Experimental study of low Reynolds number effects on aerodynamics of smooth and sinusoidal leading-edge wings in the vicinity of the ground

Abstract

Present study experimentally investigates the effects of ground clearance and Reynolds number on aerodynamic coefficients of smooth and sinusoidal leading-edge wings. Wind tunnel tests are conducted over a wide range of angles of attack from zero to 36 degrees, low Reynolds numbers of 30,000, 45,000 and 60,000, and also ground clearances of 0.5, 1 and ∞. Results showed that reduction of ground clearance and increment of Reynolds number cause the lift coefficient and the lift to drag ratio of both wings to be enhanced. Furthermore, the effects of Reynolds number and ground clearance on the smooth leading-edge wing are more than the sinusoidal leading-edge one. In addition, the sinusoidal leading-edge wing shows an excellent performance in the poststall region due to producing a higher lift and also by delaying the stall angle compared to the smooth leading-edge wing.