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Exp. No: 03 Date: 06.09.2015
DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE OVER A DELTA WING
Aim: To obtain coefficient of pressure distribution for a delta wing along the wings span, at various
angles of attack.
Introduction & Theory:
History
Starting in 1959, NASA did considerable work on basic configurations for the Super Sonic Transport(SST)
vehicles. There evolved four basic types of layout which were studied further by private industry.
Lockheed chose to go with a fixed-wing delta design; whereas, Boeing initially chose a swing-wing
design.
One problem associated with the SST is the tendency of the nose to pitch down as it flies from subsonic
to supersonic flight. The swing-wing can maintain the airplane balance and counteract the pitch-down
motion. Lockheed needed to install canards (small wings placed toward the airplane nose (fig. 1(a)) to
counteract pitch down. Eventually, the Lockheed design used a double-delta configuration (fig. 1(b)) and
the canards were no longer needed. This design proved to have many exciting aerodynamic advantages.
The forward delta begins to generate lift supersonically (negating pitch down). At low speeds the
vortices trailing from the leading edge of the double delta (fig. 2(a)) increase lift as shown in figure 2(b).
This means that many flaps and slats could be reduced or done away with entirely and a simpler wing
design was provided. In landing, the double delta experiences a ground-cushion effect which allows for
lower landing speeds. This is important since three-quarters of the airplane accidents occur in take-off
and landing.
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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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Purpose
The primary advantage of the delta wing is that, with a large enough angle of rearward sweep, the
wing's leading edge will not contact the shock wave boundary formed at the nose of the fuselage as the
speed of the aircraft approaches and exceeds transonic to supersonic speed. The rearward sweep angle
vastly lowers the airspeed normal to the leading edge of the wing, thereby allowing the aircraft to fly at
high subsonic, transonic, or supersonic speed, while the over wing speed of the lifting air is kept to less
than the speed of sound. The delta planform gives the largest total wing area (generating useful lift) for
the wing shape, with very low wing per-unit loading, permitting high manoeuvrability in the airframe. As
the delta's platform carries across the entire aircraft, it can be built much more strongly than a swept
wing, where the spar meets the fuselage far in front of the center of gravity. Generally a delta will be
stronger than a similar swept wing, as well as having much more internal volume for fuel and other
storage. Because the delta wing is simple, it can be made very robust (even if it is quite thin), and it is
easy and relatively inexpensive to build a substantial factor in the success of the MiG-21 and Mirage
aircraft.
(Eurofighter Typhoon of the German Luftwaffe has a tailless delta wing configuration)
Another advantage is that as the angle of attack increases, the leading edge of the wing generates
a vortex which energizes the flow, giving the delta a very high stall angle. A normal wing built for high
speed use is typically dangerous at low speeds, but in this regime the delta changes over to a mode of
lift based on the vortex it generates.
The disadvantages, especially marked in the older tailless delta designs, are a loss of total available lift
caused by turning up the wing trailing edge or the control surfaces (as required to achieve a sufficient
stability) and the high induced drag of this low-aspect ratio type of wing. This causes delta-winged
aircraft to 'bleed off' energy very rapidly in turns, a disadvantage in aerial manoeuvre combat and
dogfighting. It also causes a reduction in lift at takeoff and landing until the correct angle of attack is
achieved, this means that the rear undercarriage must be more strongly built than with a conventional
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wing.
Theory
The flow over the delta wing begins to separate quite early, at very small angles of attack, at 30,
whereas for rectangular wings flow separates at 140 to 180.
For deriving the Cp distribution theoretically, it is assumed that
Angle of attack, , is small tan 1 .
Wing with no spanwise camber.
Wing camberline, , is small 1 where c is the chord line.
Wing Aspect Ratio < 1.
Potential flow.
Hence the governing equation is the Laplace equation.
For slender wings, x >> y, z and we can assume that derivatives are inversely effected,
/ / , /
The angle of attack at which these vortices first form depends mostly on the wing sweep angle.
The sweep angle is defined as 90 minus half the included apex angle. These primary vortices (or
leading edge vortices) modify the local pressure distribution and velocity by introducing high
velocities and a low static pressure below the position of the vortex core. This suction peak gives
rise to the "vortex lift" or non-linear lift in addition to that achieved with fully attached flow
("potential lift"). These vortices produce a very low pressure region and can account for up to
30% of the total lift at moderate angles of attack. This lift increment can result in stall angles for
simple delta wings as high as 350 .
Using a transformation of the type:
Z*2 =Z2 -s2 (x),
where s(x) is the local semi span Considering no cross flow and using doublet distribution and
vortex distribution over a surface, the solution is obtained as-
=U[s 0.5 2 (x)-y2 ]
The loading or the pressure difference between upper and lower surface is given by
Cp=Cpu-Cpl =4s(x)*ds(x)/([s2 (x)-y2 0.5dx)
Apparatus / Experimental setup:
Slender delta wing
Pressure sensor (Scanivalve)
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DAQ system
Wind tunnel
Experimental Procedure:
First Delta Wing is mounted inside the test section of wind tunnel and the wind tunnel is started.
