Calculations of the flow over thick, conical, slender wings with leading-edge separation

Abstract

The vortex-sheet model of leading-edge separation previously applied to flat-plate delta wings has been applied to thick delta wings in the form of rhombic cones. The simplifications introduced by the use of slender-body theory and an asymptotic treatment for the core of the vortex have been retained. The results show that the vortex sheet leaves the wing tangentially to the lower surface. The calculations reproduce the observed trends with increasing thickness: the vortex core moves upwards and outwards and the circulation and both the linear and non-linear parts of the lift fall off. The quantitative agreement between theory and experiment worsens somewhat as the thickness increases, probably indicating an increase in the influence of the secondary separation.