AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Drag Experiment

AERO3630 Aerodynamics

Airfoil Drag Experiment

Aims
The overall aim of this experiment is to learn how the total drag experienced by a body moving in a
fluid can be determined using two methods: (1) force balance and (2) wake velocity measurements.

Reading
Week 1 Notes, especially PDF “Drag from momentum equation derivation” available on Moodle.
Further, Section 2.6 of the textbook is valuable reading that will explain the how velocity
measurements can be used to estimate drag.

Methodology

Two different methods are employed to calculate the total drag on a streamline body:
1. A direct method using a balance; and
2. An indirect method by traversing the wake.

Description of Experiment

A symmetrical airfoil with 63mm chord and 49mm span is positioned in the test section and is directly
connected to a balance as shown in Figure 1. The balance contains two scales – a front coarse scale
and a back fine scale. Every 1mm on the front scale represents 1g, and every 1mm on the back scale
represents 0.1g. The test section is also fitted with a pitot probe that is connected to the water
manometer. The pitot tube can be easily traversed by sliding the vertical bar left and right. The airfoil
can also be set an angle of attack using the dial located on the front of the test section.

Figure 1: Airfoil Connected to Balance and Pitot Probe

Procedure
Starting Up
1. Record the temperature, 𝑇, and observed atmospheric pressure, 𝑃!"# , in Table 1

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Drag Experiment

2. If necessary, incline the manometer at 60° to the vertical. Each large graduation mark on the right
of the manometer indicates 10°.
3. Examine the manometer – note its full scale range and ensure the water level is approximately
halfway up the manometer tubes
4. If necessary, connect the pressure tap at the top of the wind tunnel and on the side of the test
section to the manometer. Also connect the pressure tube from the traversing pitot probe to the
manometer.
5. Lock the balance by gently tightening the right horizontal bolt, located to the left of the airfoil as
circled in Figure 1, into the test section
6. Loosen the two vertical nylon bolts
7. Set the airfoil angle of attack to less than 10° by adjusting the two silver knobs located at the front
and back of the test section
8. Gently tighten the two vertical nylon bolts to lock the angle of attack

Drag using Balance

9. Unlock the balance by loosening the horizontal bolt located to the left of the airfoil
10. Determine the mass of the airfoil by sliding the front coarse weights and back fine weights
11. Record the mass of the airfoil, 𝑚$ , in Table 2
12. Close the wind tunnel valve
13. Turn on the AF10 as per the Operating Instructions and set a medium test section velocity with
the valve at an approximate angle of 45°
14. Readjust the front and back weights to achieve equilibrium
15. Record the final mass of the airfoil, 𝑚% , in Table 2

Drag by Traversing the Wake

16. Lock the balance by gently tightening the horizontal bolt located to the left of the airfoil
17. Record the test section static pressure, 𝑃& = 𝑃∞ , in Table 3
18. Unlock the pitot probe by loosening the vertical bolt located to the far right of the probe as circled
in Figure 1
19. Set the pitot probe to the left of the airfoil at 𝑦 = 40𝑚𝑚. When traversing the pitot probe, align the
front and back rules together to avoid any parallax errors.
20. Record the pressure, 𝑃, measured by the pitot probe in Table 4
21. Traverse the pitot probe right by 5mm
22. Repeat Steps 20 and 21 until the whole wake has been traversed. Use smaller 1mm increments
when traversing near the airfoil

Shutting Down
23. Turn off the AF10 as per the Operating Instructions

Calculations
1. Calculate the true atmospheric pressure, 𝑃'() , and air density, 𝜌'()

Drag by Traversing the Wake

2. Find the maximum dynamic pressure in the wake, 𝑃* = max [(𝑃 − 𝑃+ ) cos 60°]
3. Calculate the freestream velocity, 𝑈+
4. Calculate the Reynolds Number, 𝑅𝑒
5. Calculate the wake velocity, 𝑈, , for each location tested
- -
6. Calculate - ! :1 − - ! <
" "
.
7. Plot 𝑈, versus /
- - .
8. Plot - ! :1 − - ! < versus /
" "
.// - - .
9. Calculate the drag coefficient, 𝐶*,(1'231#3 = 2 ∫5.// @- ! :1 − - ! <A 𝑑 : / <
" "

Drag using Balance

10. Calculate the drag force on the airfoil, 𝐷 = D𝑚% − 𝑚6 E/1000
11. Calculate the wing reference area, 𝑆
12. Calculate the drag coefficient, 𝐶*,"'7'8/3

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Drag Experiment

Laboratory Report
The laboratory report should be concise and consist of:

Assessment Coversheet

As per School guidelines.

Results and Discussion

.
Plot 𝑈, versus ( (Figure 1)
/

- - .
Plot - ! :1 − - ! < versus /
(Figure 2)
" "

Compare the value of drag from the balance to that obtained by integration (method 1, balance and
method 2, wake integration, in a table).

Discuss why these values are the same or different. Consider the flow over the airfoil and what each
method is measuring in your answer. What are the errors? This should be about a ½ page of writing.

Your raw results (Tables) should be listed as appendices

(The report should be a coversheet, figures, a table comparing the drag coefficients, about a ½ page
of writing and appendices of raw results.)

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Drag Experiment

Table 1: Atmospheric Data

𝑻 ºC 𝑻 K

𝑷𝒐𝒃𝒔 mm Hg 𝑪𝑭 mm Hg

𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒎 mm Hg

Pa

𝝆𝒂𝒕𝒎 kg m-3

Table 2: Data from Balance

𝜶 °

𝒎𝒐 g

𝒎𝒇 g

𝑫 kg

𝑺 m2

𝑪𝑫,𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 -

Table 3: Data from Wake Traverse

𝑷𝑺 = 𝑷+ mm H2O

𝑷𝑫 mm H2O

Pa

𝑼+ m/s

𝑹𝒆 -

𝑪𝑫,𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 -

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Drag Experiment

Table 4: Velocity Distribution from Wake Traverse

𝒚 𝒚/𝒄 𝑷 (𝑷 − 𝑷+ ) 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟔𝟎° 𝑼𝟐 𝑼𝟐 𝑼𝟐
[𝟏 − ]
(mm) - (mm H2O) (mm H2O) (m/s) 𝑼+ 𝑼+
40

35

30