How do Vortex Generators Work

Viewer Submitted VG design in the wind tunnel: Some more thoughts as I think of them: In short: What they do: They help air flow around things (shrink the wake/separation bubble) and help air stay attached to wings at large angles of attack. How they do it: They “energize“ the boundary layer by mixing the slow layers with fast layers. Vortex generators are nothing fancy. Any little fin sticking in the air at an angle to the wind will work. there are even other non “fin“ type objects that work. (like an “air tab“) The back side of a cyliner or my rear windshild can be thought of like a wing at a high angle of attack! Airflow separation and stalling an airplane wing are the same thing. Wings can stall also because of sharp leading edges, making the airflow separate suddenly up front instead of starting from the back. This leads to abrupt and “sharp“ stall characteristics.