Name :

Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group

Flow over A Cylinder

Aim:
The objective of the experiment is to estimate the drag coefficient for a cylinder (C 15 23) placed in
test section of C-15 10 Armfield wind Tunnel using two different techniques ( Prediction of Drag using 1.
Measurement of the Normal Pressure distribution on the body and 2. Wake Measurements). The experiment is
done for three uniform free stream velocities.
Description:
The experiment is carried out in the C 15 10 Armfield Wind tunnel shown in figure -1 (taken from
Ref -1) which has a test section of 150mm X 150mm cross section and length of 455mm.
The cylinder of diameter 30mm (Test Specimen C -15 23) is place in the test section. The cylinder has
10 equi-spaced static pressure ports (connected to manometers via flexible hoses) on its periphery shown if
figure -2 which covers 180O (half circumference of the cylinder).
Figure -3 shows the wake survey rake (C -15 23)which has 10 tubes facing the flow (connected to
manometers via flexible hoses) with a pitch of 5mm, which is mounted downstream of the cylinder in the test
section to capture the local stagnation pressures.
The experiment is done for three different fan speeds of the wind tunnel 80%, 85% and 90%. The fan
speeds corresponds to the uniform free stream velocity (V) of 17.7m/s, 18.9m/s and 20.3m/s respectively.

Figure -1 C-15 10 Armfield Wind Tunnel (picture taken from Ref 1).

Figure -2 C-15 23 Cylinder static pressure ports.

Name :
Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group

Figure -3 C-15 23 schematic diagram of wake survey rake.

Measuring Instruments:
The C-15 12 electronic manometer is used for static pressure and stagnation pressure measurement.
This is in turn connected to the computer using the interface software. The flow speed also controlled
thorough the interface software in the computer. The electronic manometer gives the pressure readings in
millimetres of H2O.
Test Procedure:
The cylinder as well as the wake survey rake is mounted on the wind tunnel test section. The bunch of
flexible hoses which connects the static pressure ports (say hoses -1) of cylinder is connected to the electronic
manometer. The wind tunnel fan is operated at its 80% (V = 17.7m/s) of the speed. The pressure readings
are monitored and they are recorded when the readings are stable. The tunnel is stopped. The hoses -1 is
dismantled, then the flexible hoses connects the stagnation pressure ports (say hoses -2) of wake survey is
connected to the electronic manometer. The tunnel is operated for 80% of the fan speed. The stagnation
pressure readings are recorded once they are stable. Disconnect the hoses 2.
Repeat the above procedure for fan speed 85% (V = 18.9m/s) and fan speed 90% (V = 20.3m/s).
Analysis and results:
The measured static gauge pressures in mm of H2O (H) from cylinder and stagnation gauge pressures
in mm of H2O from wake survey rake for three free stream velocities are tabulated in table -1.
P
Ports

= 18.6 mm of H2O
V = 17.7 m/s

Cylinder
(mm of H2O)

= 21.3 mm of H2O
V = 18.9 m/s

= 24.4 mm of H2O
V = 20.3 m/s

Rake
(mm of H2O)

Cylinder
(mm of H2O)

Rake
(mm of H2O)

Cylinder
(mm of H2O)

Rake
(mm of H2O)

0.7

10.3

11.9

0.9

14

8.9

12.9

10.1

15.9

11.7

18.8

30.4

18.1

34.4

21.2

39.8

25.6

50

22.2

56.6

25.6

65.4

30.7

50.5

24.9

57.3

28.3

66.2

31.9

48.5

25.6

55

28.8

63.9

31.1

50

23.7

56.3

26

65.7

29.5

51.1

20.1

57.3

20.7

66.7

24.5

52.8

16

58.8

15.4

68.8

19.4

10

53.6

12.2

60

11.8

69.5

12.2

Table -1 Measured values

Name :
Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group

The reference atmospheric pressure is 100539.4 Pa.

