Advanced natural laminar flow airfoil with high lift to drag ratio

An experimental verification of a high performance natural laminar flow (NLF) airfoil for low speed and high Reynolds number applications was completed in the Langley Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT). Theoretical development allowed for the achievement of 0.70 chord laminar flow on both surfaces by the use of accelerated flow as long as tunnel turbulence did not cause upstream movement of transition with increasing chord Reynolds number. With such a rearward pressure recovery, a concave type deceleration was implemented. Two-dimensional theoretical analysis indicated that a minimum profile drag coefficient of 0.0026 was possible with the desired laminar flow at the design condition. With the three-foot chord two-dimensional model constructed for the LTPT experiment, a minimum profile drag coefficient of 0.0027 was measured at c sub l = 0.41 and Re sub c = 10 x 10 to the 6th power. The low drag bucket was shifted over a considerably large c sub l range by the use of the 12.5 percent chord trailing edge flap. A two-dimensional lift to drag ratio (L/D) was 245. Surprisingly high c sub l max values were obtained for an airfoil of this type. A 0.20 chort split flap with 60 deg deflection was also implemented to verify the airfoil's lift capabilities. A maximum lift coefficient of 2.70 was attained at Reynolds numbers of 3 and 6 million

Design of the low-speed NLF(1)-0414F and the high-speed HSNLF(1)-0213 airfoils with high-lift systems

The design and testing of Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) airfoils is examined. The NLF airfoil was designed for low speed, having a low profile drag at high chord Reynolds numbers. The success of the low speed NLF airfoil sparked interest in a high speed NLF airfoil applied to a single engine business jet with an unswept wing. Work was also conducted on the two dimensional flap design. The airfoil was decambered by removing the aft loading, however, high design Mach numbers are possible by increasing the aft loading and reducing the camber overall on the airfoil. This approach would also allow for flatter acceleration regions which are more stabilizing for cross flow disturbances. Sweep could then be used to increase the design Mach number to a higher value also. There would be some degradation of high lift by decambering the airfoil overall, and this aspect would have to be considered in a final design

Untersuchungen über Reibungsverminderungen an Tragflügeln, insbesondere mit Hilfe von Grenzschichtabsaugung

Memorandum presenting investigation on reductions of friction on wings, especially by means of boundary-layer suction. The report is broken up into several sections, including: causes of transition, laminar profiles with the transition taking place, laminar boundary-layer suction, investigation of the laminar pressure increase, investigation of the slot flow for laminar boundary-layer suction with single slots, tests about keeping a boundary layer for high Reynolds laminar with the aid of boundary-layer suction, and an investigation of a slightly-cambered laminar suction profile of 10.5-percent thickness

Untersuchungen über Reibungsverminderungen an Tragflügeln: insbesondere mit Hilfe von Grenzschichtabsaugung

Memorandum presenting investigation on reductions of friction on wings, especially by means of boundary-layer suction. The report is broken up into several sections, including: causes of transition, laminar profiles with the transition taking place, laminar boundary-layer suction, investigation of the laminar pressure increase, investigation of the slot flow for laminar boundary-layer suction with single slots, tests about keeping a boundary layer for high Reynolds laminar with the aid of boundary-layer suction, and an investigation of a slightly-cambered laminar suction profile of 10.5-percent thickness

Summary Of Transition Results From The F-16xl-2 Supersonic Laminar Flow Control Experiment

A variable-porosity suction glove has been flown on the F-16XL-2 aircraft to demonstrate the feasibility of this technology for the proposed High-Speed Civil Transport. Boundary-layer transition data on the titanium glove primarily have been obtained at speeds of Mach 2.0 and altitudes of 15,240--16,764 m (50,000--55,000 ft). The objectives of this flight experiment have been to achieve 0.50--0.60 chord laminar flow on a highly swept wing at supersonic speeds and to provide data to validate codes and suction design. The most successful laminar flow results have not been obtained at the glove design point, a speed of Mach 1.9 at an altitude of 15,240 m (50,000 ft); but rather at a speed of Mach 2.0 and an altitude of 16,154 m (53,000 ft). Laminar flow has been obtained to more than 0.46 wing chord at a Reynolds number of 22.710 6 . A turbulence diverter has been used to initially obtain a laminar boundary layer at the attachment line. A lowersurface shock fence was required to block a..