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3 Flow Over Objects I

The document discusses the concepts of drag and lift forces acting on submerged objects, particularly focusing on how these forces are influenced by the shape and orientation of the objects. It explains the coefficients for drag and lift, the effects of flow separation, and the importance of streamlining to reduce drag. Additionally, it highlights the relationship between Reynolds number and drag coefficients for various shapes.

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6 views

3 Flow Over Objects I

The document discusses the concepts of drag and lift forces acting on submerged objects, particularly focusing on how these forces are influenced by the shape and orientation of the objects. It explains the coefficients for drag and lift, the effects of flow separation, and the importance of streamlining to reduce drag. Additionally, it highlights the relationship between Reynolds number and drag coefficients for various shapes.

Uploaded by

samokelosekhonyane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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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Flow over

submerged
objects
Drag and Lift
Fig 11-5 Pressure forces
(black arrows) and viscous
forces (red arrows) acting on
a body (diagram below)
create a resultant force FR
which is usually split into
components parallel (drag
force FD) and perpendicular
(lift force FL) to the free
stream (diagram above).
The Drag and Lift Coefficients
Fig 11-7
Aircraft wings are designed to maximise lift (FL)
and minimise drag (FD). They are streamlined
and generate an upward pressure on both the
lower and upper surfaces (due to the shape)
Drag coefficient FD
CD = 1
2 ρ AV 2
FL
Lift coefficient C =
L 1
2 ρ AV 2
Where A is usually the frontal area (for bluff
bodies). For aerofoils and flat plates A is the
planform area.
Friction and pressure drag
Fig 11-6
Fluid flowing over a flat plate
causes drag due to the shear forces
in the boundary layer only. There
is no pressure drag.
Fluid flowing normal (at 90o) to a
flat plate causes drag due to the
pressure forces only.
Flow over a flat
plate, parallel to the
flow direction.
Notice the narrow
wake behind the
parallel plate. Drag
is due to friction
drag only.
low pressure
high
pressure inside wake
region Flow over a flat
plate, perpendicular
to the flow
direction. Notice
the wide turbulent
wake behind the
perpendicular plate.
Drag is due to
pressure drag only.
separation
This cylinder
points has some
pressure drag and some
friction drag. Notice the
turbulent
separation points
wake where the
fluid is unable to cling to the
surface of the cylinder and
forms the turbulent wake.
Flow Separation
Separation occurs when fluid
is forced to make a sudden
change of direction
Question: Why is it dangerous
to swim in a fast moving river
without a life jacket?
separation
point
separation
point
Fig 11-15 Flow
separation during flow over a
tennis ball. Red arrows show
the separation points.
Note: A turbulent boundary
layer can cling to an object
better than a laminar boundary
layer. This means that it is
possible to reduce the width of
the wake behind an object by
ensuring that it has a turbulent
boundary layer instead of a
laminar one (before it reaches a
possible separation point. See
Fig 11-35 (sphere in wind
tunnel).
(Top) Smooth sphere, Re = 15 000
(wide wake, early separation)
(Bottom) Smooth sphere with trip
wire, Re = 30 000 (narrow wake, late
separation)
Question: What is the effect of “dimples” on
golf balls and fluff on tennis balls?
Answer:
Fig 11-16 As the angle of attack of an aerofoil increases, so the width of
the wake increases. At large angles of attack (usually larger than 15o),
flow may separate completely from the top surface of an aerofoil. This
reduces lift drastically and causes the aerofoil to “stall” (no lift, lots of
drag).
Reducing drag by streamlining
The cross section of a streamlined strut of an aircraft is shown on the next slide.
For friction drag (keeping D constant):
o If D/L is increased, the length L must be reduced and friction drag becomes
smaller (because the plan area L × width is reduced).
o If D/L is reduced, the length L must be increased and friction drag becomes
greater (because the plan area L × width is increased).
For pressure drag (keeping D constant):
o If D/L is increased, the length L must be reduced and the object becomes more
bluff. This causes a wider wake and therefore a greater pressure drag.
o If D/L is reduced, the length L must be increased and the object becomes more
streamlined. This causes a narrower wake and therefore a smaller pressure drag.
Note that total drag is the sum of friction and pressure drag. Total drag is what we
measure during wind tunnel testing.
Question: Why has the equation below been crossed out?
For a streamlined strut at a particular Re, there is an
optimum thickness (D) to chord (L) ratio where the sum
of the pressure drag and friction drag is minimized.
Drag coefficients of
common shaped objects
Drag coefficient depends on Re
particularly for Re < 104
At Re > 104 the boundary layer is
often turbulent and drag coefficient
remains fairly constant for most
objects.
Re
At low Reynolds numbers (Re < 1), called Stokes flow, the
shape of the object does not have a major influence on the
drag coefficient.
See Table 11-1 and 11-2 on page
574, Cengel, for drag coefficients
of various shapes at Re > 104.
Important! The characteristic dimension that is used in Re calculation
for bluff bodies is the shortest dimension of the frontal area.
Source:
Meyer
Source:
Meyer

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