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At least 325 records · Page 18

Thin airfoil theory based on approximate solution of the transonic flow equation

A method is presented for the approximate solution of the nonlinear equations transonic flow theory. Solutions are found for two-dimensional flows at a Mach number of 1 and for purely subsonic and purely supersonic flows. Results are obtained in closed analytic form for a large and significant class of nonlifting airfoils. At a Mach number of 1 general expressions are given for the pressure distribution on an airfoil of specified geometry and for the shape of an airfoil having a prescribed pressure distribution. Extensive comparisons are made with available data, particularly for a Mach number of 1, and with existing solutions.

WING-SECTION THEORY↗

An Investigation of Flow Characteristics at Mach Number 4.04 over 6- and 9-percent-thick Symmetrical Circular-arc Airfoils Having 30-percent-chord Trailing-edge Flaps

Section data obtained from wind-tunnel tests at Mach number 4.04 and Reynolds numbers of about 5.0 times 10 to the 6th power and 8.4 times 10 to the 6th power are presented for 6- and 9-percent-thick symmetrical circular-arc airfoils with 30 percent chord trailing-edge flaps. Pressure distributions, Schlieren photographs, and force and moment coefficients are included.

FLOW, VISCOUS↗

A Factor Affecting Transonic Leading-edge Flow Separation

A change in flow pattern that was observed as the free-stream Mach number was increased in the vicinity of 0.8 was described in NACA Technical Note 1211 by Lindsey, Daley, and Humphreys. The flow on the upper surface behind the leading edge of an airfoil at an angle of attack changed abruptly from detached flow with an extensive region of separation to attached supersonic flow terminated by a shock wave. In the present paper, the consequences of shock-wave - boundary layer interaction are proposed as a factor that may be important in determining the conditions under which the change in flow pattern occurs. Some experimental evidence in support of the importance of this factor is presented.

FLOW, TURBULENT↗

Section drag coefficients from pressure probe transverses of a wing wake at low speeds

An in-flight wing wake section drag investigation was conducted using traversing pitot and static probes. The primary objective was to develop measurement techniques and improve the accuracy of in-flight wing profile drag measurements for low values of dynamic pressure and Reynolds number. Data were obtained on a sailplane for speeds from about 40 knots to 125 knots at chord Reynolds numbers between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000. Tests were conducted with zero flap deflection, deflected flaps, and various degrees of surface roughness, and for smooth and rough atmospheric conditions. Several techniques were used to increase data reliability and to minimize certain bias errors. A discussion of the effects of a total pressure probe in a pressure gradient, and the effects of discrete turbulence levels, on the data presented and other experimental results is also included.

Montoya, L. C.↗

Vertical drop test of a transport fuselage section located forward of the wing

A Boeing 707 fuselage section was drop tested at the NASA Langley Research Center to measure structural, seat, and occupant response to vertical crack loads. Post-test inspection showed that the section bottom collapsed inward approximately 2 ft. Preliminary data traces indicated maximum normal accelerations of 20 g on the fuselage bottom, 10 to 12 g on the cabin floor, and 6.5 to 8 g in the pelvises of the anthropomorphic dummies.

Williams, M. S.↗

On the design of airfoils in which the transition of the boundary layer is delayed

A method is presented for designing suitable thickness distributions and mean camber lines for airfoils permitting extensive chordwise laminar flow. Wind tunnel and flight tests confirming the existence of laminar flow; possible maintenance of laminar flow by area suction; and the effects of wind tunnel turbulence and surface roughness on the promotion of premature boundary layer transition are discussed. In addition, estimates of profile drag and scale effect on maximum lift of the derived airfoils are made.

BOUNDARY LAYER CONTROL - AIRFOILS↗

A laser velocimeter flow survey above a stalled wing

A laser velocimeter operating in the backscatter mode was used to survey the flow about a stalled wing installed in the Langley V/STOL tunnel. Mean velocities and magnitudes of velocity fluctuations were calculated from measurements of two orthogonal components of velocity. Free shear mixing layers above and below a large separated flow region were defined. Velocity power spectra were calculated at two points in the flow field. The flow-field survey was carried out about a rectangular aspect-ratio-8 wing with an airfoil section. The wing angle of attack was 19.4 deg, the Mach number was 0.148, and the nominal Reynolds number was 1 x 1 million.

