Prantdls Lifting Line Theory with MATLAB

AME 20211
http://www.nd.edu/~bneiswan/ta.html
December 6, 2013

Outline
Motivation for developing lifting line theory
Lifting line theory review
Intro to MATLAB application

Sample problem : Effect of aspect ratio

Sample problem : Effect of taper ratio

Sample problem : Effect of geometric

twist

Modified lifting line

Sample problem : Classical & modified

lifting line comparison

Motivation

Motivation for Lifting Line Theory

Infinite (2-D) Wing Parameters

Uni

Angle of
Attack

Chord

for
m

Airf

oil S

ect

ion

Infinite (2-D) Wing Streamlines

Streamlines

Finite (3-D) Wing Parameters

Root Geometric
Twist

Ro
(Ae ot A
roT irfo
wis il
t)

Angle of
Attack
Tip Geometric
Twist

Tip
(Ae Airfo
ro il
Tw
ist)
Tip Chord
(Taper, AR)

Span
(AR)

Root Chord
(Taper, AR)

Finite (3-D) Wing Streamlines

Streamlines

3D
Flow
Wingtip
Vortex

Why Use Lifting Line?

Understanding finite wing flight characteristics

is critical in aircraft design

Experimental parametric studies are very

expensive and time consuming

Lifting line provides a simple analytic solution to

finite wing flight behavior

Can perform parametric studies in seconds with

reasonable accuracy

Review

Lifting Line Theory Review

Downwash from Wingtip Vortices

10

1. Finite wings create wingtip vortices in flow-field

2. Wingtip vortices induce a downwash into the
flow
3. Downwash reduces the effective angle of
attack of the wing Decreases lift
4. The change in effective angle of attack creates
lift-induced drag Increases drag
If we can model the downwash
distribution, we can
.
approximate the wing performance

Freestream

Induced Angle
of Attack
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/nature/q0237.shtml

Downwash

Downwash Modeling for an Arbitrary Finite Wing

A Single Horseshoe Vortex

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Downwash Velocity (from Biot-Savart law):

w(y) =

b
4 (b/2)2 y 2

Constant strength

Induces a downwash that doesnt

represent a finite wing

A single horseshoe vortex produces a

. that goes to infindownwash distribution
ity at the wing tips (not realistic).

1 J.D. Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, 4 ed. (McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 2007), pp.405.

Downwash Modeling for an Arbitrary Finite Wing

Superposition of Infinite Horseshoe Vortices

Lifting Line

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Prandtl proposed superimposing multiple

horseshoe vortices of different lengths and
strengths to keep the downwash finite at
wing tips.
Downwash Velocity:
)
b/2 (
d/dy
1
w(y0 ) =
dy
4 b/2 y0 y

Differing strengths

Induces a downwash
distribution that can represent
a finite wing

To determine the downwash

w(y0 ), we
.
need to know the distribution d/dy.

1 J.D. Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, 4 ed. (McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 2007), pp.407.

Downwash Modeling for an Arbitrary Finite Wing

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Transform coordinates from y-coordinates to -coordinates along the wingspan

y=

b
cos .
2

Assume a Fourier sine series represents the arbitrary circulation distribution

() =

1
m0s cs U
An sin n.
2
n=1

The downwash velocity is then (skipping math)

w(y0 ) =

m0s cs U
4b

d
d

)
A
sin
n
d
n
n=1

(
N

cos cos 0

1 A.M. Kuethe and C.Y. Chow, Foundations of Aerodynamics, 5 ed. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 1998), pp. 184.

Forming the Lifting Line Equation

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To form the lifting line equation, we use some familiar (and unfamiliar) relationships
L = U

(Kutta-Jukowski theorem)

CL =

1
2 c
U
2

(Sectional lift coefficient)

a = 0 i (Angle of attack geometry)

w(y0 )
U
cos n
sin n0
d =
cos cos 0
sin 0
i (y0 ) =

(Small-angle approximation)
(Glauert integral)

Using our downwash equation and the equations above (and after A LOT of math) we form
the final lifting line equation for an arbitrary finite wing

a () =

N
N
m0s cs
sin n
m0s cs
An sin n +
nAn
m0 c n=1
4b n=1
sin

1 A.M. Kuethe and C.Y. Chow, Foundations of Aerodynamics, 5 ed. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 1998), pp. 185.

