Overview
OverviewThe project goal is to analyze and recreate an airfoil based on the NACA number. Then test and record the airfoil in simulated conditions. Then create an airfoil and test it to see if it matched the characteristics of its simulated counterparts.
The Vought v-150 specs
The Vought V-150 is a fighter propeller jet used in the early 20th century with a low-wing design. It is a single seat jet with fixed tricycle landing gear with a "Wasp-Junior" engine. Produced by the Northrop Corporation c. 1933.
THe NAca profile of the Vought V-150--2415
Getting the vital data based on the NACA number involved looking up the NACA number for the chosen airfoil, and plotting its profile. We used the NACA 4 digit series profile generate to get the profile. This profile is used to create the airfoil for testing.
The NACA number is broken up into three parts:
a. The first digit is the Maximum camber, which is 2% of 2D airfoil chord length "c."
b. The second digit is the location of maximum camber which is at 4/10ths of the chord line from the leading edge.
c. The third and fourth digits are the maximum thickness (15%) of the chord.
The NACA number is broken up into three parts:
a. The first digit is the Maximum camber, which is 2% of 2D airfoil chord length "c."
b. The second digit is the location of maximum camber which is at 4/10ths of the chord line from the leading edge.
c. The third and fourth digits are the maximum thickness (15%) of the chord.
TESTING
The NASA FoilSim applet calculates the lift of an airfoil based on user inputs of flow conditions and wing geometry. We used the NACA number (2415) to set the shape of the airfoil. The flight conditions are set at 60 mph and the altitude is at 0. The data is recorded with the Angle of Attack is set to -20 and the Final Angle of Attack to 20 and the Angle of Attack Step to 5 degrees. Complete Foilsim Excel chart is below. Example of website in testing below as well. Autodesk Inventor design below.
The Airfoil was then 3-D printed:
And the results of the real test in a real wind tunnel are below:
The two charts are blatantly different. This was caused by several reasons, the first being air speed. The speed in the simulator was 100 mph, while the speed in the wind tunnel was 80 mph. Next was surface. It is assumed in the simulator that the airfoil is perfectly smooth on all sides and edges. This, for the 3-d printed airfoil, was not the case. The surface has indents due to the printing process which would cause friction to develop and impede proper results