Laminar and Turbulent Flow

Goal: To understand how size, shape and pitch or angle of attack (AOA) varies the performance of a test model. Discussion topics: Lift, drag, angle, pitch, airflow, model size, model shape, yarn attachment or tufting, turbulent flow, laminar flow, point of separation, boundary layer, streamlines, pressure differential, wall effects. Explanation: Laminar flow is characterized by layers, or laminas, of air moving at the same speed and in the same direction. No fluid is exchanged between the laminas and the flow need not be in a straight line. The closer the laminas are to the airfoil surface the slower they move. For an ideal fluid the flow follows the curved surface smoothly, in laminas. In turbulent flow, the streamlines or flow patterns are disorganized and there is an exchange of fluid between these areas.1 Momentum is also exchanged such that slow moving fluid particles speed up and fast moving particles give up their momentum to the slower moving particles and slow down themselves. All or nearly all fluid-flow displays some degree of turbulence.2 From the Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use3, an on-line dictionary available from NASA, "a boundary layer in fluid mechanics is defined as the layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a bounding surface or the layer affected by the viscosity of the fluid.4 The dictionary further defines boundary layer in terms of aerodynamics as; boundary-layer thickness is measured from the surface to an arbitrarily chosen point, e.g., where the velocity is 99 percent of the stream velocity. Thus, in aerodynamics, boundary layer by selection of the reference point, can

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include only the laminar boundary layer or the laminar boundary layer plus all, or a portion of, the turbulent boundary layer." 5

Figure 6. 1: Turbulent vs. Laminar Boundary Flow 6

In figure 6.1 the laminar boundary layer in the upper photo is shown separating from the crest of the convex surface, while the turbulent boundary layer in the second photo remains attached longer with the point of separation occuring further downstream.7 The turbulent layer separation occurs when the Reynolds stresses are much larger than the viscous stresses.

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Grade 7-8 Laminar and Turbulent Flow Objective: Given a shaped model the student will be able to scotch tape yarn to its surface. Make predictions as to the behavior of the yarn when air flows over the model. Mount the model in the wind tunnel. Measure lift and drag. Observe the yarn behavior and comment on the point of separation as well as compare performance to other shapes. Material: Various model shapes (sphere, torpedo, flat plate, airfoil section, various sizes up to 4 inches long), scotch tape, yarn cut to small lengths (1 to 2 inches). Procedure: Tape yarn to the top and bottom surface of the test model, as shown in figure 6.2. Mount the model in the wind tunnel. Record observations of the yarn behavior as either the fan speed or the angle of attack is varied. Compare results with other students as well as with predications made prior to testing.

Figure 6. 2: Yarn tufts attached to airfoil.

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Grade 9-10 Laminar and Turbulent Flow Objective: The student will be able to mount a small truck model, in the wind tunnel and measure drag. The student will make predictions of what streamlining will do to improve drag. The student will then streamline the model using modeling clay, mount it the wind tunnel, measure drag, and compare performance before and after streamlining as well as with the results of other students tests. Models are mounted in the wind tunnel sideways removing gravity from the equation.8 Material: Model trucks (matchbox size up to 2 inch height), scotch tape, yarn cut to small lengths (1 to 2 inches), and modeling clay. Procedure: Tape yarn to the surface of the test model. Make predictions as to the behavior of the yarn on the model. Mount the model in the wind tunnel. Measure drag of model before and after streamlining. Record observations of yarn behavior as the fan speed is varied. Plot results for comparison with other students and well as with predictions made prior to testing.

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Grade 11-12 Laminar and Turbulent Flow Objective: Using different shapes, the student will be able to drill 5 holes in the model. Insert plastic hoses in the holes flush with the upper surface of the shape. Make predictions for what pressure differential might look like. Mount it in the wind tunnel. Measure lift and drag and observe the pressure differential at the holes. Material: Different model shapes (up to 3 in3, or narrower and up to 5 inches long), drill, drill bit, plastic hoses, colored water manometer. Procedure: Drill 5 holes in the test model and insert the hoses flush with the upper surface of the model. Mount model in wind tunnel threading hoses through hole in bottom of wind tunnel test section. Attach hoses to the colored water manometer. Measure lift and drag and record observations of manometer as the angle of attack is varied. Compare results with other students as well as with predictions made prior to testing. Further Explanation: The pressure differences at the different holes in the model displace the water in the manometer (Figure 6.3). The operation of the manometer is developed from Bernoullis theorem.

B D

Figure 6. 3: Location of pressure difference in water manometer. 9

That is the sum of the kinetic energy, pressure energy and potential energy remains constant. If the flow is horizontal, the way airflow approaches a plane in level

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flight, then the potential energy of the flow is a constant. Bernoullis theorem reduces to Kinetic energy + Pressure energy = Constant, where the constant includes the constant value of potential energy. Considering energy per unit volume, Bernoullis equation is written in terms of pressure.10 Kinetic energy per unit volume is called dynamic pressure q. It is determined by q = V2, where is the fluid flow density in lbs/ft3 and V is the speed at the point in question (in this case denoted by the subscripts a-d) in ft/sec. The pressure energy per unit volume is the static pressure of the fluid and is given by the symbol p. The constant energy per unit volume is called the total pressure pt. Bernoullis equation reduces to Dynamic pressure + Static pressure = Total pressure or V2 + p = pt. When air is flowing through a wind tunnel, the potential energy of the air is the same throughout the tunnel. The total energy at A equals that at B equals that at C.11 Va2 + Pa = Vb2 + Pb = Vc2 + Pc 2g 2g 2g where Va-Vc are the velocities in ft/sec at points a-c, g is gravity equal to 32.2 Pa-Pc are the pressures in lbs/ ft2 at points a-c, and is the density of the fluid in lbs/ft3. Since at A velocity is zero, and since we are not concerned with the total energy at B, but principally at C. Pa = Vc2 + Pc or Vc = sqrt 2g(Pa-Pc) 2g where Vc is in ft/sec, g = 32.2, Pa-Pc is in lbs/ft2, and lbs/ft3.

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The manometer measures directly the difference in pressure between the air at D and at C; or, since the air pressure at D equals that at A, it measures (Pa-Pc). To determine the air velocity indicated by differences in level of the manometer, it is only necessary to substitute the correct values into the above equation.12

1 2

Theodore A. Talay, Introduction to the Aerodynamics of Flight (Washington D.C.: NASA Langley 1975) 39-41. Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, LeRC NASA, http://ctd.lerc.nasa.gov/dictionary/t.html#turbulent boundary layer, 1998. 3 Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, LeRC NASA, http://ctd.lerc.nasa.gov/dictionary/b.html, 1998. 4 Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, LeRC NASA, http://ctd.lerc.nasa.gov/dictionary/b.html #boundarylayer, 1998. 5 Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, LeRC NASA, http://ctd.lerc.nasa.gov/dictionary/b.html, 1998. 6 Milton Van Dyke, An Album of Fluid Motion (Stanford: Parabolic, 1982) 91. 7 Van Dyke, 91. 8 Shawn Carlson, Caught in a Wind Tunnel, The Amateur Scientist, Scientific America November 1997: 106-109. 9 The Civil Aeronautics Administration and the American Council on Education Demonstrations and Laboratory Experiences in the Science of Aeronautics, 1st ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1945) 30. 10 Talay, 33. 11 Talay, 34. 12 The Civil Aeronautics Administration, 46.

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