Turbulence investigation of the NASA common research model wing tip vortex

The paper presents high-speed stereo particle image velocimetry investigation of the NASA Common Research Model wing tip vortex. A three-percent scaled semi- span model, without nacelle and pylon, was tested in the 32- by 48- inch Indraft Tunnel, at the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory at the NASA Ames Research Center. Turbulence investigation of the wing tip vortex is presented. Measurements of the wing-tip vortex were performed in a vertical cross-stream plane three tip-chords downstream of the wing tip trailing edge with a 2 kHz sampling rate. Experimental data are analyzed in the invariant anisotropy maps for three various angles of attack (0°, 2° and 4°) and the same speed generated in the tunnel (V∞ = 50 m/s). This corresponds to a chord Reynolds number 2.68×105, where the chord   length of 3” is considered the characteristic length. The region of interest was x = 220 mm and y = 90 mm. The 20 000 particle image velocimetry samples were acquired at each condition. Velocity fields and turbulence statistics are given for all cases, as well as turbulence structure in the light of the invariant theory. Prediction of the wing tip vortices is still a challenge for the computational fluid dynamics codes due to significant pressure and velocity gradients.