O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de simulação numérica de perfis aerodinâmicos bidimensionais com foco na utilização para o projeto e otimização de pás e rotores de pequenas turbinas eólicas de eixo horizontal, bem como o emprego desses métodos em simulações nas quais efeitos de alta solidez do rotor e baixos números de Reynolds são avaliados. Essa metodologia inclui geração de malhas, seleção de métodos numéricos e validação, tendo as escolhas sido guiadas pelas práticas mais bem sucedidas na simulação de perfis aerodinâmicos, e foi aplicada na simulação dos aerofólios NACA 0012, S809 e SD7062. O código comercial ANSYS Fluent foi utilizado em todas as simulações. Na simulação de aerofólios isolados a altos números de Reynolds dos perfis NACA 0012 e S809, o modelo Transition SST (γ-Reθ) apresentou resultados mais próximos a dados experimentais do que aqueles apresentados pelo modelo k-ω SST para CL e CD, além de produzir resultados para CP que mostraram boa precisão quando comparados aos mesmos dados experimentais. Resultados de CL, CD, CF e CP são apresentados para 20 diferentes condições de operação às quais o perfil SD7062 foi submetido, com números de Reynolds variando entre 25.000 e 125.000. As distribuições dos dois últimos coeficientes sobre os dorsos do aerofólio evidenciam com clareza a presença e magnitude da bolha de separação laminar. Os coeficientes de sustentação e arrasto mostram o impacto negativo da presença da bolha nessa faixa de números de Reynolds. Além disso, nos casos simulados, o arrasto aumenta em função da diminuição do Re. Um design de pá produzido com o auxílio do código de otimização SWRDC, baseado em algoritmos genéticos, é apresentado. Três seções ao longo da envergadura dessa pá foram simuladas em uma bateria de 45 simulações, sob diversas condições de operação em função de solidez, ângulo de ataque e razão de velocidade de ponta de pá. Esses resultados mostram que a bolha de separação laminar se move na direção do bordo de ataque com o aumento da solidez, do ângulo de ataque e da TSR. Além disso, distribuições do CP mostram aumento de pressão em ambos os dorsos do perfil quando submetido aos efeitos da solidez, embora esses efeitos tenham sido responsáveis por um aumento na relação CL/CD nos casos estudados. / This thesis presents a methodology of two-dimensional airfoil simulation focusing on its application on the design and optimization of blades and rotors of small horizontal axis wind turbines, and its application in a set of numerical simulations involving high rotor solidity and low-Re effects. This methodology includes grid generation, selection of numerical methods and validation, reflecting the most successful practices in airfoil simulation, and was applied in the simulation of the NACA 0012, S809 and SD7062 airfoils. The ANSYS Fluent commercial code was used in all simulations. Results for the isolated NACA 0012 and S809 airfoils at high Reynolds numbers show that the Transition SST (γ-Reθ) turbulence model produces results closer to experimental data than those yielded by the SST k-ω model for CL and CD, having also produced CP plots that show good agreement to the same experimental data. Plots of CL, CD, CF and CP for the SD7062 airfoil are presented, for simulations at 20 different operating conditions. The CF and CP distributions evidence the negative impact of the laminar separation bubble in the range of Reynolds numbers evaluated. Results show that, for Re between 25,000 and 125,000, drag increases with decreasing Re. A blade design generated using the SWRDC optimization code, based on genetic algorithms, is presented. Three sections of the resulting blade shape were selected and were tested in a set of 45 simulations, under an array of operating conditions defined by solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Results show that the laminar separation bubble moves towards the leading edge with increasing solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Furthermore, CP plots show an increase in pressure on both surfaces when the airfoil is subject to solidity effects, although these effects show an increase in the lift-to-drag ratio at the conditions evaluated.

