2024/01/17 by Esther Lagemann, Steven L. Brunton, Lagemann, Esther +5
Engineering · #Aerodynamics and Acoustics in Jet Flows #Aerodynamics and Fluid Dynamics Research #Computational Fluid Dynamics and Aerodynamics #FOS: Physical sciences #Fluid Dynamics (physics.flu-dyn)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2401.08894
openalex publication_date 2024/01/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In the age of globalization, commercial aviation plays a central role in maintaining our international connectivity by providing fast air transport services for passengers and freight. However, the upper limit of the aircraft flight envelope, i.e., its operational limit in the high-speed regime, is usually fixed by the occurrence of an aerodynamic phenomenon called transonic airfoil buffet. It refers to shock wave oscillations occurring on the aircraft wings, which induce unsteady aerodynamic loads acting on the wing structure. Since these loads can cause severe structural damage endangering flight safety, the aviation industry is highly interested in suppressing transonic airfoil buffet to extend the flight envelope to higher aircraft speeds. In this contribution, we demonstrate experimentally that the application of porous trailing edges substantially attenuates the buffet phenomenon. Since porous trailing edges have the additional benefit of reducing acoustic aircraft emissions, our findings could pave the way for faster air transport with reduced noise emissions.