2015/06/05

Changes of the slope of the lifting force characteristic CL=CL(α)

How the slope of the lifting force characteristic CL = CL (α) changes with increasing thickness and camber of the airfoil according to the potential flow theory and according to the thin airfoil theory?

Potential flow theory:

According to the potential flow theory, the slope of the lift force characteristic for the Joukovsky’s non-symmetrical airfoil with zero thickness (ε = 0) is expressed by the approximate formula:
where f is the camber ratio (ratio between the maximal deflection of the mean camber line and the chord of the airfoil).
The small correction is proportional to the square of the camber. The thicker the profile of the airfoil, the more the slope of CL = CL (α) is increased.

The formula for the lift force coefficient can be written as follows:
where β is negative and corresponds to zero lift condition.
The deflection of the airfoil (AoA) leads to the vertical shift in the characteristic CL = CL (α) curve, as the equation is α dependent.

Thin airfoil theory:

The slope of the lift force characteristic CL = CL (α) is equal:
From which it can be clearly seen that the slope does not depend on the airfoil camber. It does not include also the correction as it was in the potential flow theory.

The formula for the lift force coefficient can be written as follows:
where
 is the negative angle of attack at which the camber airfoil is not producing any lift.
Summarizing it:

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