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ii. M
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NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR AERONAUTICS
TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 1300
WIND-TUNNEL CORRECTIONS AT HIGH SUBSONIC SPEEDS
PARTICULARLY FOR AN ENCLOSED CIRCULAR TUNNEL
By B. G^thert
Translation
"Windkanalkorrekturen bei hohen Unterschallgeschwindigkeiten unter
besonderer Beriicksichtigung des geschlossenen Kreiskanals."
Forschiingsbericht Nr. 1216, Deutsche Versuchsanstalt Mr Luftfahrt,
E. v., Institut fur Aerodynamik, Berlin-Adlershof, May, 1940.
NACA
Washington
February 1952
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
DOCUMENTS DEPARTMENT
1 20 MARSTON SCIENCE
RO. BOX 117011
GAINESVILLE. FL 32611-7011
LIBRAF Y
U>A
h
MTIOHAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS
TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 1500
WIED-TUnUEL CORRECTIONS AT HIGH SUBSONIC SPEEDS
PARTICULARLY FOR AN ENCLOSED CIRCULAR TUNNEL*
By B. Gothert
SUMMARY
After a review of existing publications on wind-ttmnel correct-
ions at high Mach numbers, an approximate method is given for deter-
mining the corrections due to model displacement and wake displacement
behind resistance bodies and due to the lift. The correction compu-
tations are first carried out for the incompressible flow. According
to the Prandtl principle, the models and the wind tunnels in the
incompressible flow are made to correspond to the models and the wind
tunnels in the compressible flow,- between the corrections of these two
correlated tunnels definite relations then exist. Because of the Prandtl
principle is applied only to the flow at a large distance from the
models, the wind-tunnel corrections can also be computed if the
assumptions in the Prandtl principle are not satisfied in the
neighborhood of the model. The relations are investigated with
particular detail for fuselages and wings of various spans in closed
circular tunnels. At the end of the report a comparison is made
between the computations and the tests in the DVL high-speed wind
tunnel .
I . STATEMENT OF PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE
If a model of finite thickness is mounted in a closed tunnel,
the tunnel at the model cross section is narrowed by a definite amoiint
because of the displacement of the model. The air is now forced by
this contraction to flow around the model with greater velocity than
would be the case in an unlimited air stream. In the application of
the results of measurement to the free air stream, the measured values
are therefore to be correlated with a higher velocity than corresponds
to the velocity in the tunnel without the model .
'Windkanalkorrekturen bei hohen Unterschallgeschwindigkeiten unter
besonderer Berucksichtigung des geschlossenen Kreiskan^ls . "
Forschungsbericht Nr. 1216, Deutsche Versuchsanstalt fur Luftfahrt,
E. v., Institut fi!fr Aerodynamik, Berlin-Adlershof , May, 1940.
MCA TM 1300
For wind tunnels with small velocities, as have so far been
predominantly used, the increase of the velocity due to the model is
so small in view of the generally small model dimensions that it may
generally be neglected. For higher tunnel velocities the velocity
correction increases very rapidly, