Designing and Constructing an Aerodynamic Drag Coefficient Measuring Device

Dr. Fawaz Abbas Najim Ministry of science & Technology Al-Jadiriyah, Baghdad, Iraq fawaznajim@yahoo.com

Dr. Adnan A. Al-Qalamchi College of Engineering Al-Nahrain University Baghdad, Iraq

Haydar Hassan Balla College of Engineering Al-Nahrain University Baghdad, Iraq

Abstract:
Four main factors are known to have an effect on the drag of free falling bodies. These factors are: shape, size, density of the body and density of the medium through which the body travels. This work aims to design and construct a device to measure the drag coefficient for the free falling bodies in different fluid mediums. To achieve this aim, the basic concept of the constant terminal velocity of a falling body in a fluid media is adopted to design the device. Measurement runs were carried out using spherical and cylindrical shape bodies. Steel and glass spheres of diameter range (0.5-20 mm) and steel cylinders of length to diameter ranges (1.33, 1.375, 1.44, 1.54, 2.5, 3.33, and 4) were dropped through water and air media contained in a specially designed transparent tank provided with the necessary digital-electronic velocity measuring provisions. The results showed that the velocity of the studied falling bodies' increases with displacement until terminal velocity is reached. This was true for all the shapes and mediums considered in this study. Drag coefficient was calculated using the value of the measured terminal velocity for each body / fluid combinations used in this study hence the relation between drag coefficients and Reynolds number were determined. Results showed very good convergence to the already published results. Keywords, Experimental Fluid Mechanics, Drag Coefficient, Terminal Velocity INTRODUCTION: The measurement of the drag coefficient of any body through movement through fluid medium rests, for the fore seen future, of significant importance in experimental fluid mechanics. Although the measurement of the drag coefficients using the wind tunnel dominated the field, the terminal velocity measurement in order to predict the drag coefficient device has its equal significance. Several mathematical models and experimental studies were carried out to estimate such coefficients for the measurement of several shapes against the flow of fluids. However, the development of mathematical model for estimating drag coefficient values is primarily based on measurement accuracy. The literature includes both theoretical and experimental studies for the same goal. Originally, the measurement of free falling spheres' terminal velocity is used to measure the viscosity in a falling sphere viscometer, the measuring of the unknown viscosity system consists of a tall vertical transparent tube filled with fluid, and provision is made to release and drop a spherical ball. After a short distance of travel, the ball acquires a constant velocity. The time to traverse a known vertical distance between two fixed marks on the tube is noted to calculate the terminal velocity of the ball. The same concept was equally used to estimate drag on several bodies / fluid combinations by several authors [1 to 3].In this work, a terminal velocity measuring device is to be designed and constructed for estimating drag coefficients. In order to assess the potential of this system, several experimental runs are to be carried out by the free falling of spheres and cylinders of several densities and dimensions in both water and air. Measuring the terminal velocity, the drag coefficient is estimated and then it is compared to the already published drag coefficients. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP: Basically the device consists of a fluid medium holder and a velocity measuring unit. The fluid medium holder or container is a square cross sectional glass tube (1111) cm cross-section (the dimensions were designed so as to avoid the effect of wall boundary layer and also to give the ability for the working of IR Transmitter Receiver couples used to sense the object movement), The length of tube (2 m), open from one end and closed from the other, the thickness of the glass is 6 mm., a tap was fixed near the closed end to allow changing the fluid filling the tube. As for the velocity measuring unit (Chronograph) it was based on measuring the time interval that takes the body to cross a pre-determined distance ranging

from 50-100 cm according to the body subject to the test. The unit consists of three identical measurement groups; each group is integrated from the following elements: a- The Infra-Red transmitter / receiver circuit, b- The signal processing circuit, c-The electrical digital clock circuit and finally d- The electronic time counter / display circuit. The Infra Red transmitter (IR) held at one of the fluid holder sides sends out Infra Red rays to be sensed by the IR receivers situated on the opposite side of the container. Figure [1] is a photograph of the measuring device showing all the pointed out accessories. When the moving body passes between the IR transmitter/receiver couple these rays are cut, consequently, the IR receiver circuit gives a signal to the counter circuit to start counting the time elapsed before the body reaches the next IR Transmitter-Receiver couple positioned at a predetermined upstream distance. The electrical pulse of the first IR transmitter / receiver couple is filtered and amplified through a flip-flop integrated circuit to trigger on the time counting circuit. The second pulse is generated as the body passes through the second line of IR transmitter / receiver. This pulse is manipulated in the same way, and it is used subsequently to stop the time counter. Time is presented by a series of equally timed pulses generated by a (1 MHz) crystal quartz oscillator; these pulses are further fed to a (DIP) switch speed selector, through a series of digital gates, in order to obtain a wide range of frequencies ranging from 500 to 16 kHz according to the desired accuracy. The same sequence of events is repeated as the body passes through the following IR Transmitter-Receiver couples. Finally, the elapsed time between each two consequent events is displayed on a seven-segment screen. And by dividing the distance between two consecutive IR transmitters/receiver couples by the time needed to cross it may obtain the body velocity. Calibration of the measuring device: In order to determine the uncertainty of the "chronograph" or the time measuring device records, calibration of pre- time known sequenced events was recorded using both , the measuring device and an oscilloscope type TEKTRONICS 625. Results showed convergence between the two recorded time intervals up to +- 1%. On the other hand, the properties of the moving objects used in the course of this work are tabulated in tables (1) and (2).

SAMPLE OF RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: When a body is allowed to drop in a fluid, it acquires a velocity U such that it remains constant thereafter. For example, if a body is dropped, starting from rest, in the atmosphere it will accelerate under the action of its own weight, i.e., with acceleration due to gravity. As the speed of the body increases, the body will experience a drag force that tends to oppose the motion of the body. The drag force increases with the velocity of fall. At the terminal or equilibrium state, the upward drag force would just balance the downward weight force and the net force acting on the body would be zero. Under this state of no external force acting on the body, the body has no acceleration and hence it attains a constant velocity called the terminal velocity. The velocity of a falling body cannot be more than the terminal velocity. In other words, the terminal velocity is the maximum attainable velocity by a freely falling body in an environment. Applying this concept and obtaining the terminal velocities of the objects used in this work, the experimental drag coefficients of these objects appear in tables 1 and 2, Furthermore figures, 2 & 3 listed below show the relation between the theoretical drag coefficient (Cd) is equal to twice the total drag force on the moving body divided by the projected body area multiplied by the density multiplied by square the moving body velocity (dimensionless) or Cd = 2Fd/A V2 While Reynolds number (Re ) is equal to the diameter of the moving body multiplied by its velocity divided by the fluid media Kinematic viscosity (dimensionless) or Re = D V /

Table (1) Numerical Results of Experimental Work for Solid Spheres.

Diameters of the spheres d (mm) Types material spheres of of Density of the spheres 3 Kg/m Terminal velocity (m/sec) Reynolds number Re Measured Drag coefficients of spheres (CD)Exp. Empirical Drag coefficient of spheres (CD)Empi.

0.5 1.5 2 17 20 0.8 1 2 3 4 6 8 12 15

glass glass glass glass glass steel steel steel steel steel steel steel steel steel

2560 2560 2480 2040 2200 7699 7850 8096 8150 8200 8001 7833 7800 7300

0.0711 0.217 0.261 0.757 0.8418 0.316 0.383 0.636 0.796 0.930 1.139 1.319 1.627 1.775

41 360 600 14346 18773 281 427 1418 2662 7624 11763 21765 21765 29682

2.067 0.668 0.582 0.413 0.416 0.718 0.624 0.469 0.453 0.445 0.4325 0.42 0.412 0.4013

2.52 0.677 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.787 0.611 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

Table (2) Numerical Results of Experimental Work for Solid Cylinders

Types of material of cylinders Cylinder Diameter(mm.) Cylinder Length(mm.) Density of the Cylinder 3 Kg/m Terminal velocity (m/sec) Reynolds number Re Measured Drag coefficients of spheres (CD)Exp. Theoretical Drag coefficient of spheres (CD)Theo.

steel steel steel steel steel steel steel

7 7 8 9 13 15 1.8

18 28 11 13 20 20 6

8228 8166 8247 7860 7910 7922 7800

0.898 0.902 0.856 1.07 1.18 1.27 0.31

4138 4239 4508 6339 10270 12541 391

0.988 0.97 0.971 0.973 1.016 1.018 .0.52

1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.42

Contemplating through tables (1) and (2), and the consequent figures 2 and 3 the drag coefficient prediction by the terminal velocity device is found generally in good agreement to the already published results [4&5] with the maximum error between the two values is less than 20% for spheres and less than 12% for cylinders . These results manifest the high potentials of the new device keeping in mind its ease of construction and low needed budget compared to the wind tunnels used for the same purpose.

Figure[1] A photograph showing the experimental rig Compromised of the fluid medium holder and the Chronograph time measuring device. The photo also shows the Oscilloscope used for the Calibration of the measuring device.

Figures [2]upwards showing the relation between the drag coefficient to Reynolds number for a cylinder, solid lines presents the existing values compared to the dots showing the results obtained using the measuring device, Figure[3] downwards showing the relation between the drag coefficient to Reynolds number for a sphere, solid lines presents the existing values compared to the dots showing the results obtained using the measuring device.

REFERENCES: 1- Ciloudon & Zhang," Measuring Drag without a Force Transducer, a Terminal Velocity Assay", British Ecological Society Publications, 2002. 2- Matjiasl G. & Glasnovic A.," Measurement and Evaluation of Drag Coefficient of Spherical Particles in Pseudo plastic Fluids", University of Zagreb Publications, 2001. 3- Mordant M. & Pinton J.F.," Velocity Measurement of a Settling Sphere ", the European Physical Journal, B-2000. 4- Joseph Franzini & John Finnermore," Fluid Mechanics with Engineering Applications", McGraw hill, 1988. 5- Kumar K.L., "Engineering Fluid mechanics ", Eurasia publishing house Ltd., 1997.