1
$\begingroup$

Please don't talk about wing tip vortices and leading edge vortices(vortex lift)

Is it possible to see trailing edge vortices in real life, do they exist in reality?

How looks air in wake between wingtips, without flap, is downwash consistent or full of vortices? Theory predicts trailing edge vortices but where are they?

This two inboard white swirl is made by turbofan exhaust? enter image description here

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
0
$\begingroup$

Yes. Most likely in a wind tunnel with smoke. What you will see is highly dependent on Angle of Attack.

Ideally, any turbulence (that would be felt as buffet) is well away from the trailing edge. What should be seen at AoA below stall angle, aft of the wing, is a strong downwash from the upper wing combining with the deflected airflow from the lower wing.

Air deflected upwards by the top of the wing is pulled down and accelerated by low pressure near the wing surface (just as the wing is being pulled up). When AoA exceeds the stall limit, then downwash is insufficient and higher pressure "spills" over onto the top of the wing in the form of turbulence and vorticies, but this does not happen at lower AoA.

The trailing edge airflow pattern at lower AoA would be more like a "sheet" of downwash/upwash/downwash before it dissipates.

It is the downwash sheet energy that actually strengthens wingtip vorticies into the dangerous "tornadoes" that following aircraft may encounter.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Hoerner tips, end plates, and winglets are used to minimize drag effects from wing tip voticies, but that does not mean that planes that have them will not produce wake vorticies!. $\endgroup$
    – Robert DiGiovanni
    Nov 15, 2022 at 13:09
0
$\begingroup$

Is it possible to see trailing edge vortices in real life, do they exist in reality?

Yes, it is.

The following picture from this report just shows the development of trailing edge vortices not on the wingtip:

vortices formation on a wing

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ I think this comes from sweept leading edge. In reality trailing edge vortices dont exist, their velocities all add up so you have consistent downwash in the wake between two wingtips. $\endgroup$
    – user628075
    Nov 15, 2022 at 14:24
  • $\begingroup$ I am asking myself if exist or not...Because I dont see them. $\endgroup$
    – user628075
    Nov 15, 2022 at 14:42
  • $\begingroup$ I think you are misunderstanding the term vortex/vorticity: it is not a tornado we are speaking about here but something as thin as the trailing edge+boundary layer. And the picture in that report does show trailing edge vortices as also written in caption. If you prefer a rectangular wing, that report has a picture also for it. $\endgroup$
    – sophit
    Nov 15, 2022 at 14:52
  • $\begingroup$ Can you post picture of straight wing with trailing edge vortices? Dont use delta wings. $\endgroup$
    – user628075
    Nov 15, 2022 at 14:55
  • $\begingroup$ @JurgenM: as said, the picture is in the report linked in my answer. $\endgroup$
    – sophit
    Nov 16, 2022 at 23:16

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .