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At least 685 records · Page 38

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NASA NTRS1960

A Note on the Drag Due to Lift of Delta Wings at Mach Numbers up to 2.0

In order to indicate the effects of Reynolds number and other variables on the drag due to lift of delta wings for Mach numbers up to 2.0, the results of several investigations of wing-body combinations having plane delta wings with aspect ratios from 2 to 4 have been assembled for comparison and brief analysis. The effects of Reynolds number, leading-edge radius, and thickness ratio could generally be correlated with Reynolds number based on the leading-edge radius as a parameter. The effects of leading-edge Reynolds number on drag due to lift were large at Mach numbers less than 0.25. However, with increases in Mach number, the effects decreased and were almost negligible at a Mach number of 2.0. and trimming were large, as would be expected. The effects of aspect ratio and trimming were large, as would be expected. It was indicated at least for subsonic and transonic speeds that improvement in the drag due to lift might be obtained from wing modifications designed to inhibit flow separation.

Robert S. Osborne↗

NASA NTRS1949

Flight Investigations at High-Subsonic, Transonic, and Supersonic Speeds to Determine Zero-Lift Drag of Fin-Stabilized Bodies of Revolution having Fineness Ratios of 12.5, 8.91, and 6.04 and Varying Positions of Maximum Diameter

Rocket-powered models were flown at high-subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds to determine the zero-lift drag of fin-stabilized parabolic bodies of revolution differing in fineness ratio and in position of maximum diameter. The present paper presents the results for fineness ratio 12.5, 8.91 and 6.04 bodies having maximum diameters located at stations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 percent of body length. All configurations had cut-off sterns and all had equal base, frontal, and exposed fin areas. For most of the supersonic-speed range models having their maximum diameters at the 60-percent station gave the lowest values of drag coefficient. At supersonic speeds, increasing the fineness ratio generally reduced the drag coefficient for a given position of maximum diameter.

Hart, Roger G.↗

NASA NTRS1957

Effects of Inlet Modification and Rocket-Rack Extension on the Longitudinal Trim and Low-Lift Drag of the Douglas F5D-1 Airplane as Obtained with a 0.125-Scale Rocket-Boosted Model between Mach Numbers of 0.81 and 1.64, TED No. NACA AD 399

A flight investigation was conducted to determine the effects of an inlet modification and rocket-rack extension on the longitudinal trim and low-lift drag of the Douglas F5D-1 airplane. The investigation was conducted with a 0.125-scale rocket-boosted model which was flight tested at the Langley Pilotless Aircraft Research Station at Wallops Island, Va. Results indicate that the combined effects of the modified inlet and fully extended rocket racks on the trim lift coefficient and trim angle of attack were small between Mach numbers of 0.94 and 1.57. Between Mach numbers of 1.10 and 1.57 there was an average increase in drag coefficient of about o,005 for the model with modified inlet and extended rocket racks. The change in drag coefficient due to the inlet modification alone is small between Mach numbers of 1.59 and 1.64

Hastings, Earl C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1953

High-Speed Wind-Tunnel Tests of a 1/16-Scale Model of the D-558 Research Airplane Lift and Drag Characteristics of the D-558-1 and Various Wing and Tail Configurations

Tests were made in the Langley 8-foot high-speed tunnel to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of the D-558-1 airplane and various wing and tail configurations on the D-558-1 fuselage. The various wing and tail configurations were tested to determine the aerodynamic effects of aspect ratio and sweep for suitable use on the second phase of the D-558 project (D-558-2). The tests were conducted through a speed range from a Mach number of 0.40 to approximately 0.94.This part of the investigation includes the lift and drag results available for the configurations tested at this rate. The D-558-1 results indicated that the lift force break would occur at a Mach number of 0.85 with some reduction in lift at speeds above this Mach number. Tests indicated that the airplane will have satisfactory lift and drag characteristics up to and including its design Mach number of 0.85. The 35deg sweptback, 35deg swept-forward, and low-aspect-ratio (2.0) wing configurations all showed pronounced improvements in maintaining lift throughout the Mach number range tested and in increasing the critical speeds above the D-558-1 value &itical to critical Mach numbers on the order of 0.9. Insofar as lift and drag characteristics are concerned level flight at speeds approaching the velocity of sound appears practical if swept or low-aspect-ratio configurations similar to those tested are used.

Wright, John D.↗

NASA NTRS1952

Combustion in the Wake as a Means of Body-Drag Reduction as Determined from Free-Flight Tests of 40-Millimeter Shells

The results of free-flight drag tests of 40-millimeter shells conducted by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics for the Ballistic Research Laboratories, Ordnance Department, U. S. Army, are presented. A drag reduction at supersonic speeds of approximately 20 percent of the projectile's drag was obtained by combustion in the wake of the projectile in flight.

Welsh, Clement J.↗

NASA NTRS1955

Transonic Zero-Lift Drag Tests of Four Equivalent-Body-of-Revolution Models Representing Variations of the Convair F-102 Airplane

Four 0.01643-scale equivalent-body-of-revolution models, designed to aid in the evaluation of the relative merits of various degrees of redesign of the existing (1955) Convair F-102 airplane, were launched from the helium gun at Wallops Island, Va., to determine their zero-lift drag at Mach numbers from 0.8 to 1.3. The data are presented with only sufficient analysis to validate their general subsonic level. Estimated values of the friction drag are presented at all Mach numbers to allow a comparison of the pressure drag values alone.

Stoney, William E., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2005

On the Application of Contour Bumps for Transonic Drag Reduction(Invited)

The effect of discrete contour bumps on reducing the transonic drag at off-design conditions on an airfoil have been examined. The research focused on fully-turbulent flow conditions, at a realistic flight chord Reynolds number of 30 million. State-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics methods were used to design a new baseline airfoil, and a family of fixed contour bumps. The new configurations were experimentally evaluated in the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research center, which utilizes an adaptive wall test section to minimize wall interference. The computational study showed that transonic drag reduction, on the order of 12% - 15%, was possible using a surface contour bump to spread a normal shock wave. The computational study also indicated that the divergence drag Mach number was increased for the contour bump applications. Preliminary analysis of the experimental data showed a similar contour bump effect, but this data needed to be further analyzed for residual wall interference corrections.

Milholen, William E., II↗

NASA NTRS2005

On the Application of Contour Bumps for Transonic Drag Reduction(Invited)

Milholen, William E., II↗

NASA NTRS2005

Drag Measurements of Porous Plate Acoustic Liners

This paper presents the results of direct drag measurements on a variety of porous plate acoustic liners. The existing literature describes numerous studies of drag on porous walls with injection or suction, but relatively few of drag on porous plates with neither injection nor suction. Furthermore, the porosity of the porous plate in existing studies is much lower than typically used in acoustic liners. In the present work, the acoustic liners consisted of a perforated face sheet covering a bulk acoustic absorber material. Factors that were varied in the experiment were hole diameter, hole pattern, face sheet thickness, bulk material type, and size of the gap (if any) between the face sheet and the absorber material.

Wolter, John D.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Models of Lift and Drag Coefficients of Stalled and Unstalled Airfoils in Wind Turbines and Wind Tunnels

Equations are developed with which to calculate lift and drag coefficients along the spans of torsionally-stiff rotating airfoils of the type used in wind turbine rotors and wind tunnel fans, at angles of attack in both the unstalled and stalled aerodynamic regimes. Explicit adjustments are made for the effects of aspect ratio (length to chord width) and airfoil thickness ratio. Calculated lift and drag parameters are compared to measured parameters for 55 airfoil data sets including 585 test points. Mean deviation was found to be -0.4 percent and standard deviation was 4.8 percent. When the proposed equations were applied to the calculation of power from a stall-controlled wind turbine tested in a NASA wind tunnel, mean deviation from 54 data points was -1.3 percent and standard deviation was 4.0 percent. Pressure-rise calculations for a large wind tunnel fan deviated by 2.7 percent (mean) and 4.4 percent (standard). The assumption that a single set of lift and drag coefficient equations can represent the stalled aerodynamic behavior of a wide variety of airfoils was found to be satisfactory.

Spera, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Space Age Swimsuit Reduces Drag, Breaks Records

A space shuttle and a competitive swimmer have a lot more in common than people might realize: Among other forces, both have to contend with the slowing influence of drag. NASA s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate focuses primarily on improving flight efficiency and generally on fluid dynamics, especially the forces of pressure and viscous drag, which are the same for bodies moving through air as for bodies moving through water. Viscous drag is the force of friction that slows down a moving object through a substance, like air or water. NASA uses wind tunnels for fluid dynamics research, studying the forces of friction in gasses and liquids. Pressure forces, according to Langley Research Center s Stephen Wilkinson, dictate the optimal shape and performance of an airplane or other aero/hydro-dynamic body. In both high-speed flight and swimming, says Wilkinson, a thin boundary layer of reduced velocity fluid surrounds the moving body; this layer is about 2 centimeters thick for a swimmer.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1942

Preliminary Wind-Tunnel Tests of the Effect of Nacelles on the Characteristics of a Twin-Engine Bomber Model with Low-Drag Wing, Special Report

Tests were made in the NACA 19-foot pressure tunnel of a simplified twin-engine bomber model with an NACA low-drag wing primarily to obtain an indication of the effects of engine nacelles on the characteristics of the model both with and without simple split trailing-edge flaps. Nacelles with conventional-type cowlings representative of those used on an existing high-performance airplane and with NACA high-speed type E cowlings were tested. The tests were made without propeller slipstream. The aerodynamic effects of adding the nacelles to the low-drag wing were similar to the effects commonly obtained by adding similar nacelles to conventional wings. The maximum lift coefficient without flaps was slightly increased, but the increment in maximum lift due to deflecting the flaps was somewhat decreased. The stalling characteristics were improved by the presence of the nacelles. Addition of the nacelles had a destabilizing effect on the pitching moments, as is usual for nacelles that project forward of the wing. The drag increments due to the nacelles were of the usual order of magnitude, with the increment due to the nacelles with NACA type E cowlings approximately one-third less than that of the nacelles with conventional cowlings with built-in air scoops.

Wenzinger, Carl J.↗

NASA NTRS1941

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of an NACA 66,2-216 Low-Drag Wing with Split Flaps of Various Sizes, Special Report

An investigation was conducted in the NACA 19-foot pressure wind tunnel of a rectangular wing having NACA 66, 2-216 low-drag airfoil sections and various sizes of simple split flaps. The purpose of the investigation was, primarily, to determine the influence of these flap installations on the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. Complete lift, drag, and pitching-moment characteristics were determined for a range of test Reynolds numbers from about 2,600,000 to 4,600,000 for each of the installations and for the plain wing. The results of this investigation indicate that values of maximum lift coefficient similar to those of wings with conventional airfoil sections and split flaps can be expected of wings having the NACA 66,2-216 low-drag sections. The increment of maximum lift due to the split flap was found to be practically independent of the Reynolds number over the range investigated. The optimum split flap on the basis of maximum lift appears to have a chord about 20% of the wing chord and a deflection of 60 degrees. The C(sub L) max of the wing with the 0.20c partial-span flap deflected 60 degrees is 2.07 at a Reynolds number of 4,600,000 while with the full-span flap it is approximately 2.53; the increment of the maximum lift coefficient due to the flap is approximately proportional to the flap span. Although the addition of a split flap tends to hasten the stall and to cause it to occur more abruptly, little change in pattern is evidenced by observations of the behavior of wool tufts on the wing.

Muse, Thomas C.↗

NASA NTRS1941

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of an NACA Low-Drag Tapered Wing with Straight Trailing Edge and Simple Split Flaps, Special Report

An investigation was conducted in the NACA 19-foot pressure wind tunnel of a tapered wing with straight railing edge having NACA 66 series low-drag airfoil sections and equipped with full-span and partial-span simple split flaps. The airfoil sections used were the NACA 66,2-116 at the root and the 66,2-216 at the tip. The primary purpose of the investigation was to determine the effect of the split flaps on the aerodynamic characteristics of the tapered wing. Complete lift, drag, and pitching-moment coefficients were determined for the plain wing and for each flap arrangement through a Reynold number range of 2,600,000 to 4,600,000. The results of this investigation indicate that values of maximum lift coefficient comparable to values obtained on tapered wings with conventional sections and similar flap installations can be obtained from wings with the NACA low-drag sections. The increment of maximum lift due to the split flap was found to vary somewhat with Reynold number over the range investigated. The C(sub L)max of the wing alone is 1.49 at a Reynolds number of 4,600,000; whereas with the partial-span simple split flap it is 2.22 and with the full-span arrangement, 2.80. Observations of wool tufts on the wing indicate that the addition of split flaps did not appreciable alter the pattern of the stall; even though the stall did occur more abruptly than with the wing alone.

