Experiment # 7

Objective:
Determine the Pressure Distribution along the length of an Airfoil (NACA 0012) on Air Flow Bench at
different angle of attacks (AoA) also find the angle of attack
Introduction:
In aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, an object in a flow produces lift when the pressure on one side of
the object is greater than the pressure on the other. Lift forces are generally produced in order to lift a
moving object such as an aircraft against its own weight. In case of an aircraft, the lift is achieved by
making the air flow over its wings. The cross sectional shape of airplane’s wing is called an airfoil. The
airfoil is designed in such a way that when air flows over it, it induces lift forces in the body because of
varying pressure distribution on lower and upper side of the airfoil.
Types of Airfoils:
There are two main types of airfoils based on the geometry given as

1. Symmetric airfoil:
The type of airfoil in which the curvature on both sides of the centerline or chord line of the airfoil is
same is called as symmetric airfoil. A symmetric airfoil in airflow produces no lift when its angle of
incidence is zero, as the pressure above and below the airfoil is equal. As the angle of incidence, also
called angle of attack, increases positively from zero, the airfoil starts to produce lift.
2. Cambered Airfoil:
The type of airfoil in which the curvature on both sides of the chord line is different is called a cambered
airfoil. The special characteristic of a cambered airfoil is that it can produce lift even at zero angle of
incidence because of different pressure distribution on upper and lower side. The lift characteristics of
symmetric and cambered airfoil are shown in the Fig.1.

In order to compare the performance of different airfoils, the pressure readings are further converted into
dimensionless number called the pressure coefficients. They are determined as follow:

P L−P ∞
CP=
1 Where,
ρ V 2∞
2
CP = Coefficient of Pressure
PL = Local Static Pressure (Pressure at the tapping) P∞ = Free Stream static pressure
ρ =Density of air V ∞ = Free Stream Velocity

Experimentally we can measure the performance of an airfoil by two ways:

i. By direct measurement with force sensors on airfoil

ii. By measurement of pressures on the surface of airfoil relative to the local air pressure.

Hardware:
Air Flow Bench (AF10), Airfoil with Tappings Attachment (AF18)

Procedure:
1. Fit the Airfoil attachment to the Air Flow Bench as shown in the Fig.4. and lock the clamps.
2. Connect the pipes provided with the attachment to the multi-tube manometer such that the lower
side of airfoil tappings 1,3,5,7,9 and 11 are connected to first set of tubes and upper side tappings
2,4,6,8,10 and 12 to the other side of manometer.
3. Connect the inlet static pressure pipe to manometer and leave one manometer tube open to the
atmospheric for the reference.
4. Loosen the locking screw at the back of airfoil and set the airfoil to 0º angle. Then tighten the
screw.
5. Start the air flow bench and set the airflow to the maximum, wait for some time to allow the flow
become steady and smooth over the airfoil. Once settled, record all the pressure readings from the
manometer with reference to the atmospheric pressure.
6. Replace the static pressure pipe with the air box pipe and record the stagnation pressure as well.
7. Now increase the angle of attack
of airfoil in positive values up to
22.5º with increments given as
0º, 10º, 17º, 20º and 22.5º and
repeat the same procedure by
recording the values of local
static, inlet static and stagnation
pressures from manometer.
8. Once performed and noted all
the readings, covert the static
pressure readings to Effective
Static Pressure ( P¿¿ eff )¿ for each
Angle of Attack and find out the
free stream velocity (V ¿¿ ∞ ). ¿
9. Use the values of effective
pressure, local static pressure
and free stream velocity to
determine the corresponding
coefficient of pressure at every
angle of attack.

