Oscillating Cascade Aerodynamics at Large Mean Incidence Angles

In a cooperative program with Pratt & Whitney, researchers obtained fundamental separated flow unsteady aerodynamic data in the NASA Lewis Research Center's Oscillating Cascade. These data fill a void that has hindered the understanding and prediction of subsonic and transonic stall flutter. For small-amplitude torsional oscillations, unsteady pressure distributions were measured on airfoils with cross sections representative of an advanced, low-aspect-ratio fan blade. Data were obtained for two mean incidence angles with a subsonic inflow. At high mean incidence angles (alpha = 10 deg), the mean flow separated at the leading edge and reattached at about 40 percent of the chord. For comparison purposes, data were also obtained for a low incidence angle (a = 0 deg) attached flow.