Analysis of a high-lift device by boundary layer blowing system

Boundary layer control is a very important subject of investigation in fluid mechanics. The invention of high-lift devices in aircrafts has allowed to increase the capabilities of aerodynamic profiles. This thesis explores one opportunity of taking advantage of boundary layer control in turbulent regimes by means of a blowing system. Carefully CFD simulations have been performed with ANSYS Fluent at different angles of attack for the 2D NACA 4412 airfoil. The boundary conditions are sea level conditions for incompressible flow at Reynold number of 4.8 million, chord of 1m and Mach number of 0.2 for flow velocity. Three modifications of the airfoil geometry have been created at 61%, 50% and 39% of the chord. Each modification includes a slot for the blowing jet of height of 1% of the total chord. The results showed that the blowing system increases the lift coefficient and the aerodynamic efficiency at high angles of attack, which is very useful in take-off and landing configurations. The location of the blowing system at 50% of the chord showed to be the best location for the device. In conclusion, this high-lift device should be implemented and studied further in 3D cases, since it might be an innovative element not only in the aerospace industry, but also other fields of study like wind turbines or nautical ships.Ingeniería Aeroespacia