Publication Date:
2019-07-12
Description:
An investigation of the nature of the flow field behind a rectangular circular-arc wing has been conducted in the Langley 9-inch supersonic tunnel. Pitot- and static-pressure surveys covering a region of flow behind the wing have been made together with detailed pitot surveys throughout the region of the wake. In addition, the flow direction has been measured using a weathercocking vane measurements. Theoretical calculations of the variation of both downwash and sidewash with angle of attack using Lagerstrom's superposition method have been made. In addition the effect of the wing thickness on the sidewash with the wing at 0 angle of attack has been evaluated. Near an angle of attack of 0, agreement between theory and experiment is good, particularly for the downwash results, except in the plane of the wing, inboard of the tip. In this region the proximity of the shed vortex sheet and the departure of the spanwise distribution of vorticity from theory would account for the disagreement. At higher angles of attack prediction of downwash depends on a knowledge of the location of the trailing vortex sheet, in order that the downwash may be corrected for its displacement and distortion. The theoretical location of the trailing vortex sheet, based on the theoretical downwash values integrated downstream from the wing trailing edge, is shown to differ widely from the experimental case. The rolling-up of the trailing vortex sheet behind the wing tip is evidenced by both the wake surveys and the flow-angle measurements.
Keywords:
Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Type:
NACA-RM-L50G12
,
NACA Rept 1340
Format:
application/pdf
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