Wind Tunnel Correction
Wind Tunnel Correction
Wind Tunnel Correction
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
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
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
! 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 moment coefficient around the half chord becomes: ! Where !=!sb+!wb and
Experimental Aerodynamics
#c l 4
Total corrections
! The total corrected airspeed is: ! The total corrected dynamic pressure:
q = qu (1 + 2!) V = Vu (1 + !)