Essays on Airfoil

Introduction:

Airfoil design and selection is an important deciding factor in aircraft performance. Airfoil is a term used to describe the cross section of the aircraft wings. By observing birds in flight, man has understood that flat plates, resembling bird’s wings can produce the necessary lift to set the aircraft flying. However the actual importance of airfoil in designing the wings of the aircraft was recognized only in 1800. Since then many engineers have designed, tested and patented a number of variations in airfoil pattern. Over the years, there has been a remarkable advancement in technology of airfoil construction and also in ...

Introduction

When the word “fluid” is mentioned in everyday language, many think that it simply refers to liquids. However, in the world of physics, the term fluid has an entirely different meaning. It denotes any liquid or gas that has the ability to adjust or conform to the shape of the container in which is it being held. Fluid mechanics refers to the study of fluids in motion and at rest. Fluid mechanics is usually divided into two subsections. The first subsection is referred to as fluid statics. This is primarily concerned with studying those fluids are stationary or static. ...

Introduction

A wind turbine is a device that uses the kinetic energy derived from wind to create mechanical energy. This simply means the wind’s force pushes the blade into motion. Different wind turbines have different ways of extracting wind energy like most machines. Aerodynamics, on the other hand, simply refers to the flow of air about a body. This makes aerodynamics to be a critical aspect of wind turbines as this flow of air about the turbines is what determines its power output. This paper focuses on the aerodynamic behavior of wind turbines (Hansen 21). Calculation of forces acting on a body ...

Abstract

Motorsports or motorsport which involves motorized vehicles is considered fun on wheels. However, the sport is more than meets the eye. Motorsport and hill climbing are the riskiest pursuits, and require the highest degree of courage and conviction to pursue this sport. This paper defined and described motorsports, and dwelled at length on the developmental history of motorsports, particularly auto racing or car racing. Starting from the manufacture of the first gasoline-fueled automobiles, and first organized contest on 28th April 1887, every stage of development such as the period up to 1950, and thereafter till date has been included. ...

Introduction

Spoilers may be defined as control surfaces that may be raised or lowered to interrupt the smooth airflow over the airfoil. This causes the separation of flow behind the spoiler. Flow separation causes a reduction in the lift of the airfoil, increasing its drag. When applied properly, these effects may be useful and may improve the flying qualities and controllability of the airplane (Mohammad, Ferdous, and Ome 1). Spoilers area hinged; plate-like structures installed to flush with the upper surface of an aircraft wing. The spoilers are hinged at one end to allow for a pivoted movement. When in action, spoilers ...

Fluid mechanics is one of the major disciplines of physics applied in the design of airplane wings. Out of the many things considered is the relationship between angle of attack, airspeed, and lift. The angle of attack is measured in degrees between the chord and the direction of flight. Lift is an artificial force generated by the wings and can be manipulated by a pilot. Lift has varying characteristics during different times of the flight for instance during a level cruise it equals weight, its greater than weight during a climb and during descent its less than weight.

The parameters under consideration ...

Every commercial aircraft is fundamentally designed for safety, passenger acceptance, fuel efficiency and airport compatibility among other important features. Numerous challenges face all current passenger aircrafts, for instance the conventional wing consists of a number of moving parts which increase the weight of the plane and are difficult to adjust and maintain. The current control surfaces also increase turbulence and drag since the smooth flow of air is disrupted, and the aircraft cannot adapt to different flight stages and conditions. Design architectures such as the vertical and horizontal stabilizer surfaces increase the overall drag of the plane, for example, the ...