• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.106-114
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• 2021

In the present study, we investigate the flow characteristics of a paraglider canopy with leading-edge tubercles by performing force measurement and surface flow visualizations. The experiment is conducted at Re = 3.3×10⁵ in a wind tunnel, where Re is the Reynolds number based on the mean chord length and the free-stream velocity. The canopy model with leading-edge tubercles has flow characteristics of a two-step stall, showing an earlier onset of the first stall than the canopy model without leading-edge tubercles. However, the main stall angle of the tubercled model is much larger than that of the canopy model without tubercles, resulting in a higher aerodynamic performance at high angles of attack. The delay in the main stall is ascribed to the suppression of separation bubble collapse around the wingtip at high angles of attack.