International Journal of Fluid Mechanics Research

ISSN for PRINT: 1064-2277

For Online Access

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2005, Volume32

Issue 2

133 pages

DOI: 10.1615/InterJFluidMechRes.v32.i2

Issue price - $270.00

M. Rafiuddin Ahmed
The University of the South Pacific

The flow characteristics over a NACA 4415 airfoil are studied experimentally at a Reynolds number of 2.4 · 10⁵ by varying the angle of attack from 0 to 10° and ground clearance of the trailing edge from five percent of chord to eighty percent. The pressure distribution on the airfoil surface was obtained, velocity survey over the surface was performed, wake region was explored and lift and drag forces were measured. A strong suction effect was observed on the lower surface for angles of attack of 0 and 2.5° at small ground clearances. For the angle of attack of 0°, a separation bubble formed on the lower surface for the smallest ground clearance while for 2.5°, laminar separation occurred from the lower surface well ahead of the trailing edge. Increased suction was observed on the upper surface for small ground clearances. For the angle of attack of 10°, the flow on the upper surface could not withstand the adverse pressure gradient at small ground clearances and separated from the surface resulting in a loss of lift and an increase in drag.

DOI: 10.1615/InterJFluidMechRes.v32.i2.30 Download article, 157-183 pages

Article price - $55.00

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