Now the pressure sensor is rotated to Port no.1 to 23 and the reading of (P - p) is noted down
using DAQ for upper surface of the wind Tunnel.
At port no.24 the reading for (Pstagnation - p) is noted down. The above steps are repeated for
angle of attack 0, 2
All the above steps from beginning are repeated for lower surface of the Delta wing.
Finally, the pressure port position over chord wing and height of test section is measured.
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Observation Table:
Angle of attack: 2 degree
Pressure port y(cm) P-P Po-P Cpu P-P Po-P Cpl Cpu-Cpl
1 -2.3 -0.0218 0.2594 -0.08404 -0.003763 0.2664 -0.01413 -0.06991
2 -1.4 -0.01832 0.2594 -0.07062 -0.003457 0.2664 -0.01298 -0.05765
3 1.6 -0.01657 0.2594 -0.06388 -0.003354 0.2664 -0.01259 -0.05129
4 2.5 -0.03429 0.2594 -0.13219 -0.001751 0.2664 -0.00657 -0.12562
5 -4.4 -0.02756 0.2594 -0.10625 -0.001758 0.2664 -0.0066 -0.09965
6 -3.3 -0.0189 0.2594 -0.07286 -0.00156 0.2664 -0.00586 -0.067
7 3 -0.01714 0.2594 -0.06608 -0.000943 0.2664 -0.00354 -0.06254
8 4.4 -0.02184 0.2594 -0.08419 -0.001064 0.2664 -0.00399 -0.0802
9 -6.5 -0.04369 0.2594 -0.16843 -0.02226 0.2664 -0.08356 -0.08487
10 -6 -0.04463 0.2594 -0.17205 -0.02369 0.2664 -0.08893 -0.08312
11 -5.7 -0.04355 0.2594 -0.16789 -0.02536 0.2664 -0.0952 -0.07269
12 -5.4 -0.0396 0.2594 -0.15266 -0.02754 0.2664 -0.10338 -0.04928
13 -4.8 -0.03786 0.2594 -0.14595 -0.02736 0.2664 -0.1027 -0.04325
14 -4 -0.03861 0.2594 -0.14884 -0.03117 0.2664 -0.117 -0.03184
15 -3 -0.04916 0.2594 -0.18951 -0.04695 0.2664 -0.17624 -0.01328
16 -2 -0.09038 0.2594 -0.34842 -0.05482 0.2664 -0.20578 -0.14264
17 1.8 -0.08123 0.2594 -0.31315 -0.06127 0.2664 -0.22999 -0.08315
18 3.3 -0.03886 0.2594 -0.14981 -0.03597 0.2664 -0.13502 -0.01478
19 4.3 -0.03629 0.2594 -0.1399 -0.02932 0.2664 -0.11006 -0.02984
20 4.8 -0.03622 0.2594 -0.13963 -0.02744 0.2664 -0.103 -0.03663
21 5.2 -0.0369 0.2594 -0.14225 -0.02669 0.2664 -0.10019 -0.04206
22 5.7 -0.3917 0.2594 -1.51002 -0.02576 0.2664 -0.0967 -1.41333
23 0.07776 0.2594 0.299769 0.2165 0.2664 0.812688 -0.51292
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Angle of attack: 0 degree
Pressure port y(cm) P-P Po-P Cpl P-P Po-P Cp
1 -2.3 -0.0074 0.2692 -0.02749 -0.01874 0.2594 -0.07224
2 -1.4 -0.00641 0.2692 -0.02381 -0.01572 0.2594 -0.0606
3 1.6 -0.00653 0.2692 -0.02424 -0.01633 0.2594 -0.06295
4 2.5 -0.00691 0.2692 -0.02568 -0.01985 0.2594 -0.07652
5 -4.4 -0.00565 0.2692 -0.02097 -0.02103 0.2594 -0.08107
6 -3.3 -0.00386 0.2692 -0.01434 -0.01396 0.2594 -0.05382
7 3 -0.00343 0.2692 -0.01274 -0.01392 0.2594 -0.05366
8 4.4 -0.00474 0.2692 -0.01761 -0.02097 0.2594 -0.08084
9 -6.5 -0.02481 0.2692 -0.09216 -0.04053 0.2594 -0.15625
10 -6 -0.02487 0.2692 -0.09238 -0.03867 0.2594 -0.14907
11 -5.7 -0.02582 0.2692 -0.09591 -0.03336 0.2594 -0.1286
12 -5.4 -0.02748 0.2692 -0.10208 -0.03312 0.2594 -0.12768
13 -4.8 -0.02708 0.2692 -0.10059 -0.03215 0.2594 -0.12394
14 -4 -0.02977 0.2692 -0.11059 -0.03555 0.2594 -0.13705
15 -3 -0.04498 0.2692 -0.16709 -0.04837 0.2594 -0.18647
16 -2 -0.062 0.2692 -0.23031 -0.07854 0.2594 -0.30278
17 1.8 -0.05913 0.2692 -0.21965 -0.07345 0.2594 -0.28315
18 3.3 -0.03604 0.2692 -0.13388 -0.03682 0.2594 -0.14194
19 4.3 -0.02849 0.2692 -0.10583 -0.03315 0.2594 -0.12779
20 4.8 -0.02729 0.2692 -0.10137 -0.0313 0.2594 -0.12066
21 5.2 -0.02696 0.2692 -0.10015 -0.03137 0.2594 -0.12093
22 5.7 -0.02676 0.2692 -0.09941 -0.03484 0.2594 -0.13431
23 0.1578 0.2692 0.586181 0.04672 0.2594 0.180108
