Supersonic Double Wedge Airfoil Modification

The Supersonic Double Wedge airfoil has poor performance at subsonic speed regime due to sharp edges stall. For this purpose, a theoretical and experimental study was undertaken to improve the performance characteristics of the supersonic double wedge airfoil at low speed by using passive-active flow controlling methods. The proposed passive method was a shape modification through changing the sharp leading edge and mid-section upper and lower apex to smooth curved control segment which activated during the subsonic flight regime. The airfoil returns to its standard shape at supersonic speed by using a certain mechanism, and the blowing technique was used as an active method. The results had proven that the proposed flow controlling methods had improved the performance of the double wedge airfoil at low speed. The best results were obtained from the modified apex-nose airfoil with blowing.