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Vortex generators

Name: Vortex generators dimension sheet
Creator: Xem Studio
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

How do you size and place vortex generators? · Standard part · basis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio

Also called: vg wing, vortex generator spacing, vortex generator height, vortex generators rc plane, vg kit stol, vortex generator angle, boundary layer energizer, how vortex generators work, co-rotating vortex generators

Exact dimensions. True size, with no printing tolerance added.

sizes: 6 in table

Notes

Vortex generators are small vanes that stir high-energy air into the boundary layer to delay separation; full-span VGs reduce stall speed, outboard-only VGs mainly improve stall behaviour and aileron control (Kitplanes, Wainfan).
First-try height is about 1.2x local boundary-layer thickness (roughly 1-2% of distance from the leading edge), at 15-20 deg to the flow, slightly upstream of the natural separation point (Kitplanes).
Drag can be significant on laminar wings (Kitplanes); on the S1223 airfoil VGs caused an abrupt stall with hysteresis between 16 and 20 deg (Selig & Guglielmo).
Used on: Beech Baron (retrofit), Rutan Voyager, Beech Starship, Boeing 727 fin.
The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.

Vortex generators size chart

parameter	value or range	source
Height	~1.2 x boundary-layer thickness	Kitplanes (Wainfan)
Boundary layer thickness	~1-2% of distance from LE	Kitplanes
Angle to flow	15-20 deg	Kitplanes
Co-rotating: root chord / spacing	~4h / 5-6h	Kitplanes
Counter-rotating: root chord / pair spacing	~2.5h / ~10h between pairs	Kitplanes
Reference build	chord 100, VG at 20 deg	Kitplanes

Where the files are

Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.

Kitplanes (B. Wainfan)	Wind Tunnel: Vortex Generators and STOL Performance (2012)	web	Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
University of Illinois (Selig & Guglielmo), Journal of Aircraft 1997	High-Lift Low Reynolds Number Airfoil Design (S1223)	web	Publisher's page; dimensions are facts

Free files

★ Free files 1 parts. Xem Studio design: free to use, print and sell things from; not to be republished as files. Xem Studio Design License. index.json

vortex-generators-wing-segment

Wing segment, NACA 2412 100 mm chord, with a row of vortex generators at 25 % chord (illustrative size)

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Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=vortex-generators