1. Airfoil Aerodynamics
By: Ryan Can

2. Need
Federal Aviation Administration, 2008

3. Knowledge Base Aerodynamic Forces Drag Equation Lift Equation
How an Airfoil Generates Lift
Benson, 2007

4. Knowledge Base
Reynold’s Number
Stall

5. Literature Review
Vortex Generators (Amhad, 2008)
Scott, 2005

6. Literature Review
Vortex Generators (Reuss, 1995)

7. Literature Review
Riblets (Zungia, 1992)

8. Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to lower the drag and increase the lift as well as delaying the stall angle and stall speed of a model airfoil by applying vortex generators or ribleting the surface to lower skin friction drag

9. Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis- The appliance of vortex generators or a ribleted surface will not show a difference in lift, drag, stall angle or stall speed of a NACA 4415 Airfoil
Alternate Hypothesis- The appliance of vortex generators will increase lift and decrease drag as well as delay the stall angle and reduce stall speed of a NACA 4415 airfoil. The appliance of riblets will decrease skin friction drag of an airfoil.

10. Experimental Design
NACA 4415 Airfoil
Reuss, 1995

11. Experimental Design
Riblet Cross Sectional View
Zungia, 1992

12. Protocols
Measuring Lift and Drag using Pitsco Test Flight Wing Analyzer
Determining Stall Angle (Reuss, 1995)

13. Improving the Aerodynamics of an Airfoil
NACA 4415Airfoil with riblets
NACA 4415 Airfoil without modifications
NACA 4415 Airfoil with vortex generators
Test in Pitsco Air Tech X Stream Wind tunnel at Re of 32,455, 168,365, 304,274, 439,508, 574,741, 709,974, 845,207, and 980,441
Test for lift and drag of model using the Pitsco Test Flight Wing Analyzer and software
Run descriptive statistics calculating means plus or minus SD using SPSS
A statistical analysis by ANOVA (p<.05) ran with a Scheffe Post- Hoc test

14. Do-Ability Pitsco Air Tech X-Stream Wind Tunnel
Pitsco Test Flight Wing Analyzer

15. 100 W Pflugerville Loop Suite 103
Budget Plan
Vendor
Order #
Quantity
Description
Single Price
Total
Pitsco Ideas and Solutions
W31233 1
Airtech X-Stream Wind Tunnel
$3,895.00
W30131
Test Flight Wing Analyzer and Software, X-Stream Version
$1,195.00
W54545
The Wing Cutter Package
$550.00
Special Vendor 10
NACA 4415 Styrofoam Airfoil
Flying Foam
15cm chord length
.6 cm max camber
100 W Pflugerville Loop Suite 103
2.25cm max thickness
Pflugerville, TX 78660
.2cm sheeting allowance
(512)
Zero leading edge length
.1cm trailing edge thickness

16. Bibliography
Anderson, John D., Aerodynamic Force, Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, McGraw Hill Inc, US, ©2001, Volume 1 AAR-AOR, pps
Amhad, Abdullah and Watterson, CFD Simulations of Oscillating Sub-Boundary Layer Vortex Generators for Diffuser Flow Separation Control, International Journal of Engineering and Technology, ©2008, Volume 5, Number 1, pps 25-35
Benson, Tom, Modern Drag Equation, NASA Glenn Research Center, June 15, 2007
Benson, Tom, Modern Lift Equation, NASA Glenn Research Center, June 15, 2007
Hollyman, Gareth, Carbon Emissions from Aviation Grow Rapidly, Manchester Metropolitan University, June
Kroo, Ilan, Applied Aerodynamics: A Digital Textbook, Desktop Aeronautics Inc., ©2007 January, Stanford CA, Section 7.1
Marchaj, C A, Aero-Hydrodynamics of Sailing, International Marine Publishing, ©1991 January, Part 2 Section A.5, pps
Mason, Vortex Generators, AOE, March
Nolan, Peter J., Fundamentals of College Physics, Wm. C. Brown Communications Inc., ©1995 United States of America, Chapter 4 Section 3, pps 81-82
Reuss, R, Effects of Surface Roughness and Vortex Generators on the NACA 4415 Airfoil, Ohio State University, December 1995
Scott, Jeff, "Vortex Generators", Aerospace Web, January
Zungia, Fanny A., Flight Test Results of Riblets at Supersonic Speeds, NASA, June 1992