Jordan University of Science & Technology

Aeronautical Engineering Department

Aeronautical Lab I
AE (444)

Student Number: 135836

Student Name: Mohamad Abdulrahman

Lecturer’s Name: Eng.Majd Al-Shawabkeh

Experiment Title: Airfoil Characteristics

Due Date: 26-March-2023

Date of Submission: 26-March-2023

Extension Details (if applicable):

Abstract:

- In this experiment a NACA 2412 airfoil was tested at low speeds using
demonstration wind tunnel, the data in this experiment was recorded at various
AOA by changing slap angle, the main results from the two trials are in table 3
and 4.
Table of Contents:

Objectives: .................................................................................................................. 10
Theory: ........................................................................................................................ 11
Data and Results: ...................................................................................................... 12
Sample Calculations: ................................................................................................ 16
Discussion: ................................................................................................................. 17
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................. 19
List of Figures:

Figure 1 : AOA and Lift readings........................................................................ 6

Figure 2 : Airspeed Gauge ................................................................................. 6
Figure 3 : Slap Angle Controller ......................................................................... 7
Figure 4 : Subsonic Windtunnel ......................................................................... 7
Figure 5 : Prototype Data ................................................................................... 8
Figure 6 : Airspeed Handle ................................................................................ 8
Figure 7 : Flight Demonstration Wind Tunnel .................................................... 9
Figure 8 : Cl V Alpha Experimentally ............................................................... 13
Figure 9 : Cl V Alpha Using XFLR5 ................................................................. 13
Figure 10 : Cl V Alpha (Airfoil Tools) ............................................................... 14
Figure 11 : Naca 2412 ...................................................................................... 14
Figure 12 : Experimental data using various AR. ............................................ 17
Figure 13 : Camber effects............................................................................... 17
Figure 14 : Flow at Separation ......................................................................... 18
List of Tables:

Table 1 : Trial 1 ................................................................................................. 12

Table 2 : Trial 2 ................................................................................................. 12
Table 3 : Results from trial 1 ............................................................................ 15
Table 4 : Results from trial 2 ............................................................................ 15
Figure 1 : AOA and Lift readings

Figure 2 : Airspeed Gauge

Figure 3 : Slap Angle Controller

Figure 4 : Subsonic Windtunnel

Figure 5 : Prototype Data

Figure 6 : Airspeed Handle

Figure 7 : Flight Demonstration Wind Tunnel
Objectives:

1. Identify air foil characteristics such as chord, chamber, thickness etc.

2. Learn about aerodynamic center and center of pressure.
3. Find the Clmax, L=0, lift slope and stall angle for NACA 2412 experimentally.
4. Plot the Cl v Alpha graph.
5. Compare the experimental results with Xfoil software.
Theory:

• 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑅𝑇
𝐿
• 𝐶𝑙 = 𝑞𝑠
1
• 𝑞 = 2 𝜌𝑣 2
𝜌𝑣𝑐
• 𝑅𝑒 =
𝜇
Data and Results:

Table 1 : Trial 1
Velocity1=11.3 m/s
Slap Angle AOA L

0 0 1.4

2 0.5 1.6

4 2.5 2.6
6 4 2.9
8 5 3.6
10 7 4
12 8 4.4
14 9 4.9
16 10 5
18 11 5.2
20 12 5.3

Table 2 : Trial 2
Velocity2= 13.9 m/s
Slap Angle AOA L

0 1 2.4

2 2 3.6
4 4 3.8

6 5 4.2
8 6 4.8
10 7 5.4

12 8 5.9
14 9 6.2
16 10 6.5

18 11 6.9
20 12 7
 Cl V Alpha Expermentally
2.5

2 y = 0.1309x + 0.6253

1.5 y = 0.1123x + 0.5459

Re1=116285
Cl

Re2=143042
1 Linear (Re1=116285)
Linear (Re2=143042)

0.5

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Alpha

Figure 8 : Cl V Alpha Experimentally

Cl V Alpha Using XFLR5

1.4

1.2

0.8
Cl

Re=116285
0.6
Re=143042

0.4

0.2

0
-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Alpha

Figure 9 : Cl V Alpha Using XFLR5

 Cl V Alpha (Airfoil Tools)
1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6
Cl