Young, W. H., Jr.↗

The effectiveness at high speeds of a 10-percent-chord plain trailing-edge flap on the NACA 65-210 airfoil section

This report contains the results of a high-speed wind-tunnel investigation of the effectiveness of a 10-percent-chord plain flap on the NACA 65-210 airfoil section. The results include an indication of the lift-producing characteristics and the effectiveness of the 10-percent-chord flap. From a comparison of the characteristics of the 10-percent-chord flap with those of a 20-percent-chord flap it was concluded that, although a reduction in flap-chord ratio from 0.20 to 0.10 lessens the severity of the effectiveness loss at supercritical speeds, the 20-percent-chord flap is more effective throughout the entire range of Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.875.

CONTROLS, FLAP TYPE - WING SECTIONS↗

Calculation of wing spars of variable cross-section and linear load

The calculation of wing spars of constant cross-section and load has been thoroughly treated by a large number of authors. Such is not the case,however, regarding the calculation of wing spars whose section and linear load diminish toward the ends, as in wings of trapezoidal contour and decreasing section.

SPARS↗

Flight Measurement of Wall-Pressure Fluctuations and Boundary-Layer Turbulence

The results are presented for a flight test program using a fighter type jet aircraft flying at pressure altitudes of 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 feet at Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.8. Specially designed apparatus was used to measure and record the output of microphones and hot-wire anemometers mounted on the forward-fuselage section and wing of the airplane. Mean-velocity profiles in the boundary layers were obtained from total-pressure measurements. The ratio of the root-mean-square fluctuating wall pressure to the free-stream dynamic pressure is presented as a function of Reynolds number and Mach number. The longitudinal component of the turbulent-velocity fluctuations was measured, and the turbulence-intensity profiles are presented for the wing and forward-fuselage section. In general, the results are in agreement with wind-tunnel measurements which have been-reported in the literature. For example, the variation the square root of p(sup 2)/q times the square root of p(sup 2) is the root mean square of the wall-pressure fluctuation, and q is the free-stream dynamic pressure) with Reynolds number was found to be essentially constant for the forward-fuselage-section boundary layer, while variations at the wing station were probably unduly affected by the microphone diameter (5/8 in.), which was large compared with the boundary-layer thickness.

Mull, Harold R.↗

Simulation of iced wing aerodynamics

The sectional and total aerodynamic load characteristics of moderate aspect ratio wings with and without simulated glaze leading edge ice were studied both computationally, using a three dimensional, compressible Navier-Stokes solver, and experimentally. The wing has an untwisted, untapered planform shape with NACA 0012 airfoil section. The wing has an unswept and swept configuration with aspect ratios of 4.06 and 5.0. Comparisons of computed surface pressures and sectional loads with experimental data for identical configurations are given. The abrupt decrease in stall angle of attack for the wing, as a result of the leading edge ice formation, was demonstrated numerically and experimentally.

Potapczuk, M. G.↗

Simulation of iced wing aerodynamics

The sectional and total aerodynamic load characteristics of moderate aspect ratio wings with and without simulated glaze leading edge ice were studied both computationally, using a three dimensional, compressible Navier-Stokes solver, and experimentally. The wing has an untwisted, untapered planform shape with NACA 0012 airfoil section. The wing has an unswept and swept configuration with aspect ratios of 4.06 and 5.0. Comparisons of computed surface pressures and sectional loads with experimental data for identical configurations are given. The abrupt decrease in stall angle of attack for the wing, as a result of the leading edge ice formation, was demonstrated numerically and experimentally.

