A Preliminary Study of the Flow around a Delta Wing using High Resolution Pressure Measurements. G. U. Aero Report no. 9720

A study of the flow around delta wings has been carried out in a series of experiments in the University’s Handley-Page Wind-Tunnel facility. The objective of the experiments was to capture high spatial and temporal resolution pressure measurements on a specially designed 60° delta wing model. This project has been devised to analyse the results of the study with a view to determining a reliable method of vortex breakdown detection on delta wings using data obtained from pressure measurements alone. A fundamental requirement of the proposed method is that it should apply equally under static and dynamic conditions. In order to achieve the aim of the project, a broad understanding of the physics of vortical flows is required. This is to be achieved in two ways; firstly, by carrying out a literature research exercise on the nature, causes and effects of vortex breakdown, secondly, to validate the findings of the pressure data analysis by carrying out further experiments using smoke visualisation techniques. The findings of the literature research exercise are presented, together with a description of the wind-tunnel experiments and the preliminary results from the analysis of the pressure data. The models to be used in the forthcoming smoke visualisation experiments have been built and a series of tests have been carried out to evaluate their design. A description of the smoke tunnel models and the results of these tests are also presented. The work of this project has so far highlighted a number of issues to be dealt with in future research as part of this project. To conclude this report, a series of proposals are presented detailing the work required to resolve these issues