External Problem 1: Dimensional analysis and similarity

A fighter aircraft is to operate at 200 m/s in air at standard conditions ( = 1.2 kg/m3). A
model is constructed to 1/20 scale (length ratio) and tested in a wind tunnel at the same
air temperature (same air viscosity) to determine the drag force. The drag force FD is a
function of the air density  and viscosity , the velocity V and the cross section length of
the airplane D.
a) Use dimensional analysis to prove that:
FD 
1  and  2 
V D
2 2
VD
What are these two dimensionless numbers?
b) If the model is tested at 50 m/s, what air density should be used in the wind
tunnel? Comment the result and give a recommendation.
c) If the model drag force is 250 N at 50 m/s, what will be the drag force of the
prototype?

200 m/s Lift force

Drag force
External Problem 2: Dimensional analysis and similarity
The viscous torque T produced on a disc rotating in a liquid depends upon the
characteristic dimension D , the rotational speed N , the density  and the dynamic
viscosity  .

a) Show that there are two non-dimensional parameters written as:

T ND 2
1  and  
N 2 D 5 
2

b) In order to predict the torque on a disc of 0.5 m of diameter which rotates in oil at
200 rpm, a model is made to a scale of 1/5. The model is rotated in water.
Calculate the speed of rotation of the model necessary to simulate the rotation of
the real disc.

c) When the model is tested at 18.75 rpm, the torque was 0.02 N.m. Predict the
torque on the full size disc at 200 rpm.

Notes: For the oil: the density is 750 kg / m 3 and the dynamic viscosity is 0.2 N .s / m 2 .
For water: the density is 1000 kg / m 3 and the dynamic viscosity is 0.001 N .s / m 2 .
kg.m
1N 1 2 .
s