The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails

Abel Arredondo Galeana; Ignazio Maria Viola

doi:10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029

The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails

Abel Arredondo Galeana, Ignazio Maria Viola

School of Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

In the present work we experimentally verify, for the first time, that a stable Leading-Edge Vortex (LEV) can be formed on an asymmetric spinnaker, which is a high-lift sail used by yachts to sail downwind. We tested a rigid sail in isolation in a water flume at a Reynolds number of ca. 104. The flow field was measured with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) over horizontal cross sections. We found that on the leeward side of the sail (the suction side), the flow separates at the leading edge reattaching further downstream and forming a stable LEV. The LEV grows in diameter from the root to the tip of the sail, where it merges with the tip vortex. We detected the LEV using the γ criterion, and we verified its stability over time. The lift contribution provided by the LEV was computed solving a complex potential model of each sail section. This analysis indicated that the LEV provides more than 10% of the total sail’s lift. These findings suggest that the maximum lift of low-aspect-ratio wings with a sharp leading edge, such as spinnakers, can be enhanced by promoting the formation of a stable LEV.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	552-562
Number of pages	11
Journal	Ocean Engineering
Volume	159
Early online date	24 Feb 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2018

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Yacht Sails
Spinnakers
Vortex flow
leading-edge vortex
Particle image velocimetry
Circular arc

Access to Document

10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029

Arredondo-Viola-OE2018-withSupplMatAccepted author manuscript, 13 MB

1 Finished

Vortex flow of yacht sails
Viola, I. M., Arredondo-Galeana, A. & Souppez, J.
1/10/14 → 1/08/19
Project: Other (Non-Funded/Miscellaneous)

3 Article

Water tunnel testing of downwind yacht sails
Souppez, J. B. R. G. & Viola, I. M., Feb 2024, In: Experiments in fluids. 65, 2, 15.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Vortex Flow of Downwind Sails
Arredondo-Galeana, A., Babinsky, H. & Viola, I. M., 22 Feb 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Flow. 3, E8.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Recent advances in numerical and experimental downwind sail aerodynamics
Souppez, J-B., Arredondo Galeana, A. & Viola, I. M., 16 Sept 2019, In: Journal of Sailing Technology. 4, 1, p. 45 65 p., 2019-03.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

PIV dataset for 'The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails' (OE, Arredondo-Galeana and Viola, 2018, Fig. 9, 10, 11, 12)
Viola, I. M. (Creator) & Arredondo galeana, A. (Creator), Edinburgh DataShare, 28 Mar 2018
DOI: 10.7488/ds/2328
Dataset
PIV dataset for near wake of spinnaker - Vortex flows of downwind sails
Arredondo Galeana, A. (Creator) & Viola, I. M. (Creator), Edinburgh DataShare, 3 Aug 2020
DOI: 10.7488/ds/2857, https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/36074
Dataset

Ignazio Maria Viola
- School of Engineering - Professor of Fluid Mechanics and Bioinspired Engineering
Person: Academic: Research Active

Cite this

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title = "The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails",

abstract = "In the present work we experimentally verify, for the first time, that a stable Leading-Edge Vortex (LEV) can be formed on an asymmetric spinnaker, which is a high-lift sail used by yachts to sail downwind. We tested a rigid sail in isolation in a water flume at a Reynolds number of ca. 104. The flow field was measured with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) over horizontal cross sections. We found that on the leeward side of the sail (the suction side), the flow separates at the leading edge reattaching further downstream and forming a stable LEV. The LEV grows in diameter from the root to the tip of the sail, where it merges with the tip vortex. We detected the LEV using the γ criterion, and we verified its stability over time. The lift contribution provided by the LEV was computed solving a complex potential model of each sail section. This analysis indicated that the LEV provides more than 10% of the total sail{\textquoteright}s lift. These findings suggest that the maximum lift of low-aspect-ratio wings with a sharp leading edge, such as spinnakers, can be enhanced by promoting the formation of a stable LEV.",

keywords = "Yacht Sails, Spinnakers, Vortex flow, leading-edge vortex, Particle image velocimetry, Circular arc",

author = "{Arredondo Galeana}, Abel and Viola, {Ignazio Maria}",

year = "2018",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029",

language = "English",

volume = "159",

pages = "552--562",

journal = "Ocean Engineering",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails

AU - Arredondo Galeana, Abel

AU - Viola, Ignazio Maria

PY - 2018/7/1

Y1 - 2018/7/1

N2 - In the present work we experimentally verify, for the first time, that a stable Leading-Edge Vortex (LEV) can be formed on an asymmetric spinnaker, which is a high-lift sail used by yachts to sail downwind. We tested a rigid sail in isolation in a water flume at a Reynolds number of ca. 104. The flow field was measured with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) over horizontal cross sections. We found that on the leeward side of the sail (the suction side), the flow separates at the leading edge reattaching further downstream and forming a stable LEV. The LEV grows in diameter from the root to the tip of the sail, where it merges with the tip vortex. We detected the LEV using the γ criterion, and we verified its stability over time. The lift contribution provided by the LEV was computed solving a complex potential model of each sail section. This analysis indicated that the LEV provides more than 10% of the total sail’s lift. These findings suggest that the maximum lift of low-aspect-ratio wings with a sharp leading edge, such as spinnakers, can be enhanced by promoting the formation of a stable LEV.

AB - In the present work we experimentally verify, for the first time, that a stable Leading-Edge Vortex (LEV) can be formed on an asymmetric spinnaker, which is a high-lift sail used by yachts to sail downwind. We tested a rigid sail in isolation in a water flume at a Reynolds number of ca. 104. The flow field was measured with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) over horizontal cross sections. We found that on the leeward side of the sail (the suction side), the flow separates at the leading edge reattaching further downstream and forming a stable LEV. The LEV grows in diameter from the root to the tip of the sail, where it merges with the tip vortex. We detected the LEV using the γ criterion, and we verified its stability over time. The lift contribution provided by the LEV was computed solving a complex potential model of each sail section. This analysis indicated that the LEV provides more than 10% of the total sail’s lift. These findings suggest that the maximum lift of low-aspect-ratio wings with a sharp leading edge, such as spinnakers, can be enhanced by promoting the formation of a stable LEV.

KW - Yacht Sails

KW - Spinnakers

KW - Vortex flow

KW - leading-edge vortex

KW - Particle image velocimetry

KW - Circular arc

U2 - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029

DO - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2018.02.029

M3 - Article

SN - 0029-8018

VL - 159

SP - 552

EP - 562

JO - Ocean Engineering

JF - Ocean Engineering

ER -

The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails

Abstract / Description of output

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Vortex flow of yacht sails

Research output

Water tunnel testing of downwind yacht sails

Vortex Flow of Downwind Sails

Recent advances in numerical and experimental downwind sail aerodynamics

Datasets

PIV dataset for 'The leading-edge vortex of yacht sails' (OE, Arredondo-Galeana and Viola, 2018, Fig. 9, 10, 11, 12)

PIV dataset for near wake of spinnaker - Vortex flows of downwind sails

Profiles

Ignazio Maria Viola

Cite this