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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1970

Leading-edge pressure measurements of airfoil vortex interaction

Experimental pressure-differential measurements made at 10% chord of an airfoil-vortex interaction are presented. A line vortex was oscillated over an airfoil perpendicular to the span and parallel to the chord. The pressure time history was recorded in order to show the sharp pressure pulses resulting from the bursting of the vortex core as it impinges upon the airfoil. Results for various vortex sizes and free stream velocities were obtained. Measurements were also made when the airfoil was yawed to the line vortex. Maximum pressure differences were observed to occur in phase across the blade even with yaw, and were directly proportional to the square of the free stream velocity. The maximum dynamic pressure coefficients obtained were as high as 1.0 when vortex bursting occurred.

Walsh, R. G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A finite-difference method for transonic airfoil design.

This paper describes an inverse method for designing transonic airfoil sections or for modifying existing profiles. Mixed finite-difference procedures are applied to the equations of transonic small disturbance theory to determine the airfoil shape corresponding to a given surface pressure distribution. The equations are solved for the velocity components in the physical domain and flows with embedded shock waves can be calculated. To facilitate airfoil design, the method allows alternating between inverse and direct calculations to obtain a profile shape that satisfies given geometric constraints. Examples are shown of the application of the technique to improve the performance of several lifting airfoil sections. The extension of the method to three dimensions for designing supercritical wings is also indicated.

Steger, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Steady inviscid transonic flows over planar airfoils: A search for a simplified procedure

A finite difference procedure based upon a system of unsteady equations in proper conservation form with either exact or small disturbance steady terms is used to calculate the steady flows over several classes of airfoils. The airfoil condition is fulfilled on a slab whose upstream extremity is a semi-circle overlaying the airfoil leading edge circle. The limitations of the small disturbance equations are demonstrated in an extreme example of a blunt-nosed, aft-cambered airfoil. The necessity of using the equations in proper conservation form to capture the shock properly is stressed. Ability of the steady relaxation procedures to capture the shock is briefly examined.

Magnus, R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

An analytical study for the design of advanced rotor airfoils

A theoretical study has been conducted to design and evaluate two airfoils for helicopter rotors. The best basic shape, designed with a transonic hodograph design method, was modified to meet subsonic criteria. One airfoil had an additional constraint for low pitching-moment at the transonic design point. Airfoil characteristics were predicted. Results of a comparative analysis of helicopter performance indicate that the new airfoils will produce reduced rotor power requirements compared to the NACA 0012. The hodograph design method, written in CDC Algol, is listed and described.

Kemp, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The effects of leading-edge serrations on reducing flow unsteadiness about airfoils.

High frequency surface pressure measurements were obtained from wind-tunnel tests over the Reynolds number range 1.2 x 1,000,000 to 6.2 x 1,000,000 on a rectangular wing of NACA 63-009 airfoil section. A wide selection of leading-edge serrations were also added to the basic airfoil. Under a two-dimensional laminar bubble very close to the leading edge of the basic airfoil there is a large peak in rms pressure, which is interpreted as an oscillation in size and position of the bubble. The serrations divide the bubble into segments and reduce the peak rms pressures. A low Reynolds number flow visualization test on a hydrofoil in water was also conducted. A von Karman vortex street was found trailing from the rear of the foil. Its frequency is at a much lower Strouhal number than in the high Reynolds number experiment, and is related mathematically to the airfoil trailing-edge and boundary-layer thicknesses.

Schwind, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Unsteady lift forces on highly cambered airfoils moving through a gust

An unsteady airfoil theory in which the flow is linearized about the steady potential flow of the airfoil is presented. The theory is applied to an airfoil entering a gust. After transformation to the W-plane, the problem is formulated in terms of a Poisson's equation. The solutions are expanded in a Fourier-Bessel series. The theory is applied to a circular arc with arbitrary camber. Closed form expressions for the velocity and pressure on the surface of the airfoil are obtained. The unsteady aerodynamic forces are then calculated and shown to contain two terms. One in an explicit closed analytical form represents the contribution of the oncoming vortical disturbance, the other depends on a single quadrature and accounts for the effect of the wake.

