Investigating, Simulating and Applying Geometric Scaling Effects in the Prediction and Calculation of Aerodynamic Coefficients from Wind Tunnel to Real Scale

Authors

1 M.Sc. Graduate , Energy Conversion Department,Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Aerospace Department Sharif University of Technology

10.22044/jsfm.2023.13300.3757

Abstract

Studying the effects of the model scale on wind tunnel tests of aerodynamic vehicles and their components to generalize it to the real scale is a very important because of the direct impact on the performance of the flight system. The aim of the present research is to present a methodology for applying geometric scaling effects of NACA 0012 airfoil the on airfoil aerodynamic performance. AnsysFluent2019R3 software has been used to simulate and investigate the effects of geometric scale on the airfoil aerodynamic performance. Sixteen scale scenarios include changing the Reynolds and the angles of attack assuming Mach constant is 0.256. The airfoil chord length of 50cm (Reynolds 3 million) is considered as the base model in the simulations. The rate of deviation of the validated results for the drag and lift coefficients are 11 and 1 percent, respectively. The results showed that at angle of attack of 10 doubling the airfoil length leads to a decrease of 7.92% in the drag, an increase of 1.25% in the lift and decrease of 18.30% in the pitch moment coefficients. Halving the length of the airfoil at an angle of attack of 15 leads to an increase of 16.29, a decrease of 3.49 and an increase of 9.22% of drag, lift and pitch moment coefficients. One of the important achievements of the present study is the presentation of a methodology for applying the geometric scaling effects in the form of correlations for aerodynamic performance parameters of drag, lift and pitch moment coefficients.

