On the aerodynamic performance of serrated airfoils

This paper is concerned with the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of airfoils with serrated trailing- or leading-edges. A great deal of research has been directed toward the application of different types of serrations for the control of airfoil trailing- and leading-edge noise. Prior research has shown that such passive treatments are capable of reducing the airfoil noise over a wide range of frequencies. However, the aerodynamic performance of such treated airfoils has received very little research attention. To better understand the effects of serrations, the aerodynamic performance of serrated airfoils has been studied experimentally. A symmetric NACA 0012 and an asymmetric NACA 65(12)-10 airfoil have been chosen for this study and different serrations have been tested on the leading or trailing-edge. The steady aerodynamic forces, i.e. lift and drag, have been measured over a wide range of wind speeds and angles of attack. Preliminary results have shown that despite the noise reduction capability of such passive treatments, they can also significantly change the aerodynamic behavior of the airfoil.