ORIGINAL: Jimmbbo
I recall reading somewhere in the dim past that a truncated trailing edge actually can reduce drag since the TE will shed vortices alternately from the upper and lower sides and tend to keep the upstream flow less turbulent, if not attached... I also recall that this effect is Reynolds Number dependent.....
Does this ring a bell with anyone??
Cheers!
Jim
Jim,
A body with a blunt trailing edge will shed vortices as you describe, over a range of Reynold's numbers. Below and above that range of Reynold's numbers, the vortices will not be shed. The shed vortices do not reduce drag, however.
banktoturn