This is an experimental and theoretical study of a laminar separation bubble and the associated transition dynamics in its early stages. The separation of a laminar boundary layer from a solid surface is prevalent in very many flow situations such as over gas turbine blades (especially in the low-pressure turbine stage) and the wings of micro-aero-vehicles (MAVs) that operate at fairly low Reynolds numbers. Flow separation occurs in such cases due to the presence of an adverse pressure gradient. The separated shear layer becomes unstable due to the presence of an inflection point and presumably transitions to turbulence rapidly. Eventually, there is reattachment back to the solid surface further downstream, if conditions are right. The region enclosed by the shear layer is called a laminar separation bubble and has been a subject of many studies in the past. The present experiments have been conducted in a closed-circuit wind tunnel. A separation bubble was obtained on the upper surface of a flat plate by appropriately contouring the top wall of the tunnel. Four different techniques were used for qualitative and quantitative study viz. surface flow visualisation, smoke flow visualisation, surface pressure measurements and hotwire anemometry. Response of the bubble to both natural as well as artificial (impulsive excitation) disturbance environment has been studied. Linear stability analyses (both Orr-Sommerfeld and Rayleigh calculations), in the spatial framework, have been performed for the mean velocity profiles starting from an attached adverse pressure gradient boundary layer all the way up to the front portion of the separation bubble region (i.e. up to the end of the dead-air region where linear evolution of disturbances could be expected). The measured velocity profiles (both attached and separated) were fitted with analytical model profiles for doing stability calculations. A separation bubble consists of aspects of both wall-bounded and wall-free shear layers and therefore both viscous and inviscid mechanisms are expected to be at play. Most of the studies in the literature point to the inviscid instability associated with the shear layer to be the main mechanism. The main aim of the present work is to understand the exact origin of the primary instability mechanism responsible for the amplification of disturbances. We argue that at least up to the front portion of the bubble, the instability mechanism is due to the inflectional mode associated with the mean velocity profile. However, the seeds of this inviscid inflectional instability could be traced back to the attached boundary layer upstream of separation. In other words, the inviscid inflectional instability of the separated shear layer should be logically seen as an extension of the instability of the upstream attached adverse-pressure-gradient boundary layer. This modifies the traditional view that pegs the origin of the instability in a separation bubble to the free shear layer outside the bubble with its associated Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism. Our contention is that only when the separated shear layer has moved considerably away from the wall (and this happens near the maximum height of the mean bubble) that a description by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability paradigm with its associated scaling principles could become relevant. We also propose a new scaling for the most amplified frequency for a wall-bounded shear layer in terms of the inflection point height and the vorticity thickness, and show its universality. Next, we theoretically investigate the role played by the re-circulating region of the separation bubble in the linear instability regime. In the re-circulating region near the wall, associated with the so-called wall mode, the production of disturbance kinetic energy is found to be negative. This is a very interesting observation which has been cursorily noted in earlier studies. Here we show that the near-wall negative production region exerts a stabilising influence on the downstream travelling disturbances. A theoretical support for such a mechanism to exist close to the wall is presented. It is shown that the stabilising wall-proximity effect is not a peripheral aspect but has a significant effect on the overall stability especially for the waves close to the upper neutral branch. We demonstrate the appropriateness of inviscid analysis for the stability of the separated flow velocity profile away from the wall, by comparing the numerical solutions of Rayleigh and Orr-Sommerfeld equations. Following this, the analytical consequences of the Rayleigh equation such as the inflection point criterion and the Fjortoft criterion are derived for the wall-bounded inflectional velocity profiles. Furthermore, we also discuss the relevance of the negative production region towards flow control and