Stability of symmetric and asymmetric vortex pairs over slender conical wing-body combinations

Abstract

Theoretical analyses are presented for the stability of symmetric and asymmetric vortex pairs over wing-body combinations consiting of a slender circular or elliptic cone and a flat-plate delta wing under small perturbations in an inviscid incompressible steady flow at high angles of attack with or without sideslip. Based on known visualization of experimental high angle-of-attack flows over slender strake-body combinations, one pair of vortices which are separated from the sharp leading edges of the strakes is modeled. The three-dimensional problem of a pair of vortices over the slender conical wing-body combination is reduced to a problem in two-dimensions, for which a general stability condition for vortex pairs can be applied. The stationary positions of symmetric and asymmetric vortex pairs and their stabilities are examined for various geometric configurations, angle of attack, and sideslip. Results are compared with available experimental data and used to shed light on known controversies. © 2001 by the authors. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.