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Wind Tunnel Correction

The document discusses various corrections that must be applied to wind tunnel experiments to account for differences between actual and simulated flowfields. It outlines corrections for 2D experiments, including buoyancy, solid blockage, wake blockage, and streamline curvature. Buoyancy occurs due to boundary layer growth decreasing working section area. Solid blockage increases airspeed due to the model reducing flow area. Wake blockage further increases airspeed to maintain mass flow. Streamline curvature artificially increases model camber. The total corrections account for changes to airspeed, dynamic pressure, Reynolds number, and drag measurements.

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Setyo Nugroho
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336 views

Wind Tunnel Correction

The document discusses various corrections that must be applied to wind tunnel experiments to account for differences between actual and simulated flowfields. It outlines corrections for 2D experiments, including buoyancy, solid blockage, wake blockage, and streamline curvature. Buoyancy occurs due to boundary layer growth decreasing working section area. Solid blockage increases airspeed due to the model reducing flow area. Wake blockage further increases airspeed to maintain mass flow. Streamline curvature artificially increases model camber. The total corrections account for changes to airspeed, dynamic pressure, Reynolds number, and drag measurements.

Uploaded by

Setyo Nugroho
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Experimental Aerodynamics

Lecture 3: Wind Tunnel Corrections G. Dimitriadis


Experimental Aerodynamics

Wind tunnel corrections


! Wind tunnels cannot recreate flowfields identical to the original. ! Wind tunnel flows are different to the original due to several factors. ! These differences necessitate corrections to be applied to measurements obtained in wind tunnels. ! The type and number of corrections depends on whether the simulated flow is 2D or 3D.
Experimental Aerodynamics

2D Wind tunnel corrections


! In 2D experiments, the model is constrained between flat plates or walls to force the flowfield to be nearly 2D. ! There are several sources of inaccuracy for 2D experiments in wind tunnels. ! The most important are:
! Buoyancy ! Solid blockage ! Wake blockage ! Streamline curvature

Experimental Aerodynamics

Buoyancy
! Wind tunnel buoyancy is caused by the fact that the boundary layer grows on the walls of the working section. ! Boundary layer growth is equivalent to a contraction of the working section area. ! The flow is accelerated, causing a drop in static pressure. ! Therefore, models with a big frontal area are pushed backwards. ! Buoyancy artificially increases the drag
Experimental Aerodynamics

Longitudinal pressure gradient


! The longitudinal pressure drop is nearly linear. ! The longitudinal pressure gradient is given by: dp "V 2 = !k dl 2h ! Where k=0.016-0.040 is a factor that must be measured for a given wind tunnel. ! h is the height of the working section.
Experimental Aerodynamics

Buoyancy correction
! The buoyancy correction depends on the longitudinal pressure gradient and the volume of the body, i.e. ! Where !DB is the correction to be applied to the measured drag force and VB the body volume. ! More accurate corrections have been estimated for airfoils, Rankine ovals, ellipses and other simple shapes.
Experimental Aerodynamics

dp !DB = VB dl

Solid blockage
! The presence of a model in the working section reduces the area through which the air can flow. ! The air velocity is increased over the model. ! This effect is called solid blockage. ! The effect can be corrected by increasing the effective wind tunnel airspeed.
Experimental Aerodynamics

Solid blockage correction


! The correction to the airspeed for a circular cylinder is given by: !V = "sbVu ! Where Vu is the uncorrected airspeed and !sb is given by: " 2 R2 !sb = 3 h2 ! For a more general shape, K1VB !sb = 3 / 2 S ! Where K1=0.74 for a horizontal model and 0.52 for a vertical model. S is the working section area.
Experimental Aerodynamics

Wake blockage
Velocity > V V Velocity < V Velocity < V h

The airspeed in the wake must be lower than V. In a closed duct this means that the airspeed outside the wake must be larger than V for a constant mass flow rate. The wake blockage effect can also be corrected using an increment in the effective airspeed.
Experimental Aerodynamics

Wake blockage correction


! The airspeed correction is given by ! Where !wb is given by:
! wb
!V = "wbVu

! Where c is the models length (or wing chord) and cdu is the uncorrected 2D drag coefficient.
Experimental Aerodynamics

c = cdu 2h

Streamline curvature
! The wind tunnel ceiling and floor artificially straighten the curvature of the flow streamlines around the model. ! The model appears to have more camber than it really has, i.e. it has too much lift. ! This effect requires corrections to angle of attack, lift coefficient and moment coefficient
Experimental Aerodynamics

! The angle of attack becomes: ! The lift coefficient becomes:


c l = c lu (1 ! " ! 2#)

Streamline curvature corrections


57.3" ! = !u + c lu + 4 c m1/ 2 u ) ( 2#

! The moment coefficient around the half chord becomes: ! Where !=!sb+!wb and
Experimental Aerodynamics

c m1/ 2 = c m1/ 2 u (1 ! 2") +


2 "2 #c& != % ( 48 $ h '

#c l 4

Total corrections
! The total corrected airspeed is: ! The total corrected dynamic pressure:
q = qu (1 + 2!) V = Vu (1 + !)

! The total corrected Reynolds number:


Re = Re u (1 + !)

! The total corrected drag (zero-lift):


c d 0 = c d 0 u (1 ! 3"sb ! 2"wb )
Experimental Aerodynamics

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