management for the wall-bounded flows. It appears fruitful to divide the separation bubble region into two parts with respect to the nature of disturbance dynamics: one outside the mean dividing streamline (which behaves as an amplifier) and the other inside the bubble corresponding to the re-circulating region (having oscillator type characteristics). To explore the oscillator-like behaviour of the bubble further, we have carried out spatio-temporal stability analysis of the reversed flow velocity profiles and determined the conditions for the onset of absolute instability. We contend that the presence of the negative production region for the upstream travelling waves has a restraining effect arresting the tendency of the flow (both wall-free and wall-bounded) to become absolutely unstable and thereby requiring a particular threshold of the backflow velocity to be crossed for its realisation. Moreover, the delay in the onset of absolute instability for a wall-bounded profile as compared to a free shear layer is attributed to a certain ‘negative-drag’ effect of the wall on the overall flow which increases the group velocities for the wall-bounded flows. A related theme in the literature regarding the dynamics of laminar separation bubbles is the so-called ‘bursting’ of the bubble wherein there is a sudden increase in the length and height of the bubble as some critical conditions are reached. Bubbles before bursting are termed as ‘short’ bubbles and those after bursting as ‘long’ bubbles. In this work, we provide a criterion to predict bursting which is a refinement over the existing criteria. The proposed criterion takes into account not just the length of the bubble but also the maximum height and it is shown to be more universal in differentiating short bubbles from the long ones, as compared to the other criteria. We also present a hypothesis regarding the sequence of events leading to bubble bursting by relating its onset to the instability of the re-circulating region. For this we observe that as the amount of backflow velocity is increased for a reversed flow velocity profile, the inflection point moves inside the mean dividing streamline and this happens before the onset of absolute instability. This causes a vorticity maximum to develop inside the re-circulating region which could lead to the instability of the closed streamlines with respect to two-dimensional cylindrical disturbances. The actual bursting process may be expected to involve non-linear interactions of the disturbances and the long bubble could be a nonlinearly saturated state of the instability of the re-circulating region. In order to explore the three-dimensionality associated with the bubble, extensive surface flow visualisation experiments have been performed. The surface streamline pattern is obtained for the entire span of the plate for three different freestream velocities. The patterns have been interpreted using topological ideas and various critical points have been identified. It is shown that the arrangement of critical points satisfies the ‘index theorem’ which is a topological necessity and the streamline patterns are ‘structurally stable’. An interesting observation from these patterns is the presence of three-dimensionality upstream of the separation line close to the wall even though the oncoming flow is nominally two-dimensional. Using the critical point theory, we propose a hypothesis which could be used to construct a semi-empirical model wherein the critical points are assigned with a quantity called ‘strength’ for determining the extent of upstream influence of a given separation line. Finally, we derive a necessary condition for the existence of inviscid spatial instability in plane parallel flows. It states that for spatial instability the curvature of the velocity profile should be positive in some region of the profile. This includes Rayleigh’s inflection point theorem (which was proposed and proved by Rayleigh for temporal instability) as a special case. It thus provides a rigorous basis for applying the inflection point criterion to the flows in the framework of spatial stability theory (which we have used extensively in the present thesis). Moreover, the condition derived here is more general as it also includes velocity profiles with the curvature positive everywhere which are excluded by Rayleigh’s theorem in the temporal framework. An example of such a profile is presented (Couette-Poiseuille flow with adverse pressure gradient) and it is shown that this flow is an exceptional case which is temporally stable but spatially unstable. Eigenvalue calculations as well as energy considerations suggest that the mechanism governing instability of this flow is inviscid and non-inflectional in character. This is a new result which could have important implications in understanding the instability dynamics of parallel flows.

