AN INSIGHT INTO THE UNIQUE AFFINITIES THAT CHARACTERISE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADAPTIVE FLEXIBLE-WALLED TEST SECTIONS AND CFD

摘要

By describing some of the principles on which wall adaptation is based, this paper demonstrates that many of the attractions associated with integrating analytical and experimental procedures are exemplified in adaptive wall techniques. Various mechanisms for exploiting the benefits arising from the combined use of computed and experimental results are described. Examples are provided to demonstrate how they may enable aerodynamic design tools to be validated and evaluated and also how they may be applied to enhance the productivity of adaptive wall techniques. Although the paper is primarily concerned with describing the application of adaptive wall technology to the study of two-dimensional flows, brief insights into the prospects for exploiting the technology in three-dimensional simulations are also provided. It is contested that the innovative use of CFD in support of the operation of adaptive flexible-walled test sections is likely to be of benefit to the aerospace community as a whole. Finally, by encouraging a more integrated approach towards the development of adaptive wall technology, it is hoped that the paper will provide the stimulus for further innovation in combining the fields of experimental and computational fluid dynamics.