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At least 37 records · Page 2

Technology for pressure-instrumented thin airfoil models

A novel method of airfoil model construction was developed. This Laminated Sheet technique uses 0.8 mm thick sheets of A286 containing a network of pre-formed channels which are vacuum brazed together to form the airfoil. A 6.25 percent model of the X29A canard, which has a 5 percent thick section, was built using this technique. The model contained a total of 96 pressure orifices, 56 in three chordwise rows on the upper surface and 37 in three similar rows on the lower surface. It was tested in the NASA Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Unique aerodynamic data was obtained over the full range of temperature and pressure. Part of the data was at transonic Mach numbers and flight Reynolds number. A larger two dimensional model of the NACA 64a-105 airfoil section was also fabricated. Scale up presented some problems, but a testable airfoil was fabricated.

Wigley, David A.↗

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↗

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

A method is presented for the approximate solution of the nonlinear equations of 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.

Spreiter, John R↗

Turbulence in the Wake of a Thin Airfoil at Low Speeds

Experiments have been made to determine the nature of turbulence in the wake of a two-dimensional airfoil at low speeds. The experiments were motivated by the need for data which can be used for analysis of the tail-buffeting problem in aircraft design. Turbulent intensity and power spectra of the velocity fluctuations were measured at a Reynolds number of 1.6 x 10(exp 5) for several angles of attack. Total-head measurements were also obtained in an attempt to relate steady and fluctuating wake properties. Mean-square downwash was found to have nearly the same dependence on vertical position in the wake as that shown by total-head loss. For this particular wing, turbulent intensity, integrated across the wake, increased roughly as the 3/2 power of the drag coefficient. Power-spectrum measurements indicated a decrease in frequency as wing angle of attack was increased. The average frequency in the wake was proportional to the ratio of mean wake velocity to wake width.

Campbell, George S.↗

Thin oblique airfoils at supersonic speed

Methods of thin airfoil theory have been extended to oblique or sweptback airfoils of finite aspect ratio moving at supersonic speeds. The cases considered thus far are symmetrical airfoils at zero lift having planforms bounded by straight lines. Because of the conical form of the elementary flow fields, the results are comparable in simplicity to the results of the two dimensional thin airfoil theory for subsonic speeds. In the case of untapered airfoils swept back behind the Mach cone the pressure distribution at the center section is similar to that given by the Ackeret theory for a straight airfoil. With increasing distance from the center section the distribution approaches the form given by the subsonic flow theory. The pressure drag is concentrated chiefly at the center section and or long wings a slight negative drag may appear on outboard sections.

Jones, R. T.↗

Thin oblique airfoils at supersonic speed

The well-known methods of thin-airfoil theory have been extended to oblique or sweptback airfoils of finite aspect ratio moving at supersonic speeds. The cases considered thus far are symmetrical airfoils at zero lift having plan forms bounded by straight lines. Because of the conical form of the elementary flow fields, the results are comparable in simplicity to the results of the two-dimensional thin-airfoil theory for subsonic speeds. In the case of untapered airfoils swept back behind the Mach cone the pressure distribution at the center section is similar to that given by the Ackeret theory for a straight airfoil. With increasing distance from the center section the distribution approaches the form given by the subsonic-flow theory. The pressure drag is concentrated chiefly at the center section and for long wings a slight negative drag may appear on outboard sections. (author)

Jone, Robert T↗

Subsonic flow over thin oblique airfoils at zero lift

The pressure distribution over thin oblique airfoils at subsonic speeds is studied. It is found that the flows again can be obtained by the superposition of elementary conical flow fields. In the case of the sweptback wing the pressure distributions remain qualitatively similar at subsonic and supersonic speeds. Thus a distribution similar to the Ackeret type of distribution appears on the root sections of the sweptback wing at M = 0. The resulting positive pressure drag on the root section is balanced by negative drags on outboard sections.

Jones, R. T.↗

Subsonic flow over thin oblique airfoils at zero lift

A previous report gave calculations for the pressure distribution over thin oblique airfoils at supersonic speed. The present report extends the calculations to subsonic speeds. It is found that the flows again can be obtained by the superposition of elementary conical flow fields. In the case of the swept-back wing the pressure distributions remain qualitatively similar at subsonic and supersonic speeds. Thus a distribution similar to the Ackeret type of distribution appears on the root sections of the swept-back wing at Mach=0. The resulting positive pressure drag on the root section is balanced by negative drags on outboard sections.

Jones, Robert T↗

Determination of control-surface characteristics from NACA plain-flap and tab data

The data from previous NACA pressure-distribution investigations of plain flaps and tabs have been analyzed and are presented in this paper in a form readily applicable to the problems of control-surface design. The experimentally determined variation of aerodynamic parameters with flap chord and tab chord are given in chart form and comparisons are made with the theory. With the aid of these charts and the theoretical relationships for a thin airfoil, the aerodynamic characteristics for control surfaces of any plan form with plain flaps and tabs may be determined. A discussion of the basic equations of the thin-airfoil theory and the development of a number of additional equations that will be helpful in tail design are presented in the appendixes. The procedure for applying the data is described and a sample problem of tail design is included. The data presented and the method of application set forth in this report should provide a reasonably accurate and satisfactory means of computing the aerodynamic characteristics of control surfaces.

TAIL SURFACES, HORIZONTAL - CHAR↗

The application of Riegels' rule and time-like damping to transonic flow calculations

Finite difference relaxation solutions of the nonlinear small perturbation equations have proven reliable and successful in determining the transonic flowfields about thin airfoils. However, application of the small perturbation approach to thick airfoils usually results in an accuracy less than desirable. The incorporation of Riegels' Rule and time-like damping into the small perturbation approach and their application to thick and thin airfoils in transonic flow are discussed. Studies for thick and thin airfoils are presented. It is concluded that Riegels' Rule and damping should both be included in small perturbation transonic flow calculations.

Herron, D. L.↗

Unsteady Newton-Busemann flow theory. I - Airfoils

Newtonian flow theory for unsteady flow at very high Mach numbers is completed by the addition of a centrifugal force correction to the impact pressures. The correction term is the unsteady counterpart of Busemann's centrifugal force correction to impact pressures in steady flow. For airfoils of arbitary shape, exact formulas for the unsteady pressure and stiffness and damping-in-pitch derivatives are obtained in closed form, which require only numerical quadratures of terms involving the airfoil shape. They are applicable to airfoils of arbitrary thickness having sharp or blunt leading edges. For wedges and thin airfoils these formulas are greatly simplified, and it is proved that the pitching motions of thin airfoils of convex shape and of wedges of arbitrary thickness are always dynamically stable according to Newton-Busemann theory. Leading-edge bluntness is shown to have a favorable effect on the dynamic stability; on the other hand, airfoils of concave shape tend toward dynamic instability over a range of axis positions if the surface curvature exceeds a certain limit. As a byproduct, it is also shown that a pressure formula recently given by Barron and Mandl for unsteady Newtonian flow over a pitching power-law shaped airfoil is erroneous and that their conclusion regarding the effect of pivot position on the dynamic stability is misleading.

Hui, W. H.↗

Two-dimensional laminar incompressible separated flow past airfoils

A method is proposed to treat the problem of steady, two-dimensional, laminar, incompressible high Reynolds number separated flow past thin airfoils. An integral form of the boundary layer equations with interaction is used and the interaction between the inviscid and viscous flow fields is provided for by use of a thin-airfoil integral. Documentation of the attempts at obtaining a solution is presented. A survey of the current state-of-the-art of problems involving viscous-inviscid interactions in flow fields with separation is given.

Plotkin, A.↗