Gauge Pressure = Density of water X Acceleration due to Gravity X mm of H2O = w

*g*H

w = 1000 Kg/m3, g = 9.812 m/s2, H = m of H2O

The absolute pressure = -Gauge Pressure + Atmospheric pressure.
P = 100356.9 Pa
V = 17.7 m/s
Ports

Cylinder
(Pa)

P = 100330.4 Pa
V = 18.9 m/s

Rake - PO (y)
(Pa)

Cylinder
(Pa)

Rake - PO (y)
(Pa)

P = 100300 Pa
V = 20.3 m/s
Cylinder
(Pa)

Rake - PO (y)
(Pa)

100532.5

100438.3

100529.6

100422.7

100530.6

100402.1

100452.1

100412.8

100440.3

100383.4

100424.6

100355.0

100241.2

100361.8

100201.9

100331.4

100149

100288.3

100048.9

100321.6

99984.14

100288.3

99897.82

100238.2

100044.0

100295.1

99977.28

100261.8

99889.97

100226.5

100063.6

100288.3

99999.84

100256.9

99912.53

100234.3

100048.9

100306.9

99987.09

100284.3

99894.87

100250.0

100038.1

100342.2

99977.28

100336.3

99885.06

100299.0

100021.4

100382.4

99962.56

100388.3

99864.46

100349.1

10

100013.6

100419.7

99950.79

100423.6

99857.6

100419.7

Table -2 Absolute Pressure values

Method 1: Prediction of Drag using Measurement of the Normal Pressure distribution
The Co-efficient of pressure CP at each cylinder port location is calculated using the formula given below

1 2
2
The Co-efficient of Drag CD is calculated by integrating the CP
=

2

2 0
1

Using trapezoidal rule the CD is found by the following formula

1
=
2

=1,2,3..

( ) + ( )+1

1
2

d = Diameter of the cylinder, Drag is in (/) unit, = Density of air = 1.225 kg/m3

Table -3 presents the calculation done for estimating the CD for the free stream velocities (V) 17.7m/s,
18.9m/s and 20.3 m/s.
Reynolds Number =

(=1.785 .)

The theoretical CP is calculated using the formula below

= 1 42

Name :
Roll No:
P = 100356.9 Pa
V = 17.7 m/s, Re = 30453

P = 100330.4 Pa
V = 18.9 m/s, Re = 32518

0.9151

( ) + ( )+1

0.2463

0.9102

20

0.4959

-0.0176

0.5022

40

-0.6033

-0.2953

60

-1.6053

80

-1.6308

100

P = 100300 Pa
V = 20.3 m/s, Re = 34926

0.9134

( ) + ( )+1

-0.0140

0.4936

-0.0172

-0.5874

-0.2901

-0.5985

-0.2931

-0.2824

-1.5828

-0.2790

-1.5935

-0.2808

-0.0958

-1.6141

-0.0947

-1.6246

-0.0958

-1.5286

0.0950

-1.5110

0.0934

-1.5352

0.0952

120

-1.6053

0.2851

-1.5693

0.2778

-1.6052

0.2835

140

-1.6615

0.4559

-1.6141

0.4406

-1.6440

0.4505

160

-1.7484

0.5802

-1.6814

0.5603

-1.7257

0.5705

180

-1.7893

0.6174

-1.7352

0.5963

-1.7529

0.6071

200

-1.7484

0.5592

-1.6814

0.5405

-1.7257

0.5527

220

-1.6615

0.4368

-1.6141

0.4256

-1.6440

0.4344

240

-1.6053

0.2735

-1.5693

0.2688

-1.6052

0.2740

260

-1.5286

0.0958

-1.5110

0.0947

-1.5352

0.0958

280

-1.6308

-0.0981

-1.6141

-0.0969

-1.6246

-0.0975

300

-1.6053

-0.1927

-1.5828

-0.1894

-1.5935

-0.1913

320

-0.6033

-0.0144

-0.5874

-0.0114

-0.5985

-0.0140

340

0.4959

0.2314

0.5022

0.2316

0.4936

0.2308

360

0.9151

Degrees

CD
D
(N/m)

( ) + ( )+1

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group

0.2465

0.9102

0.2456

0.9134

1.440

1.400

1.425

6.909

7.660

8.993

Table 3 Calculation for CD estimation by method -I

Figures 4 & 5 shows the CP distribution for the different Reynolds number and theoretical value.

