PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OVER AN AIRFOIL

ME323: FLUID MECHANICS LABORATORY

Submitted By: Yousif Alromaithi
Submitted To: Joe
Submitted: 11/12/2014

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

ABSTRACT

The experiment is to be performed to determine the pressure distribution over an airfoil and use
it to determine the Coefficient of Pressure, Lift force, pressure drag, the lift and drag coefficients
CL and CD. A Clark Y-14 Airfoil and a wind tunnel were used in performing this experiment.
The difference in pressure over an airfoil causes a lifting force to it. The flow above the airfoil
becomes accelerated when it hits the airfoil and by applying the Bernoullis equation, we see that
the pressure decreases. While the flow above the airfoil is accelerated, the flow below it
decelerates therefore increasing the pressure and causing a lift to the airfoil due to the difference
of pressure.
The pressure distribution was determined at different angle of attacks. The pressure were
recorded using sensing holes on the airfoil. The coefficients of drag and lift were calculated
using the pressure recorded. The results were plotted for analysis.

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

DATA, THEORY AND RESULTS

Air Velocity: 60mph or 27 m/s
Length of Airfoil: 11.375in or 0.288925m
Average Static: 0.45kPa or 0.06526psi
Static
Percentage of
Number

Pressure Data

Chord

(kPa)

0.37

0.37

0.21

-0.03

-0.08

-0.28

-0.51

-0.68

10

-0.21

-0.38

-0.57

-0.69

20

-0.29

-0.41

-0.54

-0.6

30

-0.26

-0.34

-0.45

-0.53

40

-0.24

-0.3

-0.39

-0.35

50

-0.21

-0.27

-0.29

-0.3

60

-0.18

-0.23

-0.22

-0.23

70

-0.17

-0.12

-0.15

-0.15

80

-0.03

-0.05

-0.07

-0.07

10

-0.22

-0.05

0.1

0.19

11

10

-0.14

-0.03

0.08

0.15

12

20

-0.06

0.03

0.1

0.13

13

30

-0.01

0.04

0.09

0.11

14

40

0.04

0.08

0.1

15

50

0.01

0.04

0.07

0.09

16

60

0.01

0.04

0.06

0.08

17

70

0.01

0.04

0.06

0.06

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

Static Ring
Atop(in2)
Locations 0 9
[x*L]
1

0.45kPa
Top Forces(lb)
[Pressure*Area]
Convert P to psi

0.44kPa

0.46kPa

0.45kPa

ABottom(in2)
Locations 10-17
[x*L]

Bottom Forces(lb)
[Pressure*Area]
Convert P to psi

0.053664

1.99

-0.08082

2.99

-0.16479

3.98

-0.23667

3.98

-0.19627

3.98

-0.17318

3.98

-0.15586

3.98

-0.13277

3.98

-0.06927

3.98

-0.02886

1
-0.00725

1.99

-0.00866

3.98

0.017318

3.98

0.02309

3.98

0.02309

3.98

0.02309

3.98

0.02309

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

3.98

0.02309

The charts are results for the zero degree angle of attack.
AFront(in2)
Locations 0-5 &
10-13
[y*L]
1.07

Front Forces (lb)

[Pressure*Area]
Convert P to psi
0.05742044

ABack(in2)
Locations 5-9 &
13-17
[y*L]
-

Back Forces (lb)

[Pressure*Area]
Convert P to psi

-0.62222

Cp

0.822222

2.49

-0.10112031

1.07

-0.05897234

-0.84444

1.07

-0.06362806

-0.91111

0.53

-0.0261358

-0.75556

-0.49

0.02132055

-0.66667

-0.46

0.01801369

-0.6

-0.69

0.02301749

-0.51111

-0.9

0.01566408

-0.26667

-0.43

0.00311831

-0.11111

-0.11111

0.78

-0.00565647

0.11

-0.00047862

-0.06667

0.07

0.00030458

0.066667

0.00

0.088889

0.18

0.00104427

0.088889

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

0.53

0.0030748

0.088889

0.36

0.00208854

0.088889

0.36

0.00208854

0.088889

Solving for the Normal Force and the Axial Force:

Solving for the Coefficient of Drag and the Coefficient of Lift for zero degree angle of attack

For 3,-3, and 5 degree angles, computed separately.

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Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

For plotting the CP vs

x
Bottom

0.822222

0.00

Top

0.822222
-0.11111

0.18

-0.62222

-0.06667

0.35

-0.84444

0.066667

0.7

-0.91111

0.088889

1.05

-0.75556

0.088889

1.4

-0.66667

0.088889

1.75

-0.6

0.088889

2.1

-0.51111

0.088889

2.45

-0.26667

2.8

-0.11111

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

Plot of Cp vs x
1
0.8
0.6
0.4

Cp

0.2
Top

0
-0.2

0.5

1.5

2.5

Bottom

-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1

x(in)

Cp vs Y
y

Cp

-0.14

-0.11111

-0.13

-0.06667

-0.13

0.066667

-0.13

0.088889

-0.13

0.088889

-0.09

0.088889

-0.06

0.088889

-0.06

0.088889

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

0
0.822222
0.19

-0.62222

0.19

-0.84444

0.23

-0.91111

0.25

-0.75556

0.29

-0.66667

0.31

-0.6

0.32

-0.51111

0.31

-0.26667

0.38

-0.11111

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

The experiment aims to observe and calculate the pressure distribution over an airfoil. The
pressure around the Clark Y-14 airfoil were recorded for different angles of attack, 0, -3, 3, and
5. The airfoil was placed in a wind tunnel with air velocity of 60 mph. The Coefficient of drag
and Coefficient of lift were determined for the airfoil with an angle of attack of zero degrees.
They were determine by calculating first the lift force and drag forces acting on the airfoil.
The results showed difference between the top and bottom faces of the airfoil and also the back
and front faces of it. The force acting on top is negative while the force on the bottom is positive.

Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

The coefficients of pressure for the top face are almost all negative compared to the bottom
which all have positive values.

CONCLUSION

The experiments objective is to show the pressure distribution over a Clark Y-14 airfoil
subjected to air stream. The pressure values were recorded from 0 to 70% of the chord length.
The differences of the pressures around the airfoil causes it to have a normal or lift force and an
axial or drag force. The differences were caused by its shaped which alters the velocities of the
airs stream.
The lift also increased as the angle of attack increases. I believe this is the case only if the angles
are small. In larger angles, the lift is not directly proportional to the angle of attack. The
coefficient of pressure were also calculated and plotted with the values of x. The plot of Cp is
almost the same as the sample plot.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

An airfoil is a streamlined shape that is capable of generating significantly more lift than drag. A
flat plate can generate lift, but not as much as a streamlined airfoil, and with somewhat higher
drag. Airfoils have lots of applications in the field of engineering. From propellers, fans,
turbines, and specifically for wings of planes. Different types of airfoils are used for different
uses of it. Each has different shape and effect as fluid flows over them.
The study of airfoils are very important since they are used in planes that can endanger the life of
the passengers if not properly used. Airfoils are very important to aerodynamics and should be
studied.
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Press. Distribution Over An Airfoil

REFERENCES
1. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/incline.html
2. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/fluids/angatt.html
3. http://web.mit.edu/2.972/www/reports/airfoil/airfoil.html
4. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/fluids/airfoil.html
5. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/lifteq.html
6. http://www.aviation-history.com/theory/airfoil.htm

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