Double

Degree Program
Laurea Magistrale In Ingegneria Aerospaziale

GASDINAMICA





Laboratory Experiment Report

DISTRIBUZIONE DI PRESSIONE ATTORNO AL PROFILO ALARE NACA 0015







Student:
David Pina Brando
203001

David Brando | 10/11/13

1. Introduction
This laboratory work focuses on comparison between the theoretical and experimental results
of an airfoil, NACA 0015, subjected to an airflow. The airfoil has a chord of 100mm and was
placed in relation to the airflow to have an angle of attack of 10 degrees.
Due to the fact that the airfoil only had pressure ports on one side the measurements for the
upper and lower surfaces were made by disposing the airfoil in symmetrical angles of attack,
since the airfoil is symmetric. Therefore the data for the lower surface was made by putting
the airfoil to an angle of attack of -10 degrees, thus simulating that part of the airfoil when in
10 degrees.
The measurements were made with a series of pressure gauges, which shows the results on an
inclined bench with the results being in mm of alcohol.

2. Theoretical introduction
The NACA 0015 is an airfoil belonging to the four-digits NACA airfoils, which were created to
describe the shape of airfoils, developed by the National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics (NACA). The four-digits NACA are defined by:

First digit describing maximum camber as percentage of the chord;

Second digit describing the distance of maximum camber from the airfoil leading edge
in percentage of the chord;
Last two digits describing maximum thickness of the airfoil as percent of the chord.

The used relations were as follows:

(1) ! =

!!"#
!
.!
! !"#

Perfect gas relation

(4) ! =

! ! !" .sin ()

Being:

! - Free stream air density

!"# - Manometric Fluid Density
Manometric fluid height for free stream (static)
0 Manometric fluid height for free stream (total)
Inclination of the bench

(2) ! = + !
!

Being:
! - Total pressure
- Static Pressure
- Air Density
Air Speed

(3) = + . !"# . . sin ()

Being:

(5) ! =
(6)

!

!!

!!!!
!
! !!
! ! !

=1

!

!!

1 !
Being:

! - Free Stream Static Pressure

- Static pressure the point of interest
!"# - Manometric Fluid Density
Manometric fluid height at point of interest
Manometric fluid height for free stream
Inclination of the bench

Pressure coefficient
- Static Pressure at the point of interest
Velocity of the air at the point of interest
! - Free Stream Static Pressure
! - Free stream density
! - Free Stream Velocity

David Brando | 10/11/13

3. Experimental Data and Calculations

First, ambient conditions and experiment assembly data was taken, as shown in the following
table:
Ambient pressure
Ambient temperature
(angle of manometers)
Alcohol density
R specific air

(10)
(-10)
Air density
! (10)
! (-10)

993
18,1
30
785,1
287,058
static total
212
154
231
182
1,188
19,393
17,825

mbar
C

99300 Pa

Kg/m3

mm
mm
3
Kg/m
m/s
m/s

* calculated with eq. (1)

* calculated with eq. (4)

Table 1 - Ambient conditions and experiment assembly data

The following table shows the obtained measured values and calculations. For the calculation
of eq.(3) was used. For the calculation of eq.(5) was used. For the calculation of !
eq.(6) was used.

x/c*100

h/mm
10

x/c

h/mm
-10

10

212

231

-10

10

-
10

10

-10

10

-10

302

228

-90

-346,582

11,553

1,552

-0,061

1,597

0,969

2,5

0,025

371

188

-159

43

-612,296

165,589

2,741

-0,878

1,934

0,350

0,05

362

202

-150

29

-577,637

111,677

2,586

-0,592

1,894

0,639

10

0,1

324

216

-112

15

-431,303

57,764

1,931

-0,306

1,712

0,833

20

0,2

288

230

-76

-292,670

3,851

1,310

-0,020

1,520

0,990

30

0,3

271

235

-59

-4

-227,204

-15,404

1,017

0,082

1,420

1,040

40

0,4

266

237

-54

-6

-207,949

-23,105

0,931

0,122

1,390

1,059

50

0,5

247

239

-35

-8

-134,782

-30,807

0,603

0,163

1,266

1,079

60

0,6

238

239

-26

-8

-100,124

-30,807

0,448

0,163

1,203

1,079

70
80

0,7
0,8

230
221

239
235

-18
-9

-8
-4

-69,316
-34,658

-30,807
-15,404

0,310
0,155

0,163
0,082

1,145
1,075

1,079
1,040

Table 2 - Measured quantities and calculation results

The obtained values are depicted bellow in the form of two graphs (shown in the following
page).

David Brando | 10/11/13

Pressure distribuHon
3,000

-Cp along upper surface (10)

2,500

-Cp along bolom surface (-10)

- CP

2,000
1,500
1,000
0,500
0,000
-0,500
-1,000
0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

x/c

Velocity
2,500

Velocity along upper surface (10)

V/V

2,000

Velocity along bolom surface (-10)

1,500
1,000
0,500
0,000
0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

x/c

Figures 1 & 2 - Graphics showing the evolution of Cp and Stream Velocity around the airfoil.

4. Discussion
As expected, a point of maximum suction (minimum Cp) is visible on the upper surface of the
airfoil, close to the leading edge, which also corresponds to the maximum velocity point. From
then until x/c = 0.8 Cp increases, generating an unfavourable pressure gradient along most of
the surface, usually related with the appearance of flow separation (if strong enough).
On the bottom surface of the airfoil theres a pressure peak near the leading edge, due to the
incidence angle (10) of the flow, as was expected. Velocity decreases until that point and
starts increasing after the peak, due to the favourable pressure gradient installed on that
surface.
Lift wasnt directly measured during the experiment but is expected to be positive due to the
larger absolute values of Cp along the top surface (negative values) in comparison with the
smaller absolute values along the bottom surface (which are positive pointing upwards
until x/c = 0.3).
In conclusion, the experiment was successful on showing the typical expected pressure
evolution arround an airfoil.