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At least 55 records · Page 3

Wing-section optimization for supersonic viscous flows

The recent interest in High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) has resulted in renewed research studies of optimized supersonic cruise transport configurations. Incorporation of flow viscosity effects in the design process of such a supersonic wing is currently under investigation. This may lead to more accurate problem formulations and, in turn, greater aerodynamic efficiency than can be obtained by the traditional, inviscid, linear theories. In this context, for a design code to be a candidate for a complex optimization problem, such as three-dimensional viscous supersonic wing design, it should be validated using simpler building-block shapes. To optimize the shape of a supersonic wing, an automated method that also includes higher fidelity to the flow physics is desirable. With this impetus, an aerodynamic optimization methodology incorporating Navier-Stokes equations and sensitivity analysis had been previously developed. Prior to embarking upon the wing design task, the present investigation concentrated on testing the flexibility of the methodology, and the identification of adequate problem formulations, by defining two-dimensional, cost-effective test cases. Starting with two distinctly different initial airfoils, two independent shape optimizations resulted in shapes with very similar features. Secondly, the normal section to the subsonic portion of the leading edge, which had a high normal angle-of-attack, was considered. The optimization resulted in a shape with twist and camber, which eliminated the adverse pressure gradient, hence, exploiting the leading-edge thrust. The wing section shapes obtained in all the test cases had the features predicted by previous studies. Therefore, it was concluded that the flowfield analyses and the sensitivity coefficients were computed and fed to the present gradient-based optimizer correctly. Also, as a result of the present two-dimensional study, suggestions were made for problem formulations which should contribute to an effective wing shape optimization.

Item, Cem C.↗

Pressure-Distribution Measurements of a Model of a Davis Wing Section with Fowler Flap Submitted by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation

Wing pressure distribution diagrams for several angles of attack and flap deflections of 0 degrees, 20 degrees, and 40 degrees are presented. The normal force coefficients agree with lift coefficients obtained in previous test of the same model, except for the maximum lifts with flap deflection. Pressure distribution measurements were made at Reynolds Number of about 6,000,000.

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION - AIRFOILS - DAVIS↗

Use of a pitot probe for determining wing section drag in flight

A wake traversing probe was used to obtain section drag and wake profile data from the wing of a sailplane. The transducer sensed total pressure defect in the wake as well as freestream total pressure on both sides of the sensing element when the probe moved beyond the wake. Profiles of wake total pressure defects plotted as a function of distance above and below the trailing edge plane were averaged for calculating section drag coefficients for flights at low dynamic pressures.

Saltzman, E. J.↗

A theory of supercritical wing sections, with computer programs and examples.

Mathematical methods for the design of supercritical wings, which depend on the numerical solution of the partial differential equations of two-dimensional gas dynamics, are developed. The main contribution is a computer program for the design of shockless transonic airfoils using the hodograph transformation and analytic continuation into the complex domain. The mathematical theory is described, and a manual for users of the programs is provided. Numerical examples are given and computational results are discussed, and the computer programs themselves are listed. The analysis routine can be used to ascertain whether the profiles behave well at off-design conditions, or to smooth coordinates and obtain a desirable shape more quickly when perfectly shockless flow is not essential.

Bauer, F.↗

Slot Nozzle Effects for Reduced Sonic Boom on a Generic Supersonic Wing Section

NASA has conducted research programs to reduce or eliminate the operational restrictions of supersonic aircraft over populated areas. Restrictions are due to the disturbance from the sonic boom, caused by the coalescence of shock waves formed off the aircraft. Results from two-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses (performed on a baseline Mach 2.0 nozzle in a simulated Mach 2.2 flow) indicate that over-expanded and under-expanded operation of the nozzle has an effect on the N-wave boom signature. Analyses demonstrate the feasibility of reducing the magnitude of the sonic boom N-wave by controlling the nozzle plume interaction with the nozzle boat tail shock structure. This work was extended to study the impact of integrating a high aspect ratio exhaust nozzle or long slot nozzle on the trailing edge of a supersonic wing. The nozzle is operated in a highly under-expanded condition, creating a large exhaust plume and a shock at the trailing edge of the wing. This shock interacts with and suppresses the expansion wave caused by the wing, a major contributor to the sonic boom signature. The goal was to reduce the near field pressures caused by the expansion using a slot nozzle located at the wing trailing edge. Results from CFD analysis on a simulated wing cross-section and a slot nozzle indicate potential reductions in sonic boom signature compared to a baseline wing with no propulsion or trailing edge exhaust. Future studies could investigate if this effect could be useful on a supersonic aircraft for main propulsion, auxiliary propulsion, or flow control.

Castner, Raymond S.↗

Slot Nozzle Effects for Reduced Sonic Boom on a Generic Supersonic Wing Section

NASA has conducted research programs to reduce or eliminate the operational restrictions of supersonic aircraft over populated areas. Restrictions are due to the disturbance from the sonic boom, caused by the coalescence of shock waves formed off the aircraft. Results from two-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses (performed on a baseline Mach 2.0 nozzle in a simulated Mach 2.2 flow) indicate that over-expanded and under-expanded operation of the nozzle has an effect on the N-wave boom signature. Analyses demonstrate the feasibility of reducing the magnitude of the sonic boom N-wave by controlling the nozzle plume interaction with the nozzle boat tail shock structure. This work was extended to study the impact of integrating a high aspect ratio exhaust nozzle or long slot nozzle on the trailing edge of a supersonic wing. The nozzle is operated in a highly under-expanded condition, creating a large exhaust plume and a shock at the trailing edge of the wing. This shock interacts with and suppresses the expansion wave caused by the wing, a major contributor to the sonic boom signature. The goal was to reduce the near field pressures caused by the expansion using a slot nozzle located at the wing trailing edge. Results from CFD analysis on a simulated wing cross-section and a slot nozzle indicate potential reductions in sonic boom signature compared to a baseline wing with no propulsion or trailing edge exhaust. Future studies could investigate if this effect could be useful on a supersonic aircraft for main propulsion, auxiliary propulsion, or flow control.

