| Abstract: | Incompressible viscous flow past an airfoil at low Reynolds numbers is investigated on the basis of a numerical solution of the complete Navier-Stokes equations. Steady flow regimes, with and without separation, are obtained and, moreover, periodic regimes with the formation of a vortex trail in the wake. The frequency of vortex formation is determined by the linear dimension of the projection of the airfoil on the normal to the freestream velocity. The relation between the Strouhal and Reynolds numbers, determined from this linear dimension, depends only slightly on the angle of attack and shape of the airfoil and is similar to the experimental dependence for circular cylinders.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 29–36, July–August, 1986.In conclusion the authors wish to express their warm thanks to G. I. Petrov for his interest in their work and valuable discussion of their results, and to V. P. Shkadova for discussing the formulation of the problem and the method of solution and for her constant readiness to advise on the organization of the calculations. |
