What is a wingtip vortex?
Introduction:
A vortex is a swirl of wind at high speeds which pulls objects to its center. In an airplane, it is generated at the wingtip, and is generated as a resultant of the equal and opposite reaction to the lift and thrust generated by the plane’s movement.
How is it formed:
Wingtip
vortices are formed due to the lift and thrust of the plane. The air in the
higher pressure region can from under the wing towards the lower pressure
region. This creates a diagonal motion of the air around the wing, which leads
to vortex generation at the wingtips. It will always move in an under-over
manner, and not over-under, because there is high pressure below the wing and
low pressure above the wing. The intensity and strength of this vortex is
heavily dependent on the lift and thrust. The faster the plane moves, the
faster the relative motion of the air around it is, making the vortex faster.
Faster vortices are weaker, whereas slower vortices die out sooner. We can
change the speed or height of the plane to change the vortices generated.
Ways to reduce the wingtip vortices:
Winglets
are used at the wingtips to reduce wingtip vortices as it induces drag and as
result more fuel consumption. Winglets are basically use to increase the
aircraft efficiency. The winglets reduce the pressure gradient at the wing tips
and hence making the vortices much smaller compared to before. There are many
different types of winglets design available.
