Wind Tunnel Testing Plan for Dual Grid Fins

Eric Cao USLI / 481L 11/19/12

Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 1

Overview
New grid fin design View of the grid fins, mount, and baseplate on the sting Wind tunnel flight plan (various pitch angles, yaw angles, and velocities) Procedures before/during/after flight plan Wind tunnel data reduction and correction How data will be used to improve Project PLATYPUS
Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 2

New Dual Grid Fin Mount on Sting

Back view

sting M

Four bolts will secure the adapter to the back face of the base plate The adapter has a 5/8 threaded female hole which will allow it to be secured to the sting
Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 3

Wind Tunnel Testing Plan

Two grid fins will be mounted on the baseplate, which will be attached to the adapter and the wind tunnels sting Velocity will slowly be increased from 0 fps to 300 fps at a pitch angle of 20 and a yaw angle of 7 (most deflected position) Any sign of unexpected vibrations or malfunctions from the grid fin, velocity will be dialed down to 0 fps Corrections will be made to have no malfunctions at worst case (300 fps, 20 pitch, 7 yaw) Once verified that the worst case has no malfunctions, the flight plan will be applied
Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 4

Wind Tunnel Testing Plan (cont.)

Wind tunnel will be programmed to run through the plan twice, once with the grid fins, once without grid fins Velocity of 0 fps to 300 fps, increments of 20 fps Pitch angles of -5 to +20, increments of 1 Yaw angles of -2 to +7, increments of 1 With grid fins: Velocity at 0 fps, pitch held constant at -5, then it yaws from -2 to +7. Pitch changes to -4, then it yaws from -2 to +7 Pitch changes to 20, then it yaws from -2 to +7. Velocity changes to 20 fps, 40 fps, 60 fps, 300 fps Without grid fins: Procedure above repeated
Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 5

Summary
A total of 8,320 data points will be recorded [1626102 (different velocities, pitch/yaw angles, with/without grid fins)] Data Reduction Each force found at each data point tested without grid fins will be subtracted from the same forces found at the corresponding data point tested with grid fins, which will give the forces produced by two grid fins at a certain orientation (reduces from 8,320 to 4,160 data points) Data Correction Each of the 4,610 data points will be corrected for the right velocities using the corresponding corrected air speed factor provided by Cal Poly Pomonas Aerospace Department
Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI 6

Summary (cont.)
4,160 data points will be plotted on graphs with axis e.g. (Normal, Side, or Axial Force vs. Pitch or Yaw Angle) Normal/side forces vs. pitch/yaw angles graphs will be used to calculate the new rockets theoretical center of pressure location through our customized computer code Axial force vs. pitch/yaw angles graphs will be used to calculate drag and when to actuate the grid fins to induce more drag to be able to reach exactly one mile

Eric Cao ARO 481L/ USLI