Impact of corrugated structures on airfoil aerodynamic performance

The modification design of airfoil is a crucial aspect of aircraft design. Implementing corrugated structures on the lower wing surface can significantly affect the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil under specific conditions. This study focuses on macroscale corrugated structures based on the Clark YM15 airfoil. A series of concave triangular corrugations were arranged on its lower surface, and various corrugated airfoil types were derived. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to analyze the performance and flow characteristics of these corrugated airfoils, and to investigate the impact of structural parameters, quantity, and layout of the corrugations on the lift-to-drag performance of the airfoil. The results demonstrate that judiciously configured corrugated structures can enhance the lift-to-drag performance at a small angle of attack, with the double-corrugation structure showing the most significant improvement. Wind tunnel experiments were respectively conducted on the double-corrugation airfoil and the original airfoil, which validate the accuracy of the CFD simulations and confirm the lift and drag performance advantages of the corrugated airfoil over the original design.