 33: 736–742.

18.

Raffel

Willert

Wereley

et al.

Particle image velocimetry: a practical guide, Germany: Springer, 2007.

19.

Adrian

. Particle-imaging techniques for experimental fluid mechanics. Annu Rev Fluid Mech 1991; 23: 261–304.

20.

Adrian

Westerweel

. Particle image velocimetry, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

21.

Prasad

. Particle image velocimetry. Curr Sci 2000; 79: 10–10.

22.

Rajasekaran

. On the flow characteristics behind a backward-facing step and the design of a new axisymmetric model for their study, Canada: Doctoral Dissertation, University of Toronto, 2011.

23.

Hasan

MAZ

. The flow over a backward-facing step under controlled perturbation: laminar separation. J Fluid Mech 1992; 238: 73–96.