Caster, Raymond S.↗

Flight Investigation of Boundary-layer and Profile-drag Characteristics of Smooth Wing Sections of a P-47D Airplane

In Mach range of 0.25 - 0.69, boundary-layer measurements were made on upper wing surface at 25% semi-span, pressure-distribution measurements made on upper surface at 63% semi-span, and wake surveys made at 63% semi-span. The minimum profile-drag coefficient of 0.0062 was indicated for smooth section at 63% semi-span. Critical mach number was exceeded by 0.04, but no compressibility shocks appeared. In slipstream, boundary layer transition occurred as far back as 20% chord on upper surface at low lift coefficients.

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION - WINGS - REPUBLIC P-47D↗

An Experimental Investigation of Boundary-Layer Control for Drag Reduction of a Swept-Wing Section at Low Speed and High Reynolds Numbers

An investigation of laminar boundary-layer control by suction for purposes of drag reduction at low speed and high Reynolds numbers has been conducted in the Ames 12-Foot Pressure Wind Tunnel. The model was a 72.96-inch-chord wing panel, swept back 30 deg., which was installed between end plates to approximate a wing of infinite span. The airfoil section employed was a modified NACA 66-012 in the streamwise direction. Tests were limited to controlling the flow over only the upper surface of the model. Seventeen individually controllable suction chambers were provided below the surface to induce flow through 93 spanwise slots in the surface between the 0.0052- and 0.97-chord stations. Tests were made at angles of attack of 0 deg., +/- 1.0 deg., +/- 1.5 deg., and -2.0 deg. for Reynolds numbers from approximately 1.5 x 10(exp 6) to 4.0 x 10(exp 6) per foot. In general, essentially full-chord laminar flow was obtained for all conditions with small suction quantities. Minimum profile-drag coefficients of about 0.0005 to 0.0006 were obtained for the slotted surface at maximum values of the Reynolds number; these values include the Power required to induce suction as an equivalent drag.

Gault, Donald E.↗

Calculations of the flow past bluff bodies, including tilt-rotor wing sections at alpha = 90 deg

An attempt was made to model in two dimensions the effects of rotor downwash on the wing of the tilt-rotor aircraft and to compute the drag force on airfoils at - 90 deg angle of attack, using a well-established Navier-Stokes code. However, neither laminar nor turbulent calculations agreed well with drag and base-pressure measurements at high Reynolds numbers. Therefore, further efforts were concentrated on bluff-body flows past various shapes at low Reynolds numbers, where a strong vortex shedding is observed. Good results were obtained for a circular cylinder, but the calculated drag of a slender ellipse at right angles to the freestream was significantly higher than experimental values reported in the literature for flat plates. Similar anomalous results were obtained on the tilt-rotor airfoils, although the qualitative effects of flap deflection agreed with the wind tunnel data. The ensemble of results suggest that there may be fundamental differences in the vortical wakes of circular cylinders and noncircular bluff bodies.

Raghavan, V.↗

Computational Evaluation of the Steady and Pulsed Jet Effects on the Performance of a Circulation Control Wing Section

Circulation Control technology is a very effective way of achieving high lift forces required by aircraft during take-off and landing. This technology can also directly control the flow field over the wing. Compared to a conventional high-lift system, a Circulation Control Wing (CCW) can generate comparable or higher lift forces during take-off/landing with fewer or no moving parts and much less complexity. In this work, an unsteady three-dimensional Navier-Stokes analysis procedure has been developed and applied to Circulation Control Wing configurations. The effects of 2-D steady jets and 2-D pulsed jets on the aerodynamic performance of CCW airfoils have been investigated. It is found that a steady jet can generate very high lift at zero angle of attack without stall, and that a small amount of blowing can eliminate vortex shedding at the trailing edge, a potential noise source. It is also found that a pulsed jet can achieve the same high lift as a steady jet at lower mass flow rates, especially at a high frequency, and that the Strouhal number has a more dominant effect on the pulsed jet performance than just the frequency or the free-stream velocity.

Liu, Yi↗

BGRID: A block-structured grid generation code for wing sections

The operation of the BGRID computer program is described for generating block-structured grids. Examples are provided to illustrate the code input and output. The application of a fully implicit AF (approximation factorization)-based computer code, called TWINGB (Transonic WING), for solving the 3D transonic full potential equation in conservation form on block-structured grids is also discussed.

Chen, H. C.↗

Drag measurements on a Junkers wing section : application of the Betz Method to the results of comparative tests made on a model and on an airplane in flight

The comparison of model tests in flight can be based on the result of such measurements. They are very important from the aerodynamical point of view, as they lead to useful conclusions regarding the behavior of the wing, its best shape and the conformity of theoretical and actual flow. Although there still remains a certain prejudice against such measurements, I have still attempted to make these comparative tests in order to inspire confidence in their reliability.

WINGS - JUNKERS A 20↗