Figure 4 CP - Vs -

Name :
Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group

Figure 4 CP - Vs - on cylinder
Method 2: Prediction of Drag using Wake Measurements
By measuring the velocity profile downstream (in the wake) of the flow the drag co-efficient is
determined by the equation below.
=

2 ()
()
2( )

1
+

0
2
= +

L = length of the rake

PW = wake static pressure which is taken as the least absolute pressure calculated in the tables
For V = 17.7 m/s, PW = 100288.3 Pa
For V = 18.9 m/s, PW = 100256.9Pa
For V = 20.3 m/s, PW = 100226.5Pa

()

The function () = 0

() =

()

2 ( () )

is integrated using simpsons 1/3 rd rule.

Name :
Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group
For simpsons rule (shown below) the number of data should be in even numbers (excluding the initial value),
but the number of measured data is odd numbers 9 port readings excluding the initial value. So the measured
data is interpolated. Table 4 shows the CD calculation from the wake survey rake data.

=1
=

=1
=

() =
(0) + 4 ( ) + 2 ( ) + ()

3
0

Original
location
0.00
5.00

V = 17.7 m/s

V = 18.9 m/s

V = 20.3 m/s

()

()

()

15.654
14.262

16.452
14.374

Interpolated

V = 17.7 m/s

16.932

Location
0.00

14.485

4.50

V = 18.9 m/s

V = 20.3 m/s

() ( ) () ( ) () ( )
15.654

0.102

16.452

0.113

16.932

0.138

14.401

0.158

14.582

0.185

14.729

0.208

10.00

10.960

11.033

10.045

9.00

11.620

0.250

11.700

0.258

10.932

0.272

15.00

7.379

7.159

4.384

13.50

8.454

0.278

8.320

0.273

6.081

0.235

20.00

3.348

2.830

0.000

18.00

4.961

0.227

4.560

0.205

1.752

0.086

25.00

0.000

0.000

3.580

22.50

1.674

0.095

1.414

0.075

1.791

0.073

30.00

5.516

6.697

6.200

27.00

2.207

0.086

2.682

0.092

4.629

0.158

35.00

9.386

11.390

10.887

31.50

6.677

0.177

8.108

0.170

7.609

0.174

40.00

12.400

14.650

14.149

36.00

9.988

0.169

12.044

0.143

11.542

0.172

45.00

14.650

16.501

17.763

40.50

12.625

0.123

14.836

0.100

14.514

0.089

45.00

14.650

0.828

16.501

0.873

17.763

0.875

=1
=

=1
=

(0) + 4 ( ) + 2 ( ) + ()

()
0

5.719

5.594

2.481

0.010

0.009

0.004

0.746

0.331

0.605

0.525

1.351

1.259

0.763

0.644

1.407

Table 4 Calculation for CD estimation by method -2

Figure -5 Wake Velocity profile.

Name :
Roll No:

M.Karthick
AE12M009
2nd Group
Table -5 and figure -5 shows the comparison between the two methods of estimating the CD for cylinder for
three different Reynolds number (three different Free stream velocities).
V (m/s)

Re

CD
Method - I

CD
Method - II

17.7
30453
1.440
1.407
18.9
32518
1.400
1.351
20.3
34926
1.425
1.259
Table 4 comparison between method I & II

Figure 6 CD - Vs - Re
Conclusion:
The experimental data is analysed and from the figure -6 and table -5 shows that both the methods for
prediction of Drag of a circular cylinder gives more or less same results.

Ref -1: Armfield Wind Tunnel Instruction Manual C 15 Issue 8, dated July 2010.