Leading-edge vortex dispersion using a chordwise vectored jet to mitigate unsteady aerodynamic loading

The leading-edge vortex (LEV) is a defining feature of gust-driven unsteady aerodynamics and a primary source of large unsteady loading on lifting surfaces. As an LEV convects over an aerodynamic surface, it induces force fluctuations associated with its circulation and core pressure. This study experimentally investigates the interception and dispersion of the LEV in a quiescent air using a synchronized chordwise jet (SCJ) and compares this behavior with configurations in which the vortex is steered without dispersion. A swiveling flat plate with an integrated leading edge is used to generate the LEV and is equipped with an SCJ for active flow manipulation. Two distinct regimes are considered: one in which the LEV remains near the leading edge with a large transverse separation from the surface, and another in which it convects to the mid-chord while remaining close to the surface. Phase-locked particle image velocimetry and phase-averaged analyses show that, for the mid-chord LEV, a thicker jet profile drives the vortex toward the surface, intercepts it, and induces breakdown and dispersion. This jet–vortex interaction reduces the vortex circulation, weakens the core pressure, and leads to a reduction in the normal-force coefficient. However, when the LEV forms and detaches near the leading edge, a thinner jet profile steers the vortex without interception, resulting in an enhanced normal-force response. These results establish SCJ induced LEV interception and dispersion as a distinct mechanism for mitigating vortex-induced loading in transverse gust encounters and dynamic stalled flows.