[pt] O presente trabalho consiste no projeto, construção e qualificação de um aparato para o estudo experimental de bolhas de separação laminar sobre uma placa plana. A previsão do comportamento das bolhas de separação é importante para o projeto de aeronaves, turbinas e geradores eólicos, pois o desprendimento dessas bolhas tem grande impacto na performance de aerofólios. A dinâmica das bolhas não é bem compreendida, além de ser difícil de ser capturada por simulações numéricas que utilizam modelagem da turbulência. Por isso, ensaios experimentais são muito utilizados para a calibração dos modelos utilizados em simulações de engenharia. Neste trabalho, foram criados equipamentos para simular experimentalmente bolhas de separação laminar sobre uma placa plana. Os dispositivos foram projetados para o canal de água do Laboratório de Engenharia de Fluidos da PUC-Rio. O gradiente de pressão necessário para induzir a separação da camada limite e consequente formação da bolha foi ajustado com uma parede falsa, de modo a criar um canal convergente-divergente com a placa plana. Foi projetado um mecanismo de sucção da camada limite na parede falsa para evitar a separação do escoamento nessa superfície. A localização e as vazões de cada ponto de sução foram determinadas com o auxílio de simulações numéricas. Também foi projetado e testado um sistema de sopro e sucção para a excitação de ondas de instabilidade do tipo Tollmien-Schlichting na camada limite da placa plana. O funcionamento de cada dispositivo foi avaliado através da medição da velocidade do escoamento. Para isso, foram empregadas técnicas de medição por velocimetría laser doppler e velocimetría por imagem de partículas. Os resultados obtidos validam o projeto e qualificam o aparato para o estudo de bolhas de separação laminar. / [en] The present work involves the design, construction and performance test of an apparatus for the investigation of laminar separation bubbles in a flat plate boundary layer. Laminar separation bubbles are relevant for many engineering applications and the dynamic of such bubbles has a strong impact on the performance of aircrafts and turbines. The separated boundary layer reattaches to the surface due to the laminar-turbulent transition in the bubble region. This dynamic process is highly challenging for flow simulation tools used for engineering purposes. Thus, there is a demand for experimental studies that can be used for calibration of models present in those simulation tools. To this end, an apparatus was designed and built for the water channel of the Laboratory of Fluid Engineering at PUC-Rio. The boundary layer separation on the flat plate was induced by imposing a constant adverse pressure gradient to the flow. To this end a false wall was built, in order to form a converging-diverging channel with the flat plate. Flow separation on the false wall was avoided using a suction mechanism that was designed to reduce locally the boundary layer thickness. Location of suction and suction flow rates were determined with aid of numerical simulations. In addition, it was designed and built a disturbance source to generate Tollmien-Schlichting waves in the boundary layer of the flat plate. This device was used to trigger the boundary layer transition in a controlled manner. All equipment were tested and their designs were validated against experimental measurements. Laser Doppler anemometry and Particle Image Velocimetry techniques were adopted for assessment of each equipment. Results validate the design and show that separation bubbles can be investigated in detail using this apparatus.

O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de simulação numérica de perfis aerodinâmicos bidimensionais com foco na utilização para o projeto e otimização de pás e rotores de pequenas turbinas eólicas de eixo horizontal, bem como o emprego desses métodos em simulações nas quais efeitos de alta solidez do rotor e baixos números de Reynolds são avaliados. Essa metodologia inclui geração de malhas, seleção de métodos numéricos e validação, tendo as escolhas sido guiadas pelas práticas mais bem sucedidas na simulação de perfis aerodinâmicos, e foi aplicada na simulação dos aerofólios NACA 0012, S809 e SD7062. O código comercial ANSYS Fluent foi utilizado em todas as simulações. Na simulação de aerofólios isolados a altos números de Reynolds dos perfis NACA 0012 e S809, o modelo Transition SST (γ-Reθ) apresentou resultados mais próximos a dados experimentais do que aqueles apresentados pelo modelo k-ω SST para CL e CD, além de produzir resultados para CP que mostraram boa precisão quando comparados aos mesmos dados experimentais. Resultados de CL, CD, CF e CP são apresentados para 20 diferentes condições de operação às quais o perfil SD7062 foi submetido, com números de Reynolds variando entre 25.000 e 125.000. As distribuições dos dois últimos coeficientes sobre os dorsos do aerofólio evidenciam com clareza a presença e magnitude da bolha de separação laminar. Os coeficientes de sustentação e arrasto mostram o impacto negativo da presença da bolha nessa faixa de números de Reynolds. Além disso, nos casos simulados, o arrasto aumenta em função da diminuição do Re. Um design de pá produzido com o auxílio do código de otimização SWRDC, baseado em algoritmos genéticos, é apresentado. Três seções ao longo da envergadura dessa pá foram simuladas em uma bateria de 45 simulações, sob diversas condições de operação em função de solidez, ângulo de ataque e razão de velocidade de ponta de pá. Esses resultados mostram que a bolha de separação laminar se move na direção do bordo de ataque com o aumento da solidez, do ângulo de ataque e da TSR. Além disso, distribuições do CP mostram aumento de pressão em ambos os dorsos do perfil quando submetido aos efeitos da solidez, embora esses efeitos tenham sido responsáveis por um aumento na relação CL/CD nos casos estudados. / This thesis presents a methodology of two-dimensional airfoil simulation focusing on its application