Hostname: page-component-54dcc4c588-gwv8j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-02T18:33:49.585Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thickness Effect on Low-Aspect-Ratio Wing Aerodynamic Characteristics at a Low Reynolds Number

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2011

F. B. Hsiao ,
C. Y. Lin ,
Y. C. Liu ,
D. B. Wang ,
C. C. Hsu  and
C. H. Chiang
F. B. Hsiao*
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 70101, R.O.C.
C. Y. Lin*
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 70101, R.O.C.
Y. C. Liu*
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 70101, R.O.C.
D. B. Wang*
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 70101, R.O.C.
C. C. Hsu*
Affiliation:
Department of Aircraft Engineering, AirForce Institute of Technology, Kangshang, Taiwan 82047, R.O.C.
C. H. Chiang*
Affiliation:
Department of Aircraft Engineering, AirForce Institute of Technology, Kangshang, Taiwan 82047, R.O.C.
*
*Professor
**Ph.D. student
**Ph.D. student
**Ph.D. student
***Associated Professor
****Assistant Professor
Get access

Abstract

This paper presents the study of aerodynamic performance about low-aspect-ratio wings at a low Reynolds number in wind tunnel testing. The aerodynamic properties, including lift, total drag, lift-to-drag ratio and induced drag were measured and analyzed for detailed investigations. Two forms of nonlinear equations of lift curves were reported for comparison. The effect of airfoil thickness was found to be significant on aerodynamic characteristics for all wings tested. The lift due to tip vortices was prominent for wings of AR =1.0 and their stall angles were all larger than 20°, which was mainly augmented by tip vortices shed from the wing tips.

Keywords

Low Reynolds numberLow aspect ratioVortex lift.

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Mechanics , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , September 2008 , pp. 223 - 228
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, R.O.C. 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1.Mueller, T. J., “The Influence of Laminar Separation and Transition on Low Reynolds Number Airfoil Hysteresis,” AIAA-83-1617 (1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Hsiao, F. B., Liu, C. F. and Tang, Z., “Experimental Studies of Airfoil Performance and Flow Structures on a Low Reynolds Number Airfoil,” AIAA Journal, 27, pp. 129–137 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Hsiao, F. B., Chang, C. Y., Hsu, C. C. and Wang, D. B., “Experimental Studies on the Aerodynamic Performance for Finite Wing at Low Reynolds Number,” J. Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineers, 23, pp. 517–524 (2002).Google Scholar
4.Mueller, T. J. and Torres, G. E., “Aerodynamic Characteristics of Low Aspect Ratio Wings at Low Reynolds Numbers,” Proceedings of the Conference on Fixed, Flapping and Rotary Wing Aerodynamics at Very Low Reynolds Numbers, Notre Dame, IN, Reston, VA, AIAA, Inc., pp. 115–141 (2001).Google Scholar
5.Torres, G. E. and Mueller, T. J., “Low-Aspect-Ratio Wing Aerodynamics at Low Reynolds Numbers,” AIAA Journal, 42, pp. 865–873 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Bartlett, G. E. and Vidal, R. J., “Experimental Investigation of Influence of Edge Shape on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Low-Aspect-Ratio Wings at Low Speed,” J. of Aeronautical Sciences, 22, pp. 517–533 (1955).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Abbott, I. H. and von Doenhoff, A. E., Theory of Wing Sections, McGraw-Hill, New York (1949).Google Scholar
8.Polhamus, E. C., “Predictions of the Vortex-Lift Characteristics by a Leading-Edge-Suction Analogy,” Journal of Aircraft, 8, pp. 193–199 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Hoerner, S. F. and Borst, H. V., Fluid Dynamic Lift: Practical Information on Aerodynamic and Hydrodynamic Lift, Hoerner Fluid Dynamics, Brick Town, NJ (1985).Google Scholar
10.Lowry, J. G. and Polhamus, E. C., “A Method for Predicting Lift Increments due to Flap Deflection at Low Angles of Attack in Incompressible Flow,” NACA TN3911 (1957).Google Scholar
11.Anderson, J. D., Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, 4th Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (2005).Google Scholar