Potapczuk, M. G.↗

Investigations at Supersonic Speeds of 22 Triangular Wings Representing Two Airfoil Sections for Each of 11 Apex Angles

The results of tests of 22 triangular wings, representing two leading-edge shapes for each of 11 apex angles, at Mach numbers 1.62, 1.92, and 1.40 are presented and compared with theory. All wings have a common thickness ratio of 8 percent and a common maximum-thickness point at 18 percent chord. Lift, drag, and pitching moment are given for all wings at each Mach number. The relation of transition in the boundary layer, shocks on the wing surfaces, and characteristics of the pressure distributions is discussed for several wings.

Love, Eugene S↗

Ames Optimized TCA Configuration

Configuration design at Ames was carried out with the SYN87-SB (single block) Euler code using a 193 x 49 x 65 C-H grid. The Euler solver is coupled to the constrained (NPSOL) and the unconstrained (QNMDIF) optimization packages. Since the single block grid is able to model only wing-body configurations, the nacelle/diverter effects were included in the optimization process by SYN87's option to superimpose the nacelle/diverter interference pressures on the wing. These interference pressures were calculated using the AIRPLANE code. AIRPLANE is an Euler solver that uses a unstructured tetrahedral mesh and is capable of computations about arbitrary complete configurations. In addition, the buoyancy effects of the nacelle/diverters were also included in the design process by imposing the pressure field obtained during the design process onto the triangulated surfaces of the nacelle/diverter mesh generated by AIRPLANE. The interference pressures and nacelle buoyancy effects are added to the final forces after each flow field calculation. Full details of the (recently enhanced) ghost nacelle capability are given in a related talk. The pseudo nacelle corrections were greatly improved during this design cycle. During the Ref H and Cycle 1 design activities, the nacelles were only translated and pitched. In the cycle 2 design effort the nacelles can translate vertically, and pitch to accommodate the changes in the lower surface geometry. The diverter heights (between their leading and trailing edges) were modified during design as the shape of the lower wing changed, with the drag of the diverter changing accordingly. Both adjoint and finite difference gradients were used during optimization. The adjoint-based gradients were found to give good direction in the design space for configurations near the starting point, but as the design approached a minimum, the finite difference gradients were found to be more accurate. Use of finite difference gradients was limited by the CPU time limit available on the Cray machines. A typical optimization run using finite difference gradients can use only 30 to 40 design variables and one optimization iteration within the 8 hour queue limit for the chosen grid size and convergence level. The efficiency afforded by the adjoint method allowed for 50-120 design variables and 5-10 optimization iterations in the 8 hour queue. Geometric perturbations to the wing and fuselage were made using the Hicks/Henne (HH) shape functions. The HH functions were distributed uniformly along the chords of the wing defining sections and lofted linearly. During single-surface design, constraints on thickness and volume at selected wing stations were imposed. Both fuselage camber and cross-sectional area distributions were permitted to change during design. The major disadvantage to the use of these functions is the inherent surface waviness produced by repeated use of such functions. Many smoothing operations were required following optimization runs to produce a configuration with reasonable smoothness. Wagner functions were also used on the wing sections but were never used on the fuselage. The Wagner functions are a family of increasingly oscillatory functions that have also been used extensively in airfoil design. The leading and trailing edge regions of the wing were designed by use of polynomial and monomial functions respectively. Twist was attempted but was abandoned because of little performance improvement available from changing the baseline twist.

Cliff, Susan E.↗

Structural testing of the technology integration box beam

A full-scale section of a transport aircraft wing box was designed, analyzed, fabricated, and tested. The wing box section, which was called the technology integration box beam, contained blade stiffened covers and T-stiffened channel spars constructed using graphite/epoxy materials. Covers, spars, and the aluminum ribs were assembled using mechanical fasteners. The box beam was statically tested for several loading conditions to verify the stiffness and strength characteristics of the composite wing design. Failure of the box beam occurred at 125 percent of design limit load during the combined upbending and torsion ultimate design load test. It appears that the failure initiated at a stiffener runout location in the upper cover which resulted in rupture of the upper cover and portions of both spars.

Griffin, C. F.↗