Re=100000
0.4

0.2

0
-5 0 5 10 15 20
-0.2

-0.4
Alpha

Figure 10 : Cl V Alpha (Airfoil Tools)

Figure 11 : Naca 2412

 Table 3 : Results from trial 1

Air Speed Cl Max Zero lift Cl at Lift Stall

angle of zero Slope angle
attack angle of
attack

Experimental 11.3 2.02 -2 0.544 0.1123 12

value

NACA 2412 Re=100000 1.29 -2 0.2 0.1 14.4

XFLR 11.3 1.254 -2 0.259 0.093 12

Software

Table 4 : Results from trial 2

Air Speed Cl Max Zero lift Cl at Lift Stall

angle of zero Slope angle
attack angle of
attack

Experimental 13.9 1.77 -2 0.462 0.1309 12

value

NACA 2412 Re=100000 1.29 -2 0.2 0.1 14.4

XFLR 13.9 1.263 -2 0.234 0.093 13

Software
Sample Calculations:

𝑃 100900 𝑘𝑔
𝜌= = = 1.22 3
𝑅𝑇 287 × 288 𝑚

𝜌𝑣𝑐 1.22 × 11.3 × 0.152

𝑅𝑒1 = = = 116285
𝜇 1.802 × 10−5

1 1 𝑘𝑔
𝑞 = 𝜌𝑣 2 = × 1.22 × 11.32 = 77.89
2 2 𝑚𝑠 2

𝐿 1.4
𝐶𝑙 = = = 0.544
𝑞 × 𝑠 77.89 × 0.033
Discussion:

-From the results of this experiment, the main clear observation is that when
increasing Reynolds number for the same prototype results in change
aerodynamics properties of the airfoil.
Increasing Reynold number will increase Clmax, stall angle, Cl 𝛼 = 0. , lift slope
will remain constant.

The ratio of a wing's span to mean chord is known as the aspect ratio.
Aspect ratio is used to estimate the aerodynamic effectiveness of a wing
because it raises the lift-to-drag ratio, enhancing the fuel efficiency in powered
airplanes and the gliding angle in sailplanes.
The change in an airfoil's aspect ratio seems to have a major impact on how
the lift curve behaves. With a greater aspect ratio, the lift curves' slope gets
steeper, the maximum lift keeps rising a little, and the stall point shows up
considerably earlier.

Figure 12 : Experimental data using various AR.

An important parameter of the lift curve for the airfoil is its characteristics, in
most cases when increasing thickness to 12-15% the Cl increases, also
increasing camber the same results occur.

Figure 13 : Camber effects

Boundary layers separate from a surface and enter a wake during flow
separation, also known as boundary layer separation.
Anytime there is relative motion between a fluid and a solid surface and viscous
forces are present in the fluid layer near to the surface, there is a boundary
layer. Depending on the situation, the flow may be internal in a confined tube
or externally around a body. Turbulent or laminar boundary layers are also
possible. Calculating the local flow conditions' Reynolds number enables one
to reasonably predict whether the boundary layer will be turbulent or laminar.

Separation happens in flow that is slowing down with pressure rising after
passing the thickest portion of a streamline body or passing through a widening
passage.

Figure 14 : Flow at Separation

In this experiment, flow separation occurred approximately at 12° AOA for the
two trials which is very close to XFOIL analysis and NACA experimental data,
lift slope is also almost identical.
Errors in this experiment are notable in Cl readings which is due to many
reasons, one of them is readings were taken from multiple persons which
increase the human error, also wind tunnel was not calibrated before this
experiment, and the most crucial factor is that lift and AOA readings used in this
experiment are analog instruments, not digital which increase error largely.
Conclusion:

• Reynolds number is crucial to the aerodynamics of airfoils, Lift decreases and

drag increases when Reynolds number is decreased, flow separates at higher
AOA.
• The lift coefficient Cl increases with increase in AOA and this trend of increase
in lift coefficient is notice up to 12 AOA, after this the flow on the upper surface
of the airfoil began to separate which leads to form the vortex behind the
aerofoil.
• Aspect ratio got significant effects on Cl, as AR gets bigger Cl becomes greater
and lift slope gets steeper, as a result, the stall angle gets smaller.
• Increasing camber and/or thickness to a certain point of an airfoil leads to larger
Cl values regardless of other aerodynamics properties.
• Lift slope remains constant regardless of Reynolds number values.