Optimization Criteria and Sailplane Airfoil Design

Lukas Popelka
Institute of Thermomechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Prague, CZ 182 00, Czech Republic
[email protected]

Milan Matejka
Department of Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, FME, Czech Technical University in Prague,
Prague, CZ 166 07, Czech Republic
[email protected]

Presented at the XXVIII OSTIV Congress, Eskilstuna, Sweden, 8 – 15 June 2006

Abstract
This paper describes procedure of sailplane airfoil optimization with the use of available numerical and
experimental methods. The calculation of boundary layer transition, integral parameters, the
measurement of the maximum lift coefficient, flow visualization and flow control are discussed.
Results concerning airfoil design for training and club class sailplanes are presented.

Introduction Further details of these pilot’s desired design features

The initial stage of sailplane design, as with every concern interthermal glide, circling and low-speed handling.
aircraft, forms a pronounced need for fast and reliable Resolved into the consideration of coefficients, at given
analysis methods to use in the optimization process. positions along wingspan, the minimum drag coefficient cD at 10
Although wind-tunnel testing can offer all the required given lift coefficients cL (circling and glide), maximum cL at
parameters, cost effective numerical methods are of prescribed angle of attack (landing), and value of cLmax itself
paramount importance to airfoil design. (stall) are sought. Furthermore docile stall characteristics are
important; all of this information should be obtained for the three
Optimization mentioned regimes. The requirements fj and their importance vj
Training and club class gliders represent the most are summed up in a target function F, which is to be maximized.
numerous portions of sailplanes in use. There are several F   f jv j (1)
single seat types that can be included into the club class;
however, only those which are primarily designed for heavy
club use, such as for transition from training gliders, for Parameters acquired by numerical modeling
pilots with relatively low flight time, will be considered. Using the XFOIL airfoil analysis code, 2 considered to be
Docile stall behavior and ease of winch launch and aero tow a standard tool, the ratios of drag coefficients concerning the
are favorable characteristics of these types of sailplanes. investigated, i and reference, ref airfoil are determined:
Hence both categories are similar, in that performance cD~ref
aspects are not the primary objectives. The classical airfoil f cD  (2)
optimization approach based on cross-country speed
cD ~i
maximization is not suitable for this application. Applied to experimental, exp and numerical, num data, the
The requirements for an airfoil can be divided into three principal objective is: f cD exp / f cDnum  1 . A sufficient
regimes,1 their importance established from a questionnaire amount of proven wind tunnel data is available for
circulated among flight instructors and club pilots comparison.3,4 Considering the NACA 63-618, the Wortmann
(throughout the experience and age spectra): FX66-S-196 and the Eppler E603 airfoils, with reference
Wortmann FX61-163, we can obtain values of mentioned ratio,
Regime Club class with varying values of the n-factor in en transition prediction
Low-turbulent free stream 31 % method. Agreement between experimental and numerical cD
Increased level of turbulence 35.7 % values, range cL = 0.2 ÷ 1.05, statistical confidence interval
Insect contamination of leading edges 33.3 %
95%, f cD exp LWK / f cDnumXfoil :
Regime Training cl.
N Re = 106 Re = 3·106
Low-turbulent free stream 36.7 %
5 0.973 ± 0.029 1.034 ± 0.038
Increased level of turbulence 29.3 % 9 0.993 ± 0.014 1.041 ± 0.019
Insect contamination of leading edges 34 % 11 1.010 ± 0.020 1.054 ± 0.024

TECHNICAL SOARING 74 VOLUME 30, NO. 3 - July 2006

 The agreement with the standard n = 9 is acceptable for Since the PW series airfoils are designed for boundary layer
this investigation. Similar results have been obtained for control, positions of standard zig-zag tape have been established
NACA 6-series, altering the thickness distribution from 63- in order to finish transition process upwind of the start of steep
415 to 66-415, as well as for family of Wortmann airfoils recovery gradient, as shown in Fig. 4.
FX 63-145/158/147/143. The location of the end of
transition process is also computed correctly. Although the Results
augmented level of outer flow turbulence has been the Target functions have been obtained for the wings of club
objective of numerous studies, the data concerning the class and training sailplanes in conceptual studies. The best of
effects on a laminar wing sections are scarce. The findings the published airfoils was set to F = 100 % and comparisons
on a E603 wing section5 have been used for n-factor with other well-known and widely used wing sections has been
adjustment in the formulation of the transition criteria. carried out. The PW series airfoils,10 which were designed for
Studies on roughness due to insects 6, 7, 8 with 130 and 20 the mentioned categories of sailplanes using of the inverse
bugs/meter are not fully consistent with one another, at least methods QDES and MDES in XFOIL, were also taken into
quantitative agreement can be obtained with the latter, consideration.
setting the transition to 0.05 x/c on upper surface. The values presented in following tables emphasize the
importance of the appropriate airfoil selection and the possibility
Parameters acquired by wind-tunnel measurement of the considerable gains might be achieved:
Maximum lift coefficient and behavior in the stalled
regime must be obtained from experimental investigation in Airfoil F
all three regimes. PW212-163 103.3 %
If we require accuracy common for preliminary FX61-163 100 %
conceptual design of sailplanes only, we can draw few E603 98.6 %
reasonable assumptions and reduce test programme into one FX66-17AII-182 94.4 %
regime. A wide range of turbulence in the outer stream FX S 02-196 93.7 %
intensity was examined with defined intensity of turbulence Target functions for wing root of conceptual study B, a club
Tu at the plane of airfoil leading edge.9 For considered n = 9 class sailplane, wing loading m/S = 32 daN/m2
~ Tu = 0.070 % and n = 6 ~ Tu = 0.245 %, the effect on
maximum lift coefficient can be neglected. The same Airfoil F
simplified approach can be used for roughness due to PW212-163 104.3 %
insects, which is in agreement with general experience from NACA 63A615 100 %
flight test evaluation – a small effect on stall speed is E603 99.7 %
observed on most sailplanes. FX73-170 95.4 %
Lift curve measurements have been carried out on FX S 02-196 94.5 %
reference airfoil, the Wortmann FX66-17AII-182, and two
Target functions for the mean aerodynamic chord of wing;
new PW series airfoils, the PW212-163 and 311-161, in the
conceptual study L, a training sailplane, m/S = 28 daN/m2
two-dimensional 1200x400mm CTU FME wind tunnel.
The geometries of the airfoils tested are given in Fig. 1.
Again, we define criteria: Future work
The presented aerodynamic methods have shown their
cL max ~i eligibility and beneficial role in the feasibility studies associated
f cL max  (3) with experimental projects currently of interest. For example,
cL max ~ ref
the methods are applicable to research concerning the
implementation of a synthetic jet actuator into a flapped
The following ratios have been obtained: for the
sailplane airfoil, for determining test-case locations of
PW212-163, fcLmax = 1.00 and for the PW311-161, fcLmax =
turbulators, and the effect of free-stream turbulence on the airfoil
1.04.
drag coefficient.
A reduced Reynolds number enhances the extent of
separation bubbles, which can be easily detected on static Summary
pressure measurement and visualization. This paper has shown details dealing with the procedure of
For these lower Reynolds number conditions, pressure wing section design, and with the use of experimental and
distributions have been obtained and presented in Fig. 2. numerical methods. The methodology is easily extended to
Smoke-wire techniques have been performed in other classes of sailplanes, as well as to other categories in sport
750x550mm CTU FME wind tunnel and the digital aviation.
photographs, shown in Fig. 3, acquired. The PW212-163
and PW311-161 airfoils have demonstrated a longer run of Acknowledgment
laminar flow and a smaller amount of local separation than Authors would like to express their thanks to all technicians
is observed on the FX66-17AII-182 airfoil. and consultants of the project, namely Mr. Zdenek Kolek, Ing.

TECHNICAL SOARING 75 VOLUME 30, NO. 3 - July 2006

Michal Schmirler, Ing. Lukas Pohl (CTU in Prague), RNDr. Johnson, R.H., “A Flight Test Evaluation of the Grob G-102
5

Pavel Jonas, DrSc., Ing. Vaclav Uruba, CSc. (IT AS CR), Club IIIB,” Soaring Magazine, 1984, No. 1.
Ing. Milos Müller (University of Liberec), Bc. Karel Benes, 6
Althaus, D., “Influencing Transition on Airfoils,” Technical
Jan Rensa, DiS., Ing. Hynek Morkovsky (Aeroclub Soaring, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1981, pp. 82-93.
Policka). 7
Johnson, R.H., “A Flight Test Evaluation of the AS-W 19,”
Grant support of GA AS CR No. A2076403 and No. Soaring Magazine, 1977, No. 8.
A200760614 is gratefully acknowledged. 8
Johnson, R.H., “A Flight Test Evaluation of the AS-W 20,”
Soaring Magazine, 1978, No. 5.
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Popelka L., Müller, M., Matejka, M., “Airfoils in the airfoil performance,” Research Report VZLU V1154/72,
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Popelka L., “PW series airfoils - numerical optimization
AS CR, Prague, 2004, pp. 141-144. and wind-tunnel measurement,” Proceedings Colloquium Fluid
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2001, URL: http://raphael.mit.edu/xfoil/ [cited 1 May 2006] pp. 117-120.
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Figure 1 Contours of airfoils FX66-17AII-182, PW212-163 and PW311-161

TECHNICAL SOARING 76 VOLUME 30, NO. 3 - July 2006

 Figure 2 Measured pressure distributions, FX66-17AII-182, PW212-163, Re = 3.3·105, Iu = 1.2 %

Figure 3 Airfoils FX66-17AII-182, PW212-163 and PW311-161, smoke-wire visualization on

upper surface,  = 5o, Re = 1.3· 105, Tu = 0.7 %. Laminar separation of boundary layer, transition
and turbulent reattachment

TECHNICAL SOARING 77 VOLUME 30, NO. 3 - July 2006

 Figure 4 Passive flow control by standard ZZ turbulator on lower surface of PW311-161 airfoil;
attached boundary layer,  = 0o, Re = 2.1· 105, Tu = 1.3 %

TECHNICAL SOARING 78 VOLUME 30, NO. 3 - July 2006