Low-order phenomenological modeling of leading-edge vortex formation

A low-order point vortex model for the two-dimensional unsteady aerodynamics of a flat plate wing section is developed. A vortex is released from both the trailing and leading edges of the flat plate, and the strength of each is determined by enforcing the Kutta condition at the edges. The strength of a vortex is frozen when it reaches an extremum, and a new vortex is released from the corresponding edge. The motion of variable-strength vortices is computed in one of two ways. In the first approach, the Brown-Michael equation is used in order to ensure that no spurious force is generated by the branch cut associated with each vortex. In the second approach, we propose a new evolution equation for a vortex by equating the rate of change of its impulse with that of an equivalent surrogate vortex with identical properties but constant strength. This impulse matching approach leads to a model that admits more general criteria for shedding, since the variable-strength vortex can be exchanged for its constant-strength surrogate at any instant. We show that the results of the new model, when applied to a pitching or perching plate, agree better with experiments and high-fidelity simulations than the Brown-Michael model, using fewer than ten degrees of freedom. We also assess the model performance on the impulsive start of a flat plate at various angles of attack. Current limitations of the model and extensions to more general unsteady aerodynamic problems are discussed.