AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

AERO3630 Aerodynamics

Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

Aims
The overall aim of this experiment is to learn how the lift force on an airfoil placed in a moving fluid
can be determined.

Methodology
The method employed involves obtaining the pressure distribution around an airfoil and calculating
the lift force. By changing the angle of attack, both attached and separated flow conditions are
investigated and their effect on the lifting characteristics of the airfoil determined.

Description of Experiment
A symmetrical NACA 0020 airfoil with 63mm chord and 49mm span lengths is positioned in the test
section and its 12 pressure taps are connected to the water manometer as shown in Figure 1. The
airfoil can rotate between -30° and 30° using the large red dial. The chordwise pressure tap positions
are given below in Table 1. Please take note which side of the airfoil each pressure tap is connected
to. Use the formula below to calculate the y position of each pressure tap.

𝑦 𝑡 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 ! 𝑥 " 𝑥 #
= 5 % ' (0.2969. − 0.1260 2 3 − 0.3516 2 3 + 0.2843 2 3 − 0.1015 2 3 8
𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐
where:

𝑡 = maximum airfoil thickness (m). For the NACA 0020, 𝑡 = 0.2𝑐

𝑥 = chordwise distance from the leading edge (m)
𝑐 =chord (m)

Figure 1: Airfoil in Test Section

Table 1: Pressure Tap Positions (x is the distance along the chord)

Tap 𝒙 Tap 𝒙
Number (mm) Number (mm)
1 1 7 20

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

2 2 8 26
3 4.5 9 32.1
4 7.5 10 38
5 11 11 44
6 14.5 12 50

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

Procedure
Starting Up
1. Record the temperature, 𝑇, and observed atmospheric pressure, 𝑃$%& , in Table 2
2. Examine the manometer – note its full-scale range and ensure the water level is approximately
halfway up the manometer tubes
3. Examine the manometer – 12 of the 14 manometer tubes should be connected to the
airfoil. The other two manometer tubes should be open to the atmosphere
4. Connect the pressure tap at the top of the wind tunnel to the last manometer tube
5. Close the wind tunnel valve
6. Set the airfoil to 0° angle of attack
7. 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°

Exploring the Pressure Distribution

8. Examine the manometers and shape of the water levels. The shape of the water levels represents
the pressure distribution around the airfoil
9. Slowly change the angle of attack and watch the water levels change. Make sure the water levels
stay within their full-scale range
10. Continue increasing (or decreasing) the angle of attack until the pressure distribution suddenly
changes, indicating flow separation and airfoil stall
11. Find the stall angle by resetting the angle of attack to 0°, and slowly increasing it
12. Record the stall angle, 𝛼& , in Table 3

Measuring the Pressure Distribution

13. Choose 2 angles of attack, one pre-stall and one post-stall and record them in Table 3
14. Set the airfoil to your chosen angle of attack
15. Record the airbox total pressure, 𝑃' , which is at the top of the wind tunnel in Table 3
16. Remove the pressure tap in the last manometer tube and connect to it the test section static
pressure tap
17. Record the test section static pressure, 𝑃( = 𝑃∞ , in Table 3
18. Record the pressure in the one manometer open to the atmosphere, 𝑃$)*+ , in Table 3
19. Record the pressure distribution around the airfoil, 𝑃+ , in Table 4
20. Set the airfoil to your next chosen angle of attack
21. Repeat Steps 15 to 19 until you complete measurements for each chosen angle of attack (Table 5
is used for the post-stall angle of attack pressure distribution measurements).

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

Calculations
1. Calculate the true atmospheric pressure, 𝑃,-. , and air density, 𝜌,-.

For each angle of attack:

12
2. Calculate the effective pressure, 𝑃*// = 𝑃0 + 3"2 >𝑃$)*+ − 𝑃0 ?
3. Calculate the dynamic pressure, 𝑃4 = 𝑃' − 𝑃*//
4. Calculate the freestream velocity, 𝑈0
5. Calculate the Reynolds Number, 𝑅𝑒
5! 65
6. Calculate the pressure coefficient for each airfoil tapping, 𝐶5 = 5 "##
$
7
7. Plot 𝐶5 against
8
7
8. Calculate 𝐶9 = ∮ 𝐶5 𝑑 2 3
8
:
9. Calculate 𝐶' = ∮ 𝐶5 𝑑 2 3
8
10. Calculate 𝐶; = 𝐶9 cos 𝛼 − 𝐶' sin 𝛼
11. Calculate 𝐶4 = 𝐶9 sin 𝛼 + 𝐶' cos 𝛼

Laboratory Report
The laboratory report should be concise and consist of

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

Assessment Coversheet

As per School guidelines.

Results and Discussion

7
For each angle of attack, plot 𝐶5 against 8

Tabulate 𝐶9 , 𝐶' , 𝐶; and 𝐶4 for each angle of attack.

In ½ a page or less, explain the differences between the pre-stall and post-stall results in terms of the
flow field you would expect in each of these cases.

Given that only pressure is measured, what else is needed to improve the drag measurements? (1
paragraph maximum.)

(The report should be a coversheet, 𝐶) versus 𝑥/𝑐 graphs, a table comparing coefficients, about a
page of writing finished with appendices of raw results.)

Table 2: Atmospheric Data

𝑻 ºC 𝑻 K

𝑷𝒐𝒃𝒔 mm Hg 𝑪𝑭 mm Hg

𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒎 mm Hg

Pa

𝝆𝒂𝒕𝒎 kg m-3

Table 3: Test Parameters

𝜶𝒔 °

Pre-Stall Angle of Attack Post-Stall Angle of Attack

𝜶 ° °

𝑷𝑻 mm H2O mm H2O

𝑷𝑺 = 𝑷0 mm H2O mm H2O

𝑷𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 mm H2O mm H2O

𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇 mm H2O mm H2O

𝑷𝑫 mm H2O mm H2O

Pa Pa

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

𝑼0 m/s m/s

𝑹𝒆 - -

𝑪𝑵 - -

𝑪𝑻 - -

𝑪𝑳 - -

𝑪𝑫 - -

Table 4: Data for Pre-Stall Angle of Attack

𝑷𝒏 𝑷𝒏 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇 𝑷𝒏 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
Tapping 𝑪𝑷
(mm H2O) (mm H2O) (Pa)
LE - - - 0

10

11

12

TE - - - 0

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AERO3630 Aerodynamics Airfoil Pressure Distribution Experiment

Table 5: Data for Post-Stall Angle of Attack

𝑷𝒏 𝑷𝒏 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇 𝑷𝒏 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
Tapping 𝑪𝑷
(mm H2O) (mm H2O) (Pa)
LE - - - 0

10

11

12

TE - - - 0