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Investigation in
Thin Airfoil
Theory
Chermaine Sin
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................3
2. Experiment in Wind Tunnel............................................4
3. Experiment in Application.............................................9
3.1 Experimental
Procedure...9
3.2 Results...........................................................................11
4. Analysis and
Conclusion.1
3
5. References...
.13
1. Introduction
A simplified version of the properties of Thin Airfoil Theory is listed
as follows, based on Abbott, Ira H., and Von Doenhoff, Albert E.
(1959), Theory of Wing Sections, Section 4.3 :
(1) On a symmetric airfoil, the center of pressure and aerodynamic
center lies exactly one quarter of the chord behind the leading edge.
(2) On a cambered airfoil, the aerodynamic center lies exactly one
quarter of the chord behind the leading edge
(3) The slope of the lift coefficient versus angle of attack line 2
units per radian
Based on (3), the section lift coefficient of a infinite cambered airfoil
is:
C L =C L o+2
where is the angle of attack, measure based on the chord line in
radians
C L o is the section lift coefficient when the angle of attack is
zero
However, in the case of finite airfoil that we test it in a wind tunnel,
the lift slope is 2/90.
The aim of this investigation is to use two different methods: design
an experiment in wind tunnel and mobile application to prove slope
of the lift coefficient versus angle of attack is 2 for infinite
wingspan and 2/90 for finite wingspan.
()
where
Fig 3 Anenometer
2.3 Results
Given that the weight of the wing is 189.43 N
and the actual wind speed is 15.0 km/h = 4.2 m/s
Angle of
attack
(degrees)
0.00
3.00
6.00
9.00
12.00
15.00
New weight of
the wing (N)
Change of
weight (N)
180.52
181.12
182.60
175.40
170.31
167.52
6.83
8.31
9.31
14.03
19.12
21.91
Coefficien
t of lift
0.013
0.016
0.018
0.027
0.040
0.042
Coefficient of lift
0.05
0.04
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0
Coefficient of lift
Linear (Coefficient of lift)
0 2 4 6 8 10121416
Angle of attack (degrees)
90
As we substitute the results we get above, we will get:
C L =C L o+
(15
)
90
180
2
0.029=
(15
)
90
180
0.042=0.013+
m=
(15
)
180
By calculation, we will get m=0.1107 (corrected to 4 decimal
places). However, Thin Airfoil Theory suggested that the slope is
2/90, which is 0.1097(corrected to 4 decimal places). There is
experimental error in between these results, which have a level of
significance in affecting the accuracy of the experiment:
cor
0.11070.1097
100 =1.01 (3 sig fig)
0.1097
3. Experiment in Application
We have installed an application from App Store, which gives
data generated by a computer. The application named as Airfoil
Expert: Panel Method 3 :-
10
3.2 Results
Next , we can select results and the application will calculate the
related coefficient of lift based on the selection of angle of attack.
The graph below shows coefficient of lift over angle of attack.
)
180
)
1.739= 2 (15
180
1.981=0.242+2 (15
11
1.739
(15
)
180
12
5. References
1. Abbott, Ira H., and Von Doenhoff, Albert E. (1959) Theory of Wing
Sections, Section 4.3. Dover Publications.
2. Aerospace Engineering, The University of Sydney. (2013) NACA
Airfoil Generator. [online] http://www.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/cgibin/nacafull?family=4digit§=2311&num=121&load=&name=Create [Accessed 14th
September, 2014]
3. Airfoil Expert: Panel Method can be downloaded from App Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/airfoil-expert-panelmethod/id828897232?mt=8
13