Atassi, H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Transonic airfoil flowfield analysis using Cartesian coordinates

A numerical technique for analyzing transonic airfoils is presented. The method employs the basic features of Jameson's iterative solution for the full potential equation, except that Cartesian coordinates are used rather than a grid which fits the airfoil, such as the conformal circle-plane or 'sheared parabolic' coordinates which were used previously. Comparison with previous results shows that it is not necessary to match the computational grid to the airfoil surface, and that accurate results can be obtained with a Cartesian grid for lifting supercritical airfoils.

Carlson, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Surface pressure and wake flow fluctuations in a supercritical airfoil flowfield

Nonsteady features of a Whitcomb-type supercritical airfoil flowfield were studied in a series of transonic wind tunnel experiments. Data consisted of mean and fluctuating pressures on the airfoil and in the free stream, velocity fluctuations in the wake region, and airfoil vibrations. Fluctuation data were analyzed statistically for intensity, frequency content, and spatial coherence; variations in these parameters were correlated with changes in the mean airfoil flowfield. Surface pressure fluctuation intensity was influenced primarily by the location and motion of the upper-surface shock, the existence of separation, and (downstream of the shock) the development and upstream propagation of 'shocklets'. Power spectra of pressure fluctuations showed characteristics differences up- and downstream of the shock. Chordwise and spanwise coherences were considerably reduced in the presence of separation. Downwash fluctuations at the edge of the wake were noticeably affected only by the development of trailing-edge flow separation.

Roos, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Starting vortex, separation bubbles and stall - A numerical study of laminar unsteady flow around an airfoil

The stalling characteristics of an airfoil in a laminar viscous incompressible fluid are investigated. The governing equations in terms of the vorticity and stream function are solved using an implicit finite-difference scheme and point successive relaxation procedure. The development of the impulsively started flow, the initial generation of circulation, and the behavior of the forces at large times are studied. Following the impulsive start, the lift is at first very large and then it rapidly drops. The subsequent growth of circulation and lift is associated with the starting vortex. After incipient separation, the lift increases owing to enlargement of the separation bubble and intensification of the flow rotation in it. The extension of this bubble beyond the trailing edge causes it to rupture and brings about the stalling characteristics of the airfoil. Subsequently, new bubbles are formed near the upper surface of the airfoil and are swept away. The behavior of the lift acting on the airfoil is explained in terms of the strength and sense of these bubbles.

Mehta, U. B.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Transonic airfoil analysis and design using Cartesian coordinates

An inverse numerical technique for designing transonic airfoils having a prescribed pressure distribution is presented. The method uses the full potential equation, inverse boundary conditions, and Cartesian coordinates. It includes simultaneous airfoil update and utilizes a direct-inverse approach that permits a logical method for controlling trailing edge closure. The method can also be used for the analysis of flowfields about specified airfoils. Comparison with previous results shows that accurate results can be obtained with a Cartesian grid. Examples show the application of the method to design aft-cambered and other airfoils specifically for transonic flight.

Carlson, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Development of a computer program to obtain ordinates for NACA 4-digit, 4-digit modified, 5-digit, and 16 series airfoils

A computer program developed to calculate the ordinates and surface slopes of any thickness, symmetrical or cambered NACA airfoil of the 4-digit, 4-digit modified, 5-digit, and 16-series airfoil families is presented. The program produces plots of the airfoil nondimensional ordinates and a punch card output of ordinates in the input format of a readily available program for determining the pressure distributions of arbitrary airfoils in subsonic potential viscous flow.

Ladson, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Analysis of measured airfoil pressure distributions

A method for evaluating the Glauert coefficients from airfoil pressure distributions is investigated. The linear operating range of the airfoils in steady-state and periodic operating conditions are considered. A rational method for quantitatively characterizing airfoil pressure distributions relative to their geometry and aerodynamic operating environment is developed. The characteristics of the airfoil operating environment is determined from its measured pressure distribution.

Piziali, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Wind tunnel wall interference effects on a supercritical airfoil at transonic speeds

Wind tunnel tests of a 10% supercritical airfoil have been conducted in the Lockheed Compressible Flow Facility at transonic speeds to determine the effects of varying wind tunnel wall porosity on airfoil performance. Wall configurations ranging in porosity from 1.3% to 10% were investigated at Reynolds numbers of 7 to 30 million. Experimental data presented to show the effect of varying wall porosity include airfoil surface pressures, airfoil forces, and wind tunnel wall pressures. Utilizing the experimental results, an assessment of the applicability of current subcritical theoretical methods to predict wall interference corrections in subsonic and transonic flows is made.