on the design and optimization of blades and rotors of small horizontal axis wind turbines, and its application in a set of numerical simulations involving high rotor solidity and low-Re effects. This methodology includes grid generation, selection of numerical methods and validation, reflecting the most successful practices in airfoil simulation, and was applied in the simulation of the NACA 0012, S809 and SD7062 airfoils. The ANSYS Fluent commercial code was used in all simulations. Results for the isolated NACA 0012 and S809 airfoils at high Reynolds numbers show that the Transition SST (γ-Reθ) turbulence model produces results closer to experimental data than those yielded by the SST k-ω model for CL and CD, having also produced CP plots that show good agreement to the same experimental data. Plots of CL, CD, CF and CP for the SD7062 airfoil are presented, for simulations at 20 different operating conditions. The CF and CP distributions evidence the negative impact of the laminar separation bubble in the range of Reynolds numbers evaluated. Results show that, for Re between 25,000 and 125,000, drag increases with decreasing Re. A blade design generated using the SWRDC optimization code, based on genetic algorithms, is presented. Three sections of the resulting blade shape were selected and were tested in a set of 45 simulations, under an array of operating conditions defined by solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Results show that the laminar separation bubble moves towards the leading edge with increasing solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Furthermore, CP plots show an increase in pressure on both surfaces when the airfoil is subject to solidity effects, although these effects show an increase in the lift-to-drag ratio at the conditions evaluated.

O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de simulação numérica de perfis aerodinâmicos bidimensionais com foco na utilização para o projeto e otimização de pás e rotores de pequenas turbinas eólicas de eixo horizontal, bem como o emprego desses métodos em simulações nas quais efeitos de alta solidez do rotor e baixos números de Reynolds são avaliados. Essa metodologia inclui geração de malhas, seleção de métodos numéricos e validação, tendo as escolhas sido guiadas pelas práticas mais bem sucedidas na simulação de perfis aerodinâmicos, e foi aplicada na simulação dos aerofólios NACA 0012, S809 e SD7062. O código comercial ANSYS Fluent foi utilizado em todas as simulações. Na simulação de aerofólios isolados a altos números de Reynolds dos perfis NACA 0012 e S809, o modelo Transition SST (γ-Reθ) apresentou resultados mais próximos a dados experimentais do que aqueles apresentados pelo modelo k-ω SST para CL e CD, além de produzir resultados para CP que mostraram boa precisão quando comparados aos mesmos dados experimentais. Resultados de CL, CD, CF e CP são apresentados para 20 diferentes condições de operação às quais o perfil SD7062 foi submetido, com números de Reynolds variando entre 25.000 e 125.000. As distribuições dos dois últimos coeficientes sobre os dorsos do aerofólio evidenciam com clareza a presença e magnitude da bolha de separação laminar. Os coeficientes de sustentação e arrasto mostram o impacto negativo da presença da bolha nessa faixa de números de Reynolds. Além disso, nos casos simulados, o arrasto aumenta em função da diminuição do Re. Um design de pá produzido com o auxílio do código de otimização SWRDC, baseado em algoritmos genéticos, é apresentado. Três seções ao longo da envergadura dessa pá foram simuladas em uma bateria de 45 simulações, sob diversas condições de operação em função de solidez, ângulo de ataque e razão de velocidade de ponta de pá. Esses resultados mostram que a bolha de separação laminar se move na direção do bordo de ataque com o aumento da solidez, do ângulo de ataque e da TSR. Além disso, distribuições do CP mostram aumento de pressão em ambos os dorsos do perfil quando submetido aos efeitos da solidez, embora esses efeitos tenham sido responsáveis por um aumento na relação CL/CD nos casos estudados. / This thesis presents a methodology of two-dimensional airfoil simulation focusing on its application on the design and optimization of blades and rotors of small horizontal axis wind turbines, and its application in a set of numerical simulations involving high rotor solidity and low-Re effects. This methodology includes grid generation, selection of numerical methods and validation, reflecting the most successful practices in airfoil simulation, and was applied in the simulation of the NACA 0012, S809 and SD7062 airfoils. The ANSYS Fluent commercial code was used in all simulations. Results for the isolated NACA 0012 and S809 airfoils at high Reynolds numbers show that the Transition SST (γ-Reθ) turbulence model produces results closer to experimental data than those yielded by the SST k-ω model for CL and CD, having also produced CP plots that show good agreement to the same experimental data. Plots of CL, CD, CF and CP for the SD7062 airfoil are presented, for simulations at 20 different operating conditions. The CF and CP distributions evidence the negative impact of the laminar separation bubble in the range of Reynolds numbers evaluated. Results show that, for Re between 25,000 and 125,000, drag increases with decreasing Re. A blade design generated using the SWRDC optimization code, based on genetic algorithms, is presented. Three sections of the resulting blade shape were selected and were tested in a set of 45 simulations, under an array of operating conditions defined by solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Results show that the laminar separation bubble moves towards the leading edge with increasing solidity, angle of attack and TSR. Furthermore, CP plots show an increase in pressure on both surfaces when the airfoil is subject to solidity effects, although these effects show an increase in the lift-to-drag ratio at the conditions evaluated.

