Project Title: Flow Visualization Studies on a Delta Wing at High

Angle of Attack
Literature Review
The studies in the flow visualization on a delta wing provoke interest in determining the limitations
on the performance envelope of an advanced fighter aircraft for the future. A delta wing was
originally designed for high speed aircraft. Effort and resources have over the years been channeled
towards designing a high speed fighter aircraft with good low speed flight capabilities for combat.
However, meeting these totally contradictory performance requirements is a challenge worth
exploring by a modern day aircraft designer. The growing interest in high angle of attack
maneuvering has refocused the attention of the research community on delta planforms with
emphasis on double-delta wing planforms. A versatile and agile fighter aircraft provide the pilot
an opportunity to gain and maintain an advantageous position in combat.
This chapter, therefore, gives account of work previously done by other researchers and scholars
in the field of flow visualization on a delta wing at high angle of attack.
Whitford asserts that since 1950s, most fighter designs had wings optimized for high speed
performance with either swept back or delta wing configuration. The German engineers researched
the delta-wing planform in the early 1940. French Dassault used delta wing on the Mirage III
fighter while the U.S Convair produced the XF-92/F-102. Whitford observed that the advantage
realized from the delta-wing design was that leading edge vortex flows were effective in reducing
pre-stall buffet levels to give a more gradual loss of lift above the angle of attack (AOA) for
maximum lift co-efficient. However, the down side to the single-delta wing were low loading and
poor maneuverability. Dassault is a classic example of a delta planform that did not favour the
design of a fighter aircraft with reduced landing speeds, improved maneuverability and heavier
payload [1].
Fisher et al confirms that an in-flight flow visualization study was conducted by NASA on the
ongoing High-Alpha Technology Program (HATP) which integrates the F/A-18 flight test based
on the wind tunnel data with CFD. HATP is aimed at providing new design guidelines and
concepts for vortex control on advanced, highly maneuverable aircraft at high angles of attack [2].
Yaniktepe and Rockwell carried out experiments on delta wings at low angles of attack. They
deduced that at low attack angles, the primary vortex is divided into two parts by secondary vortex
that makes apparent dual vortex structure. Thus, as the Reynolds number increases, the outer
vortex undergoes break-down faster than the inner vortex and this dual structure changes to single,
larger-scale vortex. Dual vortex structure was not recognised at a 38.7 sweep angle and 7 angles
of attack [3].
Gad-el-Hak and Blackwelder observed that for delta wings with sweep angle of 45 and 60 at low
Reynolds numbers, vortex sheet originating from leading edge rolls up periodically into distinct
sub structures containing vortices. They linked this behaviour to Inviscid Kelvin-Helmholtz type
of the shear layer instability [4].
Farnsworth et al observed that a useful method of studying vortex breakdown over delta wings is
visualization of streak line by means of releasing smoke or dye in the vortex prior to vortex
breakdown location. This technique has been succeeded in exhibiting the special specifics of the
vortex breakdown over slender delta wings [5].
Zhu et al conducted numerical simulations of turbulent flows in a rectangular channel with vortex
generators mounted at the bottom wall. The team used the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes
(RANS) and energy equations to calculate flow field while turbulence was considered by solving
standard k- model equation with the wall law [6]. The numerical results from the simulation were
compared with the experimental results of Pauly and Eaton [7] from whom it was inferred that k-
model could simulate flow with imbedded longitudinal vortices accurately except that there was
a disparity of 13% in the vortex core.
Polhamus discovered that as the sweep angle decreases, the portion of vortex lift to the total lift
reduces too. Thus, for non-slender delta wings, the breakdown of vortex occurs even at low angles
of attack. Suffice to note that there is no any clear link between vortex breakdown existence and
the change in the value of lift force coefficient. Therefore, vortex breakdown may not be an
obstacle phenomenon for lift force being generated over non-slender delta wings. By contrast, in
any flow control approach, flow reattachment is of considerable importance [8].
Williams et al. carried out investigations on effects of unsteady blowing at the leading edge of a
50 swept angle delta wing by utilization of pressure measurements and particle image velocimetry
measurements. It was observed that stall was considerably delayed. An increase in the upper
surface suction force was detected too. They discovered an optimal momentum coefficient for each
angle of attack. Applying higher momentum coefficients than optimal one had negligible effect.
However, for the post stall region, the optimal momentum coefficient was increased by increasing
the angle of attack. Velocity measurements showed that flow reattachment is developed by the
effect of leading edge blowing [9].
 REFERENCES
1. Whitford R (1987). Design for Air Combat, Janes publishing Company Ltd., London.

2. Fisher D. F, Del Frate J. H and Richwine D. M. In-Flight Flow Visualization of the

NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle at High Angle of Attack. NASA TM-4130,
May 1990.

3. Yaniktepe B and Rockwell D (2004). Flow structure and delta wing of low sweep angle.
AIAA journal, 40(3), 513-523

4. Gad-el-Hak M and Blackwelder R.F (1985). The discrete vortices from a delta wing.
AIAA journal, 23(6), 961-962

5. Farnworth J, Canell F, Ciurla M and Amitry M (2007). Control of the stingray UAV at
low angles of attack. AIAA paper, 321

6. Zhu Y.S, Yin H.C and Li D.F Numerical simulation and research of grate cooler based on
coupled gas-solid heat transfer. Ther Sci Tech, 2012, 03: 229-233

7. Pauley W.R and Eaton J.K (1988). Experimental Study of the Development of
Longitudinal Vortex Pairs Embedded in a Turbulent Boundary Layer. AIAA Journal 26(7),
pp. 816-823

8. Polhamus E.C (1971). Prediction of vortex-lift characteristics by a leading-edge

suctionanalogy. Journal of aircraft, 8(4), 193-199

9. Williams N.M. Active flow control on a non-slender delta wing. (PhD thesis, University
of Bath, 2009)