Muse, Thomas C.↗

NASA NTRS1950

Large-Scale Flight Measurements of Zero-Lift Drag at Mach Numbers from 0.90 to 1.95 of 1/14-Scale Model of the Northrop MX-775B Pilotless Aircraft with Small Body

A flight test was made a t high subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds and at high Reynolds numbers to determine the zero-lift drag of a 1/14-scale model of the Northrop MX-775B pilotless aircraft with small small body. The triangular wing of the model had 67.5 deg leading-edge sweep and 15 deg. trailing-edge sweep, The wing airfoil sections were modified NACA 0004 sections. The drag coefficient based on total wing area was 0.0107 at Mach number 1.60. At transonic speeds the maximum drag coefficient was 0.0125. The force-break Mach number was 0,98.

Gillespie, Warren, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1953

Drag and Longitudinal Trim at Low Lift of the North American YF-100A Airplane at Mach Numbers from 0.76 to 1.77 as Determined from the Flight Test of a 0.11-Scale Rocket Model

Drag and longitudinal trim at low lift of the North American YF-100A airplane at Mach numbers from 0.76 to 1.77 as determined from the flight test of a 0.11-scale rocket model are presented herein. Also included are some longitudinal stability and some qualitative pitch-damping data. The subsonic external-drag-coefficient level was about 0.012, and the supersonic level was about 0.043. The drag rise occurred at a Mach number of 0.95. The longitudinal trim change at low lift consisted basically of a mild nose-up tendency at a Mach number of 0.90. An indication of wing flutter was present at Mach numbers from 0.95 to 1.11. However, the full-scale airplane wing has approximately twice the scaled first-bending frequency as the model tested and, hence, will probably be free of this type of flutter. The aerodynamic-center location was 71 percent behind the leading edge of the mean aerodynamic chord at a Mach number of 1.03 and 62 percent at a Mach number of 1.74. Qualitative measurement of damping in pitch indicates that at low lift coefficients damping will be low at a Mach number of 1.03.

Blanchard, Willard S.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Application of the FUN3D Unstructured-Grid Navier-Stokes Solver to the 4th AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop Cases

FUN3D Navier-Stokes solutions were computed for the 4th AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop grid convergence study, downwash study, and Reynolds number study on a set of node-based mixed-element grids. All of the baseline tetrahedral grids were generated with the VGRID (developmental) advancing-layer and advancing-front grid generation software package following the gridding guidelines developed for the workshop. With maximum grid sizes exceeding 100 million nodes, the grid convergence study was particularly challenging for the node-based unstructured grid generators and flow solvers. At the time of the workshop, the super-fine grid with 105 million nodes and 600 million elements was the largest grid known to have been generated using VGRID. FUN3D Version 11.0 has a completely new pre- and post-processing paradigm that has been incorporated directly into the solver and functions entirely in a parallel, distributed memory environment. This feature allowed for practical pre-processing and solution times on the largest unstructured-grid size requested for the workshop. For the constant-lift grid convergence case, the convergence of total drag is approximately second-order on the finest three grids. The variation in total drag between the finest two grids is only 2 counts. At the finest grid levels, only small variations in wing and tail pressure distributions are seen with grid refinement. Similarly, a small wing side-of-body separation also shows little variation at the finest grid levels. Overall, the FUN3D results compare well with the structured-grid code CFL3D. The FUN3D downwash study and Reynolds number study results compare well with the range of results shown in the workshop presentations.

Lee-Rausch, Elizabeth M.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Numerical Investigation of Rotorcraft Fuselage Drag Reduction Using Active Flow Control

The effectiveness of unsteady zero-net-mass-flux jets for fuselage drag reduction was evaluated numerically on a generic rotorcraft fuselage in forward flight with a rotor. Previous efforts have shown significant fuselage drag reduction using flow control for an isolated fuselage by experiment and numerical simulation. This work will evaluate a flow control strategy, that was originally developed on an isolated fuselage, in a more relevant environment that includes the effects of a rotor. Evaluation of different slot heights and jet velocity ratios were performed. Direct comparisons between an isolated fuselage and rotor/fuselage simulations were made showing similar flow control performance at a -3deg fuselage angle-of-attack condition. However, this was not the case for a -5deg angle-of-attack condition where the performance between the isolated fuselage and rotor/fuselage were different. The fuselage flow control resulted in a 17% drag reduction for a peak C(sub mu) of 0.0069 in a forward flight simulation where mu = 0:35 and CT/sigma = 0:08. The CFD flow control results also predicted a favorable 22% reduction of the fuselage download at this same condition, which can have beneficial compounding effects on the overall performance of the vehicle. This numerical investigation was performed in order to provide guidance for a future 1/3 scale wind tunnel experiment to be performed at the NASA 14-by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel.

Allan, Brian G.↗