Lifting surfaces of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are often operated in low Reynolds number (Re) ranges, wherein the transition of boundary layer from laminar-to-turbulent plays a more significant role than in high-Re aerodynamics applications. This poses a challenge for traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, since typical modeling approaches assume either fully laminar or fully turbulent flow. In particular, the boundary layer state must be accurately predicted to successfully determine the separation behavior which significantly influences the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based CFD simulations of an elliptic airfoil are performed for time-varying angles of attack, and results are used to elucidate relevant flow physics and aerodynamic data for an elliptic airfoil under realistic operating conditions. Results are also used to evaluate the performance of several different RANS-based turbulence modeling approaches for this class of flowfield.

[pt] O estudo de bolhas de separação laminar em aerofólios que operam a baixos números de Reynolds é importante para diversas aplicações tais como: turbinas a gás, geradores eólicos, veículos aéreos não tripulados, dentre outros. A perda de performance desses equipamentos, normalmente, está associada à presença e à ruptura de bolhas de separação. Neste trabalho buscou-se investigar, experimentalmente, os efeitos relacionados a variação súbita no nível de perturbações do escoamento a montante da região de formação da bolha. A ideia é avaliar como o escoamento se comporta em uma situação onde o nível de turbulência do escoamento livre pode variar. No caso de turbinas, essa condição pode ser observada quando as esteiras dos aerofólios de um estágio influenciam aquelas do estágio seguinte. Apesar da relevância prática, o regime transiente foi pouco investigado na literatura. Para o presente estudo foi utilizado um canal de água do Laboratório de Engenharia de Fluidos. O gradiente de pressão, necessário para a formação da bolha, foi gerado com uma placa convergente-divergente e o nível de perturbações na camada limite foi controlado através de um gerador do tipo fita vibrante. Os campos de velocidades na região da bolha foram medidos com a técnica de Velocimetria por Imagem de Partícula com alta resolução temporal. A geração de perturbações e as medições de velocidade foram sincronizadas, permitindo assim o uso de técnicas de extração de médias de eventos. Caracterizou-se a bolha em um regime estacionário, onde não houve excitação de perturbações controladas a montante da bolha. Os resultados foram comparados com referências da literatura, apresentando boa concordância. No regime transiente, analisou-se o escoamento desde o instante em que o gerador de perturbações foi subitamente desligado até a recuperação completa da bolha. Nessas condições, notou-se que bolha cresceu até atingir um comprimento maior do que o observado no regime estacionário. Somente após o desprendimento de um grande vórtice, a bolha voltou a exibir características similares àquelas do regime estacionário. Esse comportamento se assemelha àquele reportado na literatura para ruptura de bolhas (bursting) mas que ainda não é bem compreendido. / [en] Laminar separation bubbles in Low Reynolds number airfoils is important for several applications such as: gas turbines, wind generators, unmanned aerial vehicles, among others. The performance loss of this airfoils is usually associated with the presence and rupture of separation bubbles. The effects related to the sudden variation of the level of flow disturbances upstream of the bubble formation region are investigated in this work. The idea is to evaluate how the flow behaves when subjected to a sudden variation in the freestream turbulence. This condition can be observed in airfoil cascade of turbines, where the wake of a previous stage can influence the next. Although this scenario is of practical relevance, it has been poorly investigated in literature. For the present study, a water channel from the Fluids Engineering Laboratory was used. The pressure gradient, necessary for the bubble formation, was generated with a convergentdivergent plate and the level of disturbances in the boundary layer was controlled using a vibrating ribbon. Velocity fields in the bubble region were measured using the Particle Image