TURBULATOR GEOMETRY INFLUENCE ON TRIPPING EFFECTIVENESS BASED ON LOW-SPEED WIND-TUNNEL DATA

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the relative tripping effectiveness of different turbulator-tape geometries. Oil-flow photographic data were obtained in a low-speed wind tunnel for the upper surface of a Wortmann FX-63-1.37 airfoil two-dimensional wing section. Meaningful flow visualization data were obtained for several turbulator geometries that demonstrate different degrees of effectiveness for each turbulator configuration tested. A statistical compilation of the data quantitatively illustrate increased tripping effectiveness for a specific configuration tested, over the standard Z-patterned tape currently in use.