Master Thesis

Wake Vortex Mitigation Using an Adaptive Airfoil

PI : Nan Jou Pern and Jamey Jacob

In this research, the concept of adaptive airfoils for wake vortex control is explored. Adaptive airfoils are a new area of interest in the field of aerodynamics and aerospace applications. Only recently has this idea become a major concern in the field. There are several concepts of adaptive airfoils in the current literature, but adaptive airfoil development is still in the infancy stage. Previous work done in this area will be briefly outlined and discussed. The idea of fabricating an adaptive airfoil with smart materials will be discussed thoroughly, as well as the potential problems and the future work required in adaptive airfoil development. The specific problem of wake vortex mitigation with adaptive airfoil technology will be addressed.