Velocimetry technique with high temporal resolution. The generation of disturbances and measurements were phase locked, thus allowing the use of ensemble average techniques. The bubble was characterized in a so called steady regime, where there was no excitation of controlled disturbances upstream of the bubble. The results were compared with references in the literature, showing good agreement. In the transient regime, the flow was analyzed from the moment the disturbance generator was suddenly turned off until the bubble had completely recovered. In these conditions, it was noted that the bubble grew until reaching a length greater than that observed in the stationary regime. Only after the release of a large vortex did the bubble return to exhibit characteristics similar to those of the stationary regime. This behavior is similar to that reported in the literature for bubble rupture (bursting) but that is still not well understood.

Cette thèse vise à étudier les effets de la transition laminaire - turbulent et du contrôle actif de l’angle de calage des pales sur les performances de l’hydrolienne à axe transverse SHIVA (Système Hydrolien Intelligent à Variation d’Angle) développée à l’institut de Recherche de l’Ecole-Navale (IRENav). L’écoulement transitionnel autour d’un hydrofoil est, d’abord étudié en comparant des résultats expérimentaux et numériques. Les résultats expérimentaux ont été obtenus dans le tunnel hydrodynamique de l’IRENav. La transition s’effectue par un mécanisme de bulbe de séparation laminaire. Les comparaisons sont fondées sur l’analyse locale des pressions, des profils de vitesse dans la zone du bulbe de séparation laminaire et sur l’analyse des portances, traînées et moments mesurés sur un profil fixe et en mouvement de tangage forcé. Des calculs RANS 2D, avec et sans modèle de transition (ɣ— Reo), RANS 3D et LES 2.5D ont été menés afin de comparer les approches et évaluer la précision des simulations. L’étude montre que le modèle de transition ɣ — Reo améliore nettement les résultats obtenus par rapport à un modèle tout turbulent (k — w SST) dans le cas d’un écoulement transitionnel. L’influence de la transition laminaire - turbulent sur les performances de la turbine SHIVA est ensuite étudiée en comparant les résultats de calculs effectués avec et sans modèle de transition. L’approche est bidimensionnelle. L’utilisation du modèle de transition est intéressante au paramètre d’avance ʎ = 2 pour lequel les pales subissent un décrochage dynamique important. Le développement du tourbillon de bord d’attaque, favorisé par le modèle de transition, permet en effet une meilleure prédiction du décrochage. Les valeurs de ʎ supérieures sont moins concluantes du fait de la prédiction d’une tramée trop faible par le modèle de transition. Enfin, l’influence du contrôle actif du calage des pales sur les performances de la turbine est étudiée au point de fonctionnement optimal de la turbine ʎ = 3. Des lois de calage avancées sont développées, permettant d’agir indépendamment sur la moitié amont ou aval de la turbine. La meilleure loi testée permet une augmentation du coefficient de puissance de 34% tout en lissant la répartition du couple. / This work studies the laminar-turbulent transition and the pitch control effects on the performances of a vertical axis tidal turbine (SHIVA) developed at the French naval academy research institute. Firstly, experimental and numerical results are compared to study the transitional flow around a hydrofoil. The experiments were carried out in the hydrodynamic tunnel of the French naval academy research institute and the laminar-turbulent transition was triggered by a laminar separation bubble mechanism. Comparisons are based on the local analysis of pressure data and velocity profiles in the vicinity of the laminar separation bubble. Lift, drag and moment coefficients measured on a fixed hydrofoil and on a hydrofoil undergoing a pitching movement are also used for comparison. 