AIRFOIL Holy Angel University

CHARACTERISTICS
HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

PRANDTL LIFTING LINE

THEORY
The Prandtl lifting-line theory is a mathematical model
in aerodynamics that predicts lift distribution over a
three-dimensional wing based on its geometry. It is also
known as the Lanchester–Prandtl wing theory.
The theory was expressed independently by Frederick
W. Lanchester in 1907, and by Ludwig Prandtl in 1918–
1919 after working with Albert Betz and Max Munk.
In this model, the bound vortex loses strength along the
whole wingspan because it is shed as a vortex-sheet from
the trailing edge, rather than just as a single vortex from
the wing-tips.

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HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

PRANDTL LIFTING LINE

THEORY
It is difficult to predict analytically the overall amount
of lift that a wing of given geometry will generate.
When analyzing a three-dimensional finite wing, the
first approximation to understanding is to consider
slicing the wing into cross-sections and analyzing
each cross-section independently as a wing in a two-
dimensional world. Each of these slices is called an
airfoil, and it is easier to understand an airfoil than a
complete three-dimensional wing.

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HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

PRANDTL LIFTING LINE

THEORY
One might expect that understanding the full wing simply
involves adding up the independently calculated forces
from each airfoil segment. However, it turns out that this
approximation is grossly incorrect: on a real wing, the lift
An unrealistic lift distribution that neglects three-dimensional effects
over each wing segment (local lift per unit span, Ĺ) does not
correspond simply to what two-dimensional analysis
predicts. In reality, the local amount of lift on each cross-
section is not independent and is strongly affected by
neighboring wing sections.
The lifting-line theory corrects some of the errors in the
naive two-dimensional approach by including some of the
interactions between the wing slices. It produces the lift
distribution along the span-wise direction (Ĺ) based on the A lift distribution as observed over a (finite) trapezoidal wing
wing geometry (span-wise distribution of chord, airfoil, and
twist) and flow conditions
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ASPECT RATIO CORRECTIONS

With few exceptions, wind tunnel test of airfoil are presented for a standard aspect
ratio of infinity; but since the wing used for the design very seldom has this ratio, it
is necessary to correct the airfoil characteristics for the proper aspect ratio.

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ASPECT RATIO CORRECTIONS

Drag coefficients may be corrected for the new aspect ratio by means of the formula:

Where is the total drag coefficient of the airfoil used, while is the profile drag. The
induced drag is then expressed as

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ASPECT RATIO CORRECTIONS

As an example, to calculate the drag coefficient for Aspect Ratio 8 when the
characteristics for Aspect Ratio 6 are known, the following formula may be derived:

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ASPECT RATIO CORRECTIONS

If the known characteristics are for infinite aspect ratio, then 6 is replaced by ∞ and
becomes equal to zero.

The lift coefficient, the center of pressure, and the corrected drag coefficient
corresponds to the corrected angle of attack.

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HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

ANGLE OF ATTACK
CORRECTIONS
The angle of attack must be corrected also for Aspect Ratio. Assume that two wings
have high but different aspect ratios. Also assume that they have the same airfoil. In
that case, according to Prandtl's Lifting Line Theory if these wings are placed at
different angle of attack - , their lift coefficient CL must be the same where = - is the
absolute angle of attack and is the angle of attack of zero lift.

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HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

ANGLE OF ATTACK
CORRECTIONS
Where: Where:
= -
= a-
= effective angle of attack
a = geometric angle of attack
= absolute angle of attack
= angle of attack of zero lift
= induced angle of attack

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ANGLE OF ATTACK
CORRECTIONS
For Wing No. 1: = + 18.24
=- Where is in degrees.
For Wing No. 2:
=-
Equating for :
-=-
=+
=+
Where is in radians.

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ANGLE OF ATTACK
CORRECTIONS
Since,
Where:
= =slope of lift curve of
wing number 1
Substituting
=slope of lift curve of
+
wing number 2
Multiplying both
sides by /

Aircraft Design 2
HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – Aeronautical Engineering

ANGLE OF ATTACK
CORRECTIONS
Let:
= = slope of lift curve with finite aspect
ratio
== slope of lift curve with infinite aspect
ratio (two-dimensional airfoil)

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