Jet Control of Flow Separation on Hydrofoils: PerformanceEvaluation Based on Force and Torque Measurements

Operating characteristics of aeronautic and marine vehicles, as well as hydraulic machines designed for various purposes are largely affected by flow separation. Therefore, control of separated flows is an extremely important problem for modern aviation and marine engineering. Based on dynamometric measurements of forces and torque acting on model hydrofoils and the ship rudder, jet control of flow separation in cavitation-free and cavitation regimes at low and high angles of attack is studied. It is shown that generation of a near-wall jet can ensure a separationless flow around test models at angles of attack greater than 30 degrees. In this case, the lift coefficient of the hydrofoil can increase approximately by two or three times. Pressure fluctuations near the body and in its wake vanish due to flow stabilization; as a result, oscillations of hydrodynamic loads on the body decrease.