The Effective Static Pressure and the

Free Stream Velocity in the duct are Fig.4. Experimental Setup
calculated as follow:

85 √(2 × ( P o−Peff ) )
Peff =Ps + ×( Pa−P s) V ∞=
135 ρ air
Similarly, the pressure coefficient can be determined as follow:

P L−P eff
CP=
1
ρ V 2∞
2

Observation and Calculations:

Airfoil Characteristics
Airfoil Type NACA 0012 (Symmetric Airfoil)
Airfoil Chord 63mm
Airfoil Wing Span 49mm
Effective Surface Area .0031m2
Tapping Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Tapping Position From
Leading Edge “x” (mm) 2.2 3.9 6.1 8.7 11.8 14.8 20.0 25.6 31.4 37.3 43.4 49.5
Po = Stagnation Pressure, Ps = Static Pressure , Pa = atmospheric Pressure, P L = Local Static Pressure

Angle of Attack Effective Pressure = Free Stream Po =242mmH2O/705.04N/m2

α = 0º Peff =2.22 mmH2O/ 21.75N/m2 Velocity Ps =180mmH2O/58.75 N/m2 Pa =
V∞ =33.69m/s 170 mmH2O
Tapping Number
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Local Static
Pressure = PL (N/m2) 16 -6 -34 -48 -44 -46 -38 -34 -28 -25 -15 -8
𝑷𝑳 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
𝑪𝑷 =
𝟏 𝟐 0.197 -0.117 -0.52 -0.72 -0.662 -0.691 -0.576 -0.519 -0.433 -0.39 -0.246 -0.146
𝟐 𝝆𝑽∞
Angle of Attack Effective Pressure = Free Stream Po =242mmH2O/705.04N/m2
α = 10º Peff =3.7mmH2O/ 36.26 N/m2 Velocity Ps = 180mmH2O/97.92N/m2 Pa =
V∞ = 33.33 m/s 170 mmH2O
Tapping Number
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Local Static
Pressure = PL (N/m2) 68 -102 40 -124 10 -94 0 -54 -2 -30 -2 -12
𝑷𝑳 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
𝑪𝑷 =
𝟏 𝟐 0.9415 -1.54 0.531 -1.86 0.092 -1.431 -0.054 -0.844 -0.083 -0.493 -0.083 -0.23
𝟐 𝝆𝑽∞
Angle of Attack Effective Pressure = Free Stream Po =242mmH2O/705.04N/m 2

α = 17.5º Peff =6.67 mmH2O/65.28 N/m 2 Velocity Ps=188mmH2O/176.26N/m2 Pa =

V∞ = 32.59 m/s 170 mmH2O
Tapping Number
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Local Static
Pressure = PL (N/m2) 66 -26 60 -10 34 -80 10 -48 8 -26 1 -16
𝑷𝑳 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
𝑪𝑷 =
𝟏 𝟐 0.908 -0.500 0.816 -2.55 0.4185 -1.33 0.05 -0.837 0.0203 -0.500 -0.087 -0.35
𝟐 𝝆𝑽∞
Angle of Attack Effective Pressure = Free Stream Po =242mmH2O/705.04N/m2
α = 20º Peff = 10.36 mmH2O/ 101.5N/m2 Velocity Ps = 198mmH2O/274.2N/m2 Pa =
V∞ = 31.66m/s 170 mmH2O
Tapping Number
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Local Static
Pressure = PL (N/m2) 70 -24 54 -38 32 -38 18 -36 6 -4 2 -32
𝑷𝑳 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
𝑪𝑷 =
𝟏 𝟐 0.967 -0.557 0.708 -0.79 0.351 -0.784 0.1239 -0.752 -0.071 -0.233 -0.135 -0.69
𝟐 𝝆𝑽∞
Angle of Attack Effective Pressure = Free Stream Po =242mmH2O/705.04N/m2
α = 22.5º Peff = 12.59 mmH2O/123.29N/m2 Velocity Ps =204mmH2O/332.9/m2 Pa = 170
V∞ = 31.08m/s mmH2O
Tapping Number
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Local Static
Pressure = PL (N/m2) 70 -15 60 -24 40 -24 26 -26 14 -28 6 -28
𝑷𝑳 − 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
𝑪𝑷 =
𝟏 𝟐 0.966 -0.464 0.798 -0.62 0.461 -0.616 0.225 -0.649 0.0237 -0.683 0.1109 -0.68
𝟐 𝝆𝑽∞
Graph:
Plot the graph b/w “ x/C” vs. Cp for every angle of attack “α”.

Note: x/C = ratio of tapping position to the chord