Blackwell, J. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Acoustic radiation and surface pressure characteristics of an airfoil due to incident turbulence

The noise and unsteady surface pressure characteristics of an isolated airfoil in a uniform mean velocity, homogeneous, nearly isotropic turbulence field were investigated. Experiments were performed with a 23 cm chord, two-dimensional airfoil over a Mach number range of 0.1 to 0.5. Far-field noise spectra and directivity as well as surface pressure spectra and cross-spectra were obtained. Incident turbulence statistics were documented. Theory applied to predict far-field noise and surface pressure characteristics from measured inflow turbulence statistics showed good agreement with measurement. The theoretical formulation represents a first-principles solution providing absolute level prediction without recourse to empirical or adjustable constants, and takes into account compressibility as well as source noncompactness effects. All chordwise portions of the airfoil radiated directly to the far-field, the leading edge to the dominant noise producing region. The effect of angle of attack on noise and surface pressures is small. The interaction of incident turbulence of approximately 4 percent intensity with an airfoil was found to be a broadband noise source of high intensity relative to other noise sources.

Paterson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Inverse transonic airfoil design including viscous interaction

A numerical technique was developed for the analysis of specified transonic airfoils or for the design of airfoils having a prescribed pressure distribution, including the effect of weak viscous interaction. The method uses the full potential equation, a stretched Cartesian coordinate system, and the Nash-MacDonald turbulent boundary layer method. Comparisons with experimental data for typical transonic airfoils show excellent agreement. An example shows the application of the method to design a thick aft-cambered airfoil, and the effects of viscous interaction on its performance are discussed.

Carlson, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Two-dimensional aerodynamic characteristics of several rotorcraft airfoils at Mach numbers from 0.35 to 0.90

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 6- by 28-inch transonic tunnel and the 6- by 19-inch transonic tunnel to determine the two-dimensional aerodynamic characteristics of several rotorcraft airfoils at Mach numbers from 0.35 to 0.90. The airfoils differed in thickness, thickness distribution, and camber. The FX69-H-098, the BHC-540, and the NACA 0012 airfoils were investigated in the 6- by 28-inch tunnel at Reynolds numbers (based on chord) from about 4.7 to 9.3 million at the lowest and highest test Mach numbers respectively. The FX69-H-098, the NLR-1, the BHC-540, and the NACA 23012 airfoils were investigated in the 6- by 19-inch tunnel at Reynolds numbers from about 0.9 to 2.2 million at the lowest and highest test Mach numbers respectively.

Noonan, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Analysis of the development of dynamic stall based on oscillating airfoil experiments

The effects of dynamic stall on airfoils oscillating in pitch were investigated by experimentally determining the viscous and inviscid characteristics of the airflow on the NACA 0012 airfoil and on several leading-edge modifications. The test parameters included a wide range of frequencies, Reynolds numbers, and amplitudes-of-oscillation. Three distinct types of separation development were observed within the boundary layer, each leading to classical dynamic stall. The NACA 0012 airfoil is shown to stall by the mechanism of abrupt turbulent leading-edge separation. A detailed step-by-step analysis of the events leading to dynamic stall, and of the results of the stall process, is presented for each of these three types of stall. Techniques for flow analysis in the dynamic stall environment are discussed. A method is presented that reduces most of the oscillating airfoil normal force and pitching-moment data to a single curve, independent of frequency or Reynolds number.

Carr, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A low speed two-dimensional study of flow separation on the GA(W)-1 airfoil with 30-percent chord Fowler flap

Measurements of flow fields with low speed turbulent boundary layers were made for the GA(W)-1 airfoil with a 0.30 c Fowler flap deflected 40 deg at angles of attack of 2.7 deg, 7.7 deg, and 12.8 deg, at a Reynolds number of 2.2 million, and a Mach number of 0.13. Details of velocity and pressure fields associated with the airfoil flap combination are presented for cases of narrow, optimum and wide slot gaps. Extensive flow field turbulence surveys were also conducted employing hot-film anemometry. For the optimum gap setting, the boundaries of the regions of flow reversal within the wake were determined by this technique for two angles of attack. Local skin friction distributions for the basic airfoil and the airfoil with flap (optimum gap) were obtained using the razor blade technique.

Seetharam, H. C.↗