Spanwise Response Variation for Partial-Span Gurney-Type Flaps

Uninhabited air vehicles with high-aspect-ratio wings can experience substantial aeroelastic modes, which can adversely affect performance. An active, distributed control system is being developed to alleviate these vibrations, using a series of small span trailing-edge actuators to alter the aerodynamic loads at specific spanwise locations. Particle image velocimetry was used to determine the spanwise effects of these devices because it is necessary to understand whether their application will have nonlocal effects. The wake structure indicates that the primary influence is confined to within two actuator spans of the applied device, demonstrating that the response is quite localized. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]