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Performance of improved thin aerofoil theory for modern aerofoil sections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

K. Abu-Abdou  and
M. F. Zedan
K. Abu-Abdou
Affiliation:
Mechanical Engineering Department , King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
M. F. Zedan
Affiliation:
Mechanical Engineering Department , King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract

The improved thin aerofoil method, which features extended expressions for lift and moment coefficients, is considered for further investigation and validation. The procedure to calculate the singularity coefficients is improved by using all aerofoil coordinates as control points in a least squares scheme. The classical NACA 0012 and NACA 65012 sections, the modern aviation aerofoil LS(1)—0417 and the extremely thick Kennedy-Marsden aerofoil are validated in place of the previously cited Karman-Trefftz aerofoil. This selection covers thickness ratios of up to 27·9%, camber ratios up to 7·69% and incidence up to 16·7°. Comparisons of velocity (or pressure) distributions and aerodynamic coefficients are made with two panel methods and with exact solution or experimental results whichever is available. Results indicated that the accuracy of the extended method is much better than expected and compares well with panel methods except for the extremely thick aerofoil. Additional results in the form of a systematic investigation of a weighted global error in the pressure distribution for the Karman-Trefftz aerofoils used in the previous study, are also included. Such an error shows similar trends and in many cases comparable magnitude to the errors generated by panel methods.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 95 , Issue 942 , February 1991 , pp. 64 - 70
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1991 

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