Effect of the wing trailing-edge flaps and spoilers position on the jet-vortex wake behind an aircraft during takeoff and landing run

Abstract

The large-scale vortex structure of flow in the near wake behind an aircraft during its run on a runway is investigated numerically. The geometrical aircraft configuration was taken close to a mid-range commercial aircraft like Boeing 737-300. It included all essential elements: a body (fuselage), wings with winglets, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, engine nacelles, nacelle pylons, inboard flap track fairings, leading-edge and trailing-edge flaps, and spoilers. The position of flaps and spoilers corresponded to the takeoff and landing run conditions. Computational simulation was based on solving the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations closed with the Menter Shear Stress Transport turbulence model. Patterns of streamlines, fields of the axial vorticity and the turbulent intensity, vertical and horizontal velocity profiles in the wake are compared and discussed for both run regimes. The flow model was preliminary tested for validity by comparison of the calculated velocity profiles behind a reduced-scale aircraft model with those obtained in special wind tunnel experiments.