Keywords

Main Subjects


[1] Buckingham, Edgar (1914) "On physically similar systems; illustrations of the use of dimensional equations." Physical review 4, no. 4: 345.
[2] Smil, Vaclav (2006) Transforming the twentieth century: technical innovations and their consequences. Vol. 2. Oxford University Press.
[3] Kaushik, Balaji, and Willem Anemaat (2012) "Methods to scale subsonic wind tunnel data to full-scale." In 30th AIAA applied aerodynamics conference,: 3228.
[4] Xue, Fei, Yuchao Wang, and Han Qin (2020) "Derivation and validation of wind tunnel free-flight similarity law for store separation from aircraft." Aerospace Science and Technology 97: 105614.
[5] Yarlett, Amanda, Ronald Adrezin, Alfred Gates, and Fu-Shang Wei (2000) "Analysis and manufacture of dynamically scaled wind tunnel models." In 41st Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference and Exhibit: 1694.
[6] Anderson, Brian P., James Greathouse, Jessica Powell, James C. Ross, Barry Porter, Patrick W. Goulding, Matthew Zwicker, Catherine Mollmann, Edward T. Schairer, and Laura K. Kushner (2017) "Sub-Scale Orion Parachute Test Results From the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex 80-by 120-ft Wind Tunnel." In 24th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference,: 4203.
[7] Askari, R., M. R. Soltani, K. Mostoufi, A. Khajeh Fard, and M. Abedi (2019) "Angle of attack investigations on the performance of a diverterless supersonic inlet." J. Appl. Fluid Mech. 12, no. 6: 2017-2030.
[8] Beaulieu, W., V. Bytyurin, and A. Klimov (1999) "Plasma aerodynamic WT tests with 1/6 scale model." In Proc. of the Workshop on Magneto-Plasma-Aerodynamics in aerospace applications, Moscow, vol. 1: 44.
[9] Soltani, M. R., and R. Askari (2019) "On the performance of a body integrated diverterless supersonic inlet." Aerospace Science and Technology 91: 525-538.
[10] McClinton, C., R. Voland, S. Holland, W. Engelund, J. White, and J. Pahle (1998) "Wind tunnel testing, flight scaling and flight validation with Hyper-X." In 20th AIAA Advanced Measurement and Ground Testing Technology Conference: 2866.
[11] Askari, R., and M. R. Soltani (2019) "Effects of Mach number on the performance of a diverterless supersonic inlet." J. Aircra. 56, no. 4: 1697-1707.
[12] ROONEY, E., R. CRAIG, and R. LAUER (1977) "Correlation full scale wind tunnel and flight measured aerodynamic drag." In 13th Propulsion Conference, 996.
[13] Tureaud, Thomas, Neill Smith, Thomas Tureaud, and Neill Smith (1997) "Wind tunnel characterization of a scaled Class IV aerostat." In 12th Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technology Conference, 1487.
[14] Ting, Eric, Sonia Lebofsky, Nhan T. Nguyen, and Khanh V. Trinh (2014) "Static Aeroelastic Scaling and Analysis of a Sub-Scale Flexible Wing Wind Tunnel Model." In 55th AIAA/ASMe/ASCE/AHS/SC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, 0838.
[15] Squires, Patrick, and William Warmbrodt (2012) "correlation of full-scale and small-scale wind-tunnel tests of a helicopter fuselage." In Applied Aerodynamics Conference, 1786.
[16] Askari, R., and M. R. Soltani (2018) "Two-and three-dimensional numerical simulations of supersonic ramped inlet." Scientia Iranica 25, no. 4: 2198-2207.
[17] Rudnik, R., and Eric Germain (2009) "Reynolds number scaling effects on the european high-lift configurations." J. Aircraft 46, no. 4 : 1140-1151.
[18] Askari, Rasoul, Mohammad Reza Soltani, and Afshin Khajeh Fard (2017) "Geometrical Scaling Effects on Supersonic Inlet Performance." ASME 2017 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
[19] Abedi, M., R. Askari, J. Sepahi, and M. R. Soltani (2020)"Axisymmetric and three-dimensional flow simulation of a mixed compression supersonic air inlet." Propulsion and Power Research 9, no. 1: 51-61.
[20] Askari, R., and M. R. Soltani (2020) "Flow Asymmetry in a Y-Shaped Diverterless Supersonic Inlet: A Novel Finding." AIAA J. 58, no. 6: 2609-2620.
[21] Selig, Michael S., and Bryan D. McGranahan (2004) "Wind tunnel aerodynamic tests of six airfoils for use on small wind turbines." J. Sol. Energy Eng. 126, no. 4: 986-1001.
[22] Selig, Michael, Robert Deters, and Gregory Wiliamson (2011) "Wind tunnel testing airfoils at low Reynolds numbers." In 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, p. 875.
]23[ عسکری رسول، ابراهیمی حمید، سلطانی محمدرضا و خواجه‌ فرد، افشین. (1394). " بررسی اثر مقیاس هندسی بر عملکرد ورودی هوای مافوق صوت". کنفرانس بین المللی انجمن هوا فضای ایران. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/895030/fa
 [24] Llorente, E., A. Gorostidi, M. Jacobs, W. A. Timmer, X. Munduate, and O. Pires (2014) "Wind tunnel tests of wind turbine airfoils at high Reynolds numbers." In J. Phys.: Conf. Seri., vol. 524, no. 1, p. 012012. IOP Publishing.
]25[ عسگری سوادجانی محمود، قدیری بهزاد. (1397) بررسی عددی اثرات هندسه ی ایرفویل بر ساختارهای جریانی در یک فن زیرصوتی با کمک روش شبیه سازی گردابه‌های بزرگ. مهندسی مکانیک مدرس; ۱۸ (۳) :۱۵۳-۱۶۳
[26] Pires, O., X. Munduate, O. Ceyhan, M. Jacobs, and H. Snel (2016) "Analysis of high Reynolds numbers effects on a wind turbine airfoil using 2D wind tunnel test data." In. J. phys.: conf. series, vol. 753, no. 2, p. 022047. IOP Publishing.
[27] Temam, Roger (2001) Navier-Stokes equations: theory and numerical analysis. Vol. 343. American Mathematical Soc.
[28] Menter, Florian R (1994) "Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications." AIAA J. 32, no. 8: 1598-1605.
[29] Ladson, Charles L (1988) "Effects of Independent Variation of Mach and Reynolds Numbers on the Low-Speed Aerodynamic Characteristics of the NACA 0012 Airfoil Section," NASA TM 4074, Vol. 4074.
[30] Ladson, C. L., Hill, A. S., and Johnson, Jr., W. G. (1987) "Pressure Distributions from High Reynolds Number Transonic Tests of an NACA 0012 Airfoil in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel," NASA TM 100526.