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Angle of attack: 10 degree
Pressure port y(cm) P-P Po-P Cpl P-P Po-P Cpu Cpu-Cpl
1 -2.3 0.02375 0.2687 0.088389 -0.1626 0.2594 -0.62683 -0.71522
2 -1.4 0.02554 0.2687 0.09505 -0.06152 0.2594 -0.23716 -0.33221
3 1.6 0.02832 0.2687 0.105396 -0.06835 0.2594 -0.26349 -0.36889
4 2.5 0.03016 0.2687 0.112244 -0.2149 0.2594 -0.82845 -0.94069
5 -4.4 0.02055 0.2687 0.076479 -0.1526 0.2594 -0.58828 -0.66476
6 -3.3 0.02143 0.2687 0.079754 -0.1494 0.2594 -0.57594 -0.6557
7 3 0.02493 0.2687 0.09278 -0.1121 0.2594 -0.43215 -0.52493
8 4.4 0.02636 0.2687 0.098102 -0.1752 0.2594 -0.6754 -0.77351
9 -6.5 -0.00966 0.2687 -0.03595 -0.1183 0.2594 -0.45605 -0.4201
10 -6 -0.01155 0.2687 -0.04298 -0.1165 0.2594 -0.44911 -0.40613
11 -5.7 -0.01458 0.2687 -0.05426 -0.1161 0.2594 -0.44757 -0.39331
12 -5.4 -0.01768 0.2687 -0.0658 -0.1166 0.2594 -0.4495 -0.3837
13 -4.8 -0.01774 0.2687 -0.06602 -0.1292 0.2594 -0.49807 -0.43205
14 -4 -0.02216 0.2687 -0.08247 -0.1027 0.2594 -0.39591 -0.31344
15 -3 -0.03967 0.2687 -0.14764 -0.07842 0.2594 -0.30231 -0.15468
16 -2 -0.06391 0.2687 -0.23785 -0.1154 0.2594 -0.44487 -0.20702
17 1.8 -0.06535 0.2687 -0.24321 -0.09992 0.2594 -0.3852 -0.14199
18 3.3 -0.0273 0.2687 -0.1016 -0.07198 0.2594 -0.27749 -0.17589
19 4.3 -0.02005 0.2687 -0.07462 -0.1432 0.2594 -0.55204 -0.47742
20 4.8 -0.01662 0.2687 -0.06185 -0.1754 0.2594 -0.67618 -0.61432
21 5.2 -0.01465 0.2687 -0.05452 -0.1571 0.2594 -0.60563 -0.55111
22 5.7 -0.01173 0.2687 -0.04365 -0.124 0.2594 -0.47803 -0.43437
23 0.2415 0.2687 0.898772 0.06491 0.2594 0.250231 -0.64854
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Graphs:
Angle of attack: 10 degree
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Angle of attack: 0 degree
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Angle of attack: 2 degree
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Discussion:
From the graph we can see that at a specific chord position over Delta Wing the pressure
remains almost same except at the edges.
Sources of error-
1. The solid blockage- the overall area of test section decreases and so causes change in velocity
over airfoil.
2. Boundary layer formation
3. Accuracy of data
At large angles of attack, the L.E. vortices will suddenly expand in size. This is coupled with a
sharp increase of the dynamic pressure and a decrease in axial velocity. This phenomenon is
called vortex burst or breakdown and this leads to loss of lift. As discussed above, this flow
property of delta wings is used extensively in fighter aircrafts. Even at high angle of attack, lift
continues to increase, in contrast to NACA airfoils.
Potential flow assumption is wrong as flow separation starts right from leading edge. Tan 20o
very small. Equations derived are valid for attached flow. In reality, flow is separated. is
approximately 2.24, which violates the assumption that angle of attack is small.
Pressure ports are present at certain points in the airfoil. Hence, getting a pressure distribution as
smooth as a continuous function obtained in the theory above is not possible. More ports, which
are closely related can be used.
References-
[1]Katz, J., and Plotkin, A., Low-Speed Aerodynamics, 2nd ed., Cambridge, New York, 2001,
pp. 184-192.
[2]URL http://history.nasa.gov/SP-367/chapt6.htm
[3]K.W.Mangler and J.H.B. Smith, A theory of the flow past a slender delta wing with leading
edge separation, Royal Aircraft establishment, Farnborough.
[4] John D. Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics
