Forebody Flow Visualization on the F-18 HARV with Actuated Forebody Strakes

Download or read book Forebody Flow Visualization on the F-18 HARV with Actuated Forebody Strakes written by David F. Fisher and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Off-surface smoke flow visualization and extensive pressure measurements were obtained on the forebody of the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle equipped with actuated forebody strakes. Test points at [alpha]=50 deg. were examined in which only one strake was deflected or in which both strakes were deflected differentially. The forebody pressures were integrated to obtain forebody yawing moments. Results showed that small single strake deflections can cause an undesirable yawing moment reversal. At [alpha]=50 deg., this reversal was corrected by deploying both strakes at 20 deg. initially, then differentially from 20 deg. to create a yawing moment. The off-surface flow visualization showed that in the case of the small single strake deflection, the resulting forebody/strake vortex remained close to the surface and caused accelerated flow and increased suction pressures on the deflected side. When both strakes were deflected differentially, two forebody/strake vortices were present. The forebody/strake vortex from the larger deflection would lift from the surface while the other would remain close to the surface. The nearer forebody/strake vortex would cause greater flow acceleration, higher suction pressures and a yawing moment on that side ot the forebody. Flow visualization provided clear description of the strake vortices fluid mechanics.