2D RANS calculations carried out with or without a transition modal (ɣ — Reo), 3D RANS calculations and 2.5D LES calculations were run so as to assess the accuracy of each type of simulation. This study shows that the ‘y Reo transition modal clearly improves the accuracy of the results compared to a fully turbulent turbulence model (k— w SST) when considering a transitional flow. The influence of the laminar-turbulent transition on the performance of the SHIVA turbine is then studied. Results of 2D calculations run with and without transition model are compared. The use of the transition modal is relevant at the tip speed ratio value ʎ = 2 for which the blades undergo dynamic stall. The transition modal leads to a better prediction of the leading edge vortex development and then allows a better prediction of the dynamic stall. The use of the transition model at higher ʎ values is less relevant since the transition modal appears to predict a drag too low. Finally, the effect of the pitch control on the SHIVA turbine performance is .studied at ʎ = 3, for which the power coefficient is the highest. Advanced pitching laws are developed to modify the blades’ angle of attack independently on the upstream and downstream halves of the turbine. The best pitching law tested in this study leads to an improvement of the power coefficient by 34% and smooths the torque distribution.

Les recherches sur les instationnarités des Interactions Ondes de Choc Couches Limites (IOCCL) turbulentes ont permis une description détaillée de celles-ci tant expérimentalement que numériquement . Ceci a conduit à plusieurs schémas susceptibles d'expliquer les respirations à basses fréquences observées dans de tels écoulements. Les configurations avec des conditions amont laminaires ou transitionnelles ont été moins étudiées.Dans le cadre du programme Européen TFAST, un important effort a été mené afin de développer des dispositifs expérimentaux, conjointement à des simulations numériques, permettant une étude détaillée de ces configurations. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, on a mis en place une configuration de réflexion d'onde de choc sur une couche limite laminaire pour un nombre de Mach de 1.68. L'utilisation des métrologies classiques (Anémométrie Laser Doppler, Anémométrie Fil Chaud), adaptées à ces conditions expérimentales particulières, a permis de décrire les propriétés spatio-temporelles de ces écoulements. Le champ moyen a été caractérisé et comparé aux théories classique et aux résultats obtenus dans différentes souffleries.Un schéma décrivant le mécanisme de transition à la turbulence au sein de l'interaction a été développé. Sa sensibilité aux conditions amont a été étudiée en plaçant des perturbations en amont de l'interaction. Dans tous les cas, des instationnarités convectives (haute fréquence) et stationnaires (basse fréquence) ont été observées et comparées à celles existantes pour les configurations amont turbulentes. Une gamme intermédiaire d'instationnarités convectives (moyenne fréquence) a été mise en évidence et caractérisée. / Research dedicated to the study of the unsteadiness of turbulent Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction (SWBLI) has allowed a detailed description of this kind of interaction both experimentally and numerically. Several scenario were proposed to explain the low frequency unsteadiness observed in separated SWBLI. Nevertheless, the literature on this kind of flow involving either upstream laminar or transitional conditions is quite reduce. Within the framework of the European TFAST program, an important effort was made to develop experimental devices, in conjunction with numerical simulations, allowing a detailed study of these laminar or transitional configurations. In particular, within the framework of this thesis, a shock wave reflection configuration on a laminar boundary layer was set-up, with a nominal free stream Mach number of 1.68. Using classical metrology (Laser Doppler Anemometry, Hot WireAnemometry) that have been adapted to these particular experimental conditions, we have been able to describe the spatio-temporal properties of the interaction. The mean field has been characterized and compared with the classical theories and the results obtained in other configurations.A model describing the transition mechanisms to turbulence within the interaction has been developed. Its sensitivity to upstream conditions was studied by placing perturbations upstream of the interaction. In all cases, convective (high frequency) and stationary (low frequency) unsteadiness were observed and compared with those existing for upstream turbulent configurations. An intermediate range of convective unsteadiness (medium frequency) has been demonstrated and characterized.