Flow Around Aerofoil

- Technologies -
Star-CCM+ | Abaqus | Excel
- Skills -
FEA | Research

Introduction

The aim of the experiment was to analyze shock and expansion wave formation on a double-wedge aerofoil as it varied between angles of attack (AoA) of 0° and 7.5°.

This was achieved by using photographs to measure the characteristic angles of the waves and using this data to calculate aerodynamic characteristics such as the Mach number, pressure, lift, and drag above and below the aerofoil for both AoA instances.

The experiment used a wind tunnel with a double-wedge aerofoil and a computer-controlled valve to control the injector pressure.

The Schlieren apparatus was used to capture the movement of the flow around the aerofoil.

Results

Conclusion

The aim of the experiment was to study shock and expansion waves on a double-wedge aerofoil at different angles of attack.

One issue was measuring expansion waves accurately due to unclear flow boundaries. Data showed that calculated values of Cp2 were higher than expected and Cp3 values were lower. On average, calculated Fan angles were larger than those measured experimentally.

At an angle of attack of 0 degrees, pressure was evenly distributed across the aerofoil due to its symmetrical shape and parallel orientation to the flow. However, at an angle of 7.5 degrees, pressure was unevenly distributed and produced lift. At this angle, shock, fan, and expansion wave angles were larger below the aerofoil than above it.

The experiment could be improved by studying a wider range of angles of attack and higher Mach numbers, and by testing the aerofoil under turbulent conditions.