The low frequency oscillation in the flow over a NACA0012 airfoil with an iced leading edge

The unusually low frequency oscillation in the wake of an airfoil is explored experimentally as well as computationally for a NACA0012 airfoil with a glaze ice accretion at the leading edge. Experimentally, flow oscillations were observed at low frequencies that correspond to a Strouhal number of about 0.02. This occurred in the angle of attack range of 8 to 9 deg, near the onset of static stall for this airfoil. With a Navier-Stokes computation, limit-cycle oscillations in the flow and in the aerodynamic forces were also observed at low Strouhal numbers. However, the occurrence of the oscillation is found to depend on the turbulence model in use as well as the Reynolds number.