Abstract

A wing experiencing rapid and extreme manoeuvres can result in an unsteady separation process that leads to the formation of large-scale vortical structures that dominate the flow field, a phenomenon known as dynamic stall. This phenomenon is most commonly recognised as a hazardous issue for rotorcraft vehicles, but it can also occur on wind turbines, flapping or fluttering wing systems, and aircraft undergoing aggressive manoeuvres. Many of these systems operate in the high Reynolds numbers regime for which aerofoils have been extensively studied, however, the literature appears to be missing experimental data for finite wings experiencing dynamic stall. The work presented includes an experimental comparison of the performance data and three-component velocity measurements for wings of AR = 3, 4, 5, and an airfoil during an unsteady pitch manoeuvre at transitional Reynolds numbers.