Determining Lift and Induced Drag for a Finite Wing

a () =

N
N
m0s cs
m0s cs
sin n
An sin n +
nAn
m0 c n=1
4b n=1
sin

Fourier coefficients An are solved for by setting up a linear system of N equations

For symmetrically loaded wings, the even Fourier coefficients (n = 2k 1) are zero
Lift coefficient:

CL =

m0s cs b
A1
4S

Drag coefficient:

CDi =
=

CL2
eAR
N

nA2n
n=2

e=

A21

1
1+

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MATLAB Application

Introduction to MATLAB Lifting Line Application

16

Download the Application

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Go to
http://www.nd.edu/ bneiswan/downloads.html

Download
lifting_line_vr8.m

Open m-file in MATLAB

MATLAB Lifting Line Application

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Main menu

Lifting line parameters

Solver options
Plot options

MATLAB Lifting Line Application

19

Plot Linestyle Options

Set Hold for Plots ON / OFF

Set label for legend

Sample Problem : Effect of Aspect Ratio

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ASPECT RATIO: Increases flight efficiency, less maneuverable, structurally complex

GOAL: Increase the aspect ratio and observe that the lift increases and induced drag

decreases (increased flight efficiency).

1. Angle of attack: -14 to 14 with =1
2. Wingspan: 10
3. Aspect ratio: Run for 2, 6, 10
4. Taper ratio: 1
5. Geometric twist: 0 root, 0 tip
6. Aerodynamic twist: 0 root, 0 tip
7. Slope: 6.2832
8. Number of stations: 20
9. Lifting line solution: Classical Lifting Line
10. Figures to generate: CL vs. alpha, CDi vs. alpha,
Planform shape

AR =

b2
S

Sample Problem : Effect of Aspect Ratio Results

21

Sample Problem : Effect of Taper Ratio

22

WING TAPER: lighter wings, decreases moment, moves stall location outboard
.
GOAL: Increase the taper ratio and observe that the stall location moves outboard.

1. Angle of attack: -14 to 14 with =1

2. Wingspan: 10
3. Aspect ratio: 8
4. Aspect ratio: Run for 0.2, 0.6, 1.0
5. Geometric twist: 0 root, 0 tip
6. Aerodynamic twist: 0 root, 0 tip
7. Slope: 6.2832
8. Number of stations: 20
9. Lifting line solution: Classical Lifting Line
10. Figures to generate: Cl/CL vs. Span, Planform
shape

ctip
croot

Sample Problem : Effect of Taper Ratio Results

23

Sample Problem : Effect of Geometric Twist

24

GEOMETRIC TWIST: adjusts lift distribution, structurally complex

.
GOAL: Add washout to the wing until the stall location moves sufficiently inboard.

1. Angle of attack: -14 to 14 with =1

Washout

2. Wingspan: 10

Root

3. Aspect ratio: 10
4. Taper ratio: 0.4
5. Geometric twist: Increase root angle until the
stall location moves sufficiently inboard
6. Aerodynamic twist: 0 root, 0 tip
7. Slope: 6.2832

Negative
Twist

Positive
Twist

Tip

Washin

Root

8. Number of stations: 20
9. Lifting line solution: Classical Lifting Line
10. Figures to generate: Cl/CL vs. Span

Tip

Sample Problem : Effect of Geometric Twist Results

25

Modified Lifting Line

Modified Lifting Line for Full Drag Prediction

26

Modified Lifting Line

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Classical lifting line theory only predicts lift-induced drag

No parasitic drag effects (skin friction, pressure drag)
In 1940s, NACA scientists developed a modification to predict total drag

1. Obtain experimental data for airfoil sectional drag polar data Cl vs Cd

2. Calculate spanwise Cd0 values using local Cl values predicted from Lifting Line
3. Calculate the wings effective drag coefficient

1 b/2
Cd0 c(y)dy
CD0 =
S b/2
4. Calculate the total drag coefficient
CD = CDi + CD0
Simple, yet powerful technique with good accuracy

Modified Lifting Line - Experimental Validation

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Sample Problem : Classical & Modified Comparison

MODIFIED LIFTING LINE: predicts total drag instead of only induced drag

GOAL: Plot drag polars using classical and modified lifting line theory and observe the

difference.
1. Angle of attack: -14 to 14 with =1
2. Wingspan: 10
3. Aspect ratio: 8
4. Taper ratio: 0.4
5. Geometric twist: 0 root, 0 tip
6. Aerodynamic twist: 0 root, 0 tip
7. Slope: 6.2832
8. Number of stations: 20
9. Lifting line solution: Classical Lifting Line
10. Figures to generate: CL vs. CD (click Yes to
prompt)

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Sample Problem : Classical & Modified Results

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Summary

Lifting line is effective at predicting inviscid wing performance

Parametric studies can be completed very quickly
Modified lifting line theory provides full drag profiles with good agreement to experiments
The MATLAB lifting line application is an extremely useful tool to facilitate wing design for

your senior design class

Check back in the Spring for updates

to the MATLAB code.
.
Please report any bugs or send suggestions for improvement to bneiswan@nd.edu.

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