An Experimental Investigation of Streamlines on Wing Sections

By

Patrick R. Smith 903170761

AERO-3130, Group 1 Auburn University August 29, 2013

Summary When air moves over a surface, it follows certain aerodynamic principles and assumes certain shapes and formations. These shapes and formations can be visualized by using a smoke tunnel. By introducing small trails of smoke to a wind tunnel, the path the air travels can be seen by the path the smoke trail takes. Through this process, the various formations caused by the motion of the air are easier to identify and examine. (Anderson, 2005) In this experiment, different wing sections including cylindrical, infinite wing, finite wing, and full wing were placed into the wind tunnel with the smoke streamlines running. The smoke allowed visualization and recording of the streamlines and different phenomena were observed as different models were introduced and the angle of attack was modified. Pictures of the tests were taken in order to study and discuss the aerodynamic formations. In the end, all wing sections were placed into the chamber and studied. The appropriate aerodynamic principles were adequately demonstrated by the streamlines in the test chamber. Turbulent flow, stalling, and wingtip vortices were all observed on the models.

II

Table of Contents SummaryII Nomenclature..IV List of Figures and TablesV Introduction.1 Discussion of Relevant Theory2 Description of Test Equipment and Procedure3 Results and Discussion.4 Conclusion.5 Figures and Tables6 References9

III

Nomenclature VAirflow Boundary Layer Thickness

IV

List of Figures and Tables Streamlines of an Infinite WingFig. 1 Streamlines of a Finite WingtipFig. 2 Streamlines of a Finite Wing..Fig. 3 Streamlines of a Cylinder.Fig. 4

Introduction: In a smoke tunnel, the flow of air over a wing section is visualized through the use of smoke trails, evenly spaced, at the source of the airflow. As the smoke lines travel through the test section, they demonstrate the changing velocity of the air particles as they flow over and around the model. Through this visualization, aerospace engineers can see with the naked eye the aerodynamic formations that are only otherwise seen in calculations and equations on paper. Wingtip vortices, turbulent flow, and boundary layer separation can all be observed through this process. The various aerodynamic formations are, in essence, the meat and potatoes of aerospace engineering. They are the reason it is not a simple matter to build and fly an aircraft. Wingtip vortices are caused by the lift-generating properties of a finite wing. These vortices cause turbulent flow and can impact gliding performance. Turbulent flow is easily identified in the wind tunnel as the point where the streamlines vanish and are replaced with seemingly random swirls of air in the wake of the model. Boundary layer separation is, in the common vernacular, a stall. When the angle of attack becomes too great for the incoming airflow, the boundary layer separates from the airfoil and the wing ceases to produce lift. (Anderson, 2005) In this experiment, several models of varying shape were placed in the smoke tunnel to visualize the effect they have on the air as it moves past them. There were three models placed in the smoke tunnel: the infinite wing, a wing that spans the width of the tunnel; the finite wingtip, a model of the end of a real wing; a finite wing, a full wing with two wingtips; and the cylinder, a simple cylinder that spans the width of the chamber. The infinite wing and the finite wingtip were both put at 0, 15, and 30 angles of attack. The finite wing was examined perpendicular to the flow. The cylinder was examined normally, then with a turbulent flow-inducing strip of sandpaper on the leading edge.

Discussion of Relevant Theory -Boundary Layers (See also (Ahmed & Waldheim, 2013, pp. 29-30)) Airflow, V, moving over an airfoil produces a thin area of slow fluid movement. This is called the Boundary Layer. Friction with the body causes the fluid to slow down. The fluid that is just barely slowed down by friction is the top of the boundary layer, and is defined by 99% V. The fluid at the very bottom, in contact with the body, has zero relative velocity. This causes what is known as the no slip condition. The distance between these two parts of the boundary layer is the boundary layer thickness, . -Boundary Layer Separation (See also (Ahmed & Waldheim, 2013, pp. 35-36)) Static and Dynamic pressure in incompressible flow may vary, but the sum of both quantities is constant. Around a cylinder, the dynamic pressure can increase four times that of the freestream flow, and then drop to its initial value afterwards. In real flow, static pressure decreases initially. The boundary layer converts static pressure to dynamic pressure. Inside the boundary layer, the dynamic pressure increase is dampened by friction. This ends up depriving the system of the energy it initially started with. When V begins to decrease, the dynamic pressure begins converting to static pressure. The static pressure increase also applies to the boundary layer, where there is much less kinetic energy due to the aforementioned friction. At some point along the cylinder the boundary layer loses its kinetic energy and has to move, therefore it departs from the surface that is applying friction. On smooth bodies, this separation only occurs in adverse pressure gradients.

Description of Test Equipment and Procedure For this test, the following was used: Smoke tunnel Infinite Wing Section (Airfoil) Finite Wingtip Cylinder with sandpaper square Finite wing

Each model was placed in the smoke tunnel at 0 angle of attack. The tunnel was started and observations were made on the streamlines. The infinite wing and finite wingtip were changed to 15 and 30 angles of attack for observation. The cylinder was first put in the tunnel with the sandpaper on the back, and then rotated so the sandpaper was on the leading edge. The finite wing was examined perpendicular to V.

Results and Discussion Each model placed in the smoke tunnel behaved as predicted; that is, the streamlines followed the appropriate course and allowed visualization of the associated aerodynamic principles and formations. The streamlines of the infinite wing are presented in Fig. 1. The general streamlines of the airflow can be easily identified as the air passes over the wingtip. There is little to no turbulent flow occurring behind the trailing edge of the wing. The streamlines of the finite wingtip are presented in Fig. 2. The streamlines are similar to those of the infinite wing, but a vortex is apparent following the trailing edge of the wingtip. The boundary layer around the body is laminar. The streamlines of the finite wing are presented in Fig. 3. Two wingtip vortices are present in this test. The flow behind the body is noticeably turbulent. This is the most realistically applicable test to real life aerodynamics. The streamlines of the cylinder are presented in Fig. 4. The trailing edge of the cylinder has a large amount of turbulent flow following it. As the air traveled past the cylinder, the turbulent flow seemed to oscillate in a roughly sinusoidal manner. The streamlines displayed on each model are consistent with the aerodynamic principles governing their formation and behavior. At 30 angles of attack, boundary layer separation was observed. The sandpaper on the leading edge of the cylinder caused turbulent flow on the trailing edge of the cylinder.

Conclusion In conclusion, the aerodynamic formations of wingtip vortices, turbulent flow, boundary layers, and streamlines were all visualized in the smoke tunnel. Changing qualities of the model appropriately affected the resulting formations in predictable ways. Each model adequately demonstrated the flow present around it relative to V, and based on the models limitations failed to demonstrate those formations that do not occur under realistic conditions. I.e. the finite wing displayed all formations present in real flow while the infinite airfoil did not.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

References

Ahmed, A., & Waldheim, J. (2013). Aerodynamics Laboratory Course Notes. Anderson, J. D. (2005). Introduction to Flight, 6E. McGraw-Hill.