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UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
Faculty : Engineering and Science Unit Code : UEME3112
Course :
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)
Mechanical Engineering
Unit Title : Fluid Mechanics II
Year/
Semester
:
Lecturer
:
Ms. Jaslyn Low Foon
Siang
Session : 201305
Experiment 5: PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION ON CIRCULAR CYLINDER
AND AIRFOIL
Objectives:
1. To obtain and compare theoretical and experimental surface pressure distributions on a
circular cylinder.
2. To obtain surface pressure distribution on an airfoil NACA 0012, and describes its
significance in the wing design.
Introduction:
In many engineering applications, it may be necessary to examine the phenomena
occurring when an object is inserted into a flow of fluid. The wings of an airplane in flight, for
example, may be analyzed by considering the wings stationary with air moving past them.
Certain forces are exerted on the wing by the flowing fluid that tend to lift the wing (called the
lift force) and to push the wing in the direction of the flow (drag force). Objects other than
wings that are symmetrical with respect to the fluid approach direction, such as a circular
cylinder, will experience no lift, only drag. Drag and lift forces are caused by the pressure
differences exerted on the stationary object by the flowing fluid. Skin friction between the fluid
and the object contributes to the drag force but in many cases can be neglected. The
measurement of the pressure distribution existing around a stationary cylinder in an air stream to
find the drag force is the object of this experiment.
Consider a circular cylinder immersed in a uniform flow. The streamlines about the
cylinder are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Streamlines of flow about a circular cylinder.
The fluid exerts pressure on the front half of the cylinder in an amount that is greater than
that exerted on the rear half. The difference in pressure multiplied by the projected frontal area
Fluid Mechanics II Lab Sheet
2
of the cylinder gives the drag force due to pressure (also known as form drag). Because this
drag is due primarily to a pressure difference, measurement of the pressure distribution about the
cylinder allows for finding the drag force experimentally. A typical pressure distribution is given
in Figure 9.2.
Figure 2. Pressure distribution around a circular cylinder placed in a uniform flow.
Shown in Figure 2a is the cylinder with lines and arrowheads. The length of the line at
any point on the cylinder surface is proportional to the pressure at that point. The direction of the
arrowhead indicates that the pressure at the respective point is greater than the free stream
pressure (pointing toward the center of the cylinder) or less than the free stream pressure
(pointing away). Note the existence of a separation point and a separation region (or wake).
The pressure in the back flow region is nearly the same as the pressure at the point of separation.
The general result is a net drag force equal to the sum of the forces due to pressure acting on the
front half (+) and on the rear half (-) of the cylinder. To find the drag force, it is necessary to sum
the components of pressure at each point in the flow direction. Figure 2b is a graph of the same
data as that in Figure 2a except that Figure 2b is on a linear grid.
Figure 3 shows the effect of separated flow and the failure of the boundary layer theory.
In Figure 3, surface pressure distributions (C
p
) for inviscid flow and boundary layer flow on a
circular cylinder. The theoretical C
p
is obtained using equation C
p
= 1- 4 sin
2
, while the
experimental C
p
is calculated using equation C
p
= (p p
)/(1/2V
2
), where p is the pressure on
the surface of the cylinder, p
) ( 2
static stagnation
P P
V
= , where V = air speed (m/s), P
stagnation
=
stagnation or total pressure (Pa), P
static
= static pressure (Pa), and = air density
(kg/m
3
).
(ii) The manufacturers formula, / 2 . 1096
v
P V = , and T P
B
/ 325 . 1 = , where V = air
speed (ft/min), P
v
= velocity pressure (inches of water), = air density (lb/ft
3
), P
B
=
barometric atmospheric pressure (inches of mercury), T = absolute room temperature
(indicated temperature (F) + 460).
(iii) The dynamic viscosity () can be calculated using Sutherlands relation. For SI units,
4 . 110
10 4578 . 1
5 . 1 6
+
=
T
T
where T is the room temperature in Kelvin.
Fluid Mechanics II Lab Sheet
7
Results and Discussion:
(1) Pressure distribution on circular cylinder
(i) Plot the pressure distributions against pressure points and describe the pressure points
with a diagram. Discuss the pressure distributions on the circular cylinder.
(ii) Using the equations provided, compute the experimental C
p
= (p p
)/(1/2V
2
) and
compare with theoretical C
p
= 1- 4 sin
2
. Also, compare both C
p
profiles with those
shown in Figure 3. You need to obtain the data of maximum air speed for various fan
motor frequencies from another group doing the Experiment 1 on the same day.
(2) Pressure distribution on airfoil NACA 0012
(i) Plot the graphs of pressure distributions against pressure points and describe the
pressure points with a diagram. Discuss and interpret the finding from the graph.
Laboratory Report
1. This is a GROUP report. DO NOT COPY, or you will not obtain any mark. However,
you will share the data with your group members.
2. Attach the ORIGINAL spreadsheets and plots containing the experimental data with your
report. You need to describe them properly.
3. Provide a sample calculation. Coordinate with your group members to avoid presenting
the same sample calculation.
4. Your report should include: Objective, Introduction, Methods and Apparatus,
Procedures, Results and Discussion, and Conclusions and Recommendations.
Fluid Mechanics II Lab Sheet
8
Table 1
Fan Motor Frequency (Hz) Dynamic Pressure (in. water) Maximum Air Speed (m/s)
35
40
45
50
Table 2
Points
Fan Motor Frequency (Hz)
35 40 45 50
Total Pressure (mm water)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Table 3
Points
Fan Motor Frequency (Hz)
35 40 45 50
Total Pressure (mm water)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7