Numerical simulation of the flow around a simplified vehicle model with active flow control

Large-eddy simulation (LES) was used to study the influence and the resulting flow mechanisms of active flow control applied to a two-dimensional vehicle geometry. The LES results were validated against existing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and force measurement data. This was followed by an exploration of the influence of flow actuation on the near-wake flow and resulting aerodynamic forces. Not only was good agreement found with the previous experimental study, but new knowledge was gained in the form of a complex interaction of the actuation with the coherent flow structures. The resulting time-averaged flow shows a strong influence of the extension of the actuation slots and the lateral solid walls on the near-wake flow structures and thereby on the resulting drag.