AE29202 Aerodynamics

Laboratory - I
 EXPERIMENT-3
Indirect Drag Measurement on the Circular Cylinder
(Direct Weighing Method)

Ritik Mishra (20AE30019)

Aim Of the Experiment:

To find the Drag Force and the Coefficient of Drag of flow past a circular cylinder
using Direct Weighing Method.
Objectives:
Using an airflow bench:
✓ To vary freestream velocity of the airflow and balancing the drag force experienced
by the cylinder using weights.
✓ To calculate the Coefficient of Drag and plot its variation with velocity.
Apparatus Required:
✓ Airflow Bench
✓ Circular Cylinder test section
✓ Multi-tube Manometer
✓ Balance arm and weight box
Settling chamber

Stagnation
Pressure Port

Contraction cone

Multi-tube
manometer

Static Pressure
Port

Flow direction

Fig-1: Air flow bench

 Fig-2: Circular cylinder test-section

Basic Theory:
According to the potential flow theory, flow over a circular cylinder can be seen
as a combination (superposition) of a uniform flow and doublet (which is in turn the
superposition of source and sink flows of equal strengths placed very close to each
other).
We obtain a flow pattern as shown below:

Fig-3: Flow over a cylinder

As the flow is symmetric in nature, theoretically the lift and drag are found out
to be zero. However, there is some finite drag associated with the circular cylinder in
real case. This is known as d’Alembert’s paradox.
In this experiment, we place a circular cylinder in the air-stream and measure
the drag force (Resistance) it experiences by direct-weighing method. Every time we
make a change in the flow velocity, we adjust the weights to achieve equilibrium
position and note the value of weights. The total and static pressures are also
recorded. The drag coefficient is evaluated using the following formula:
𝑤
𝐶𝑑 =
1 2
2 𝜌𝑈∞ 𝐴
Where, w = weights that balance the Drag force Fd
ρ = air density
U∞= freestream velocity
A = Effective area facing the liquid (Projected area)

Procedure:
1. Fix the circular cylinder test section in the airflow bench. The cylinder is fitted with
a protractor to measure the angle through which it has been rotated.
2. After starting the airflow bench, adjust the knob to get the desired velocity.
3. Apply weights in the pan to balance the drag force acting on the cylinder.
4. Measure the total pressure and the static pressure from the manometer (the ports
are connected at appropriate locations for that).
5. Readjust the knob to vary the velocity of freestream. Adjust the weights in the pan
so as to balance the drag force.
6. Repeat the steps to take multiple sets of readings.
7. Using the required equations evaluate the Drag Force and the Coefficient of Drag.
8. Plot the variation of Cd with velocity.

Observations Table:

Diameter of the cylinder = 12.55 mm

Length of the cylinder = 60 mm
Density of air = 1.1644 kg/m3
Dynamics viscosity of air (µ) = 1.86 x 10-5 Pa-s.

~Observation Table~

Total Static Mass on

Inlet Drag
Pressure Pressure the Reynolds
Velocity Force Coefficient
(P0) (Ps) balance Number
(U∞) (Fd) of Drag (Cd)
(mm of (mm of (M) (Re)
(in m/s) (in N)
water) water) (in gram)
252 249 7.108613 2 0.01962 5562.681 0.889193
259 250 12.31248 5 0.04905 9634.846 0.740994
262 251 13.61196 7 0.06867 10651.72 0.848775
270 252 17.41247 12 0.11772 13625.73 0.889193
282 254 21.71717 17 0.16677 16994.27 0.8098
288 255 23.5766 20 0.1962 18449.32 0.808357
Calculations:
At Po = 262 mm H2O and Ps = 251 mm H2O
Total pressure (Po) = 262 mm of water = 0.262 m of water = 0.262 × 9.81 × 1000 Pa
= 2569.3423 Pa
Static pressure (Ps) = 251 mm of water = 0.251 m of water = 0.251 × 9.81 × 1000 Pa
= 2461.469 Pa
Density of air (ρ) = 1.1644 kg/m3
Dynamic viscosity of air (μ) = 1.86 × 10-5 Pa-s
Mass on the balance (M) = 7 g = 0.007 kg.
Area of the cylinder facing the fluid (A) = Diameter × Length = 0.0125 × 0.06 =
0.00075 m2.
From Bernoulli's equation,

U2∞ = 2 × (Po - Ps) /ρ

U2∞ = 2 × (2569.34 - 2461.47)/ 1.1644
Thus, U∞ = 13.61196 m/s
Reynolds Number (Re) = ρU∞D/μ
Re = (1.1644 × 13.61196 × 0.0125)/(1.86 × 10-5)
Thus, Re = 10651.72
Drag Force (Fd) = weight (W) = M × g = 0.007 × 9.81 N
Fd = 0.06867 N.
Coefficient of Drag (Cd) = (Fd)/(0.5 × ρ × U2∞ × A) = (Fd)/{(Po - Ps) × A} =
(0.06867)/{ (2569.34 - 2461.47) × 0.00075}
Cd = 0.848775
At Po = 282 mm H2O and Ps = 254 mm H2O
Total pressure (Po) = 282 mm of water = 0.282 m of water = 0.282 × 9.81 × 1000 Pa
= 2765.4753 Pa
Static pressure (Ps) = 254 mm of water = 0.254 m of water = 0.254 × 9.81 × 1000 Pa
= 2490.8891 Pa
Mass on the balance (M) = 17 g = 0.017 kg.
Area of the cylinder facing the fluid (A) = 0.0125 × 0.06 = 0.00075 m2.
From Bernoulli's equation,

U2∞ = 2 × (Po - Ps) /ρ

U2∞ = 2 × (2765.4753 - 2490.8891) / 1.1644
Thus, U∞ = 21.71717 m/s
Reynolds Number (Re) = ρU∞D/μ
Re = (1.1644 × 21.71717 × 0.0125)/(1.86 × 10-5)
 Thus, Re = 18449.32
Drag Force (Fd) = weight (W) = M × g = 0.017 × 9.81 N, therefore, Fd = 0.16677 N.

Coefficient of Drag (Cd) = (Fd)/(0.5 × ρ × U2∞ × A) = (Fd)/{(Po - Ps) × A} =

(0.06867)/{ (2765.4753 - 2490.8891) × 0.00075}
Cd = 0.8098
Results:
1. Drag Ceofficient v/s Reynold’s Number (All Groups)
Data obtained from other Groups is as follows:
Group (1)
Reynolds Number (Re) Coefficient of Drag (Cd)
5563.630715 0.888888889
7182.616368 0.8
9085.370913 0.833333333
11581.62089 0.820512821
12848.65476 0.833333333
18452.47555 0.808080808

Group (2)
Reynolds Number (Re) Coefficient of Drag (Cd)
5563.630715 0.888888889
9085.370913 0.833333333
10653.54173 0.848484848
12018.816 0.952380952
13628.05637 0.888888889
15736.32403 0.833333333

Group (3)
Reynolds Number (Re) Coefficient of Drag (Cd)
6424.327382 1
11127.26143 0.666666667
14365.23274 0.8
16378.88534 0.717948718
17593.74512 0.755555556
18729.97196 0.784313725

Group (4)
Reynolds Number (Re) Coefficient of Drag (Cd)
6424.327382 1
10157.75348 0.8
13244.09018 0.784313725
15066.3832 0.787878788
16690.89214 0.790123457
20059.95582 0.786324786
 Group (5) => In the Observation Table
Group (6)
Reynolds Number (Re) Coefficient of Drag (Cd)
9171.22 0.82
10751.92 0.84
17160.82 0.8
15885.3 0.82
12974.29 0.82
18621.14 0.79

These data points are plotted as follows:

Drag Coefficient v/s Reynold's Number (All Groups)

1.2

1
Coefficient of Drag (Cd)

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000
Reynolds Number (Re)

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Plot-1: Drag Coefficient v/s Reynold's Number (All Groups)

 2. Linear curve-fit for Drag Ceofficient v/s Reynold’s Number (Group 5)

Drag Coefficient v/s Reynold's Number (Group 5)

1

0.9

0.8

y = -0.00000294x + 0.86779516
Coefficient of Drag (Cd)

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000
Reynolds Number (Re)
Plot-2: Drag Coefficient v/s Reynold's Number (Group 5)

Here, the slope of the linear-fit curve = - 2.94 x 10-6

Intercept = 0.86779516

Discussion:
We find out the velocity of the flow by measuring the static and total pressures
of the incoming airflow using pressure ports connected to a multi-tube manometer.
Bernoulli’s equation can then be used to find the velocity of incoming flow. Since,
weights balance the circular cylinder and keeps it in equilibrium, we can say that it is
equal to the Drag Force experienced by the cylinder.
Conclusion:
We used the direct weighing method to estimate the drag force acting on a
circular cylinder in flow. The experiment shows that in real life scenario the drag
experienced by a circular cylinder is non-zero which is contrary to the Potential Flow
Theory that claims that Drag force is zero. This is obviously because of assumptions
made while using the Potential Flow Theory. This is called d’Alembert’s Paradox. We
also conclude that the value of coefficient of drag remains fairly constant over
appreciable ranges of Reynold’s number (which can be seen from Plot-1).
Questionnaire:
Question – How do you think your results will vary if you perform this experiment in
summer and winter times?
Answer – The aerodynamics drag force is proportional to the density of air which
can be concluded from following:
1 2
𝐹𝑑 = 𝜌𝑣 𝑐
2 ∞ 𝑑
Cold air is denser than warm air. In winter density of air will increase, so drag force will
be higher during winter than in summer.
Question – What drag force are you measuring in this experiment? How is it going to
change if you replace solid cylinder with an identical porous one?
Answer – We use the direct weighing method in this experiment for calculating
drag. When the cylinder is subjected to the flow, the resistance it experiences (which
may be because of any reason) is counterbalanced by putting weights in the pan.
Therefore, the resistance is because of both types of drag, the Skin Friction Drag
(Viscous drag) as well as the Pressure Drag (Form Drag). So, we are measuring the
total drag force in this experiment.
If we compare the drag forces experienced by a solid and porous
cylinder, we observe that due to porosity, large number of vortices will be formed on
both sides of perforations that will lead to huge dissipation in energy. Thus, the drag
coefficient of perforated cylinder will be more than that of a solid one.
Question – How the drag coefficient compares for the case of a square and a circular
cylinder having a same characteristics length and Re?
Answer – A square cylinder is basically a cuboid. In case of flow past a cuboid
whose frontal face is a square, we would expect some turbulence at the corner points
of the square. That will definitely contribute to the air resistance or drag force. Whereas
in case of a circular cylinder the flow will be more uniform and symmetrical. Therefore,
considering the Re value and characteristic dimensions to be the same, a square
cylinder is expected to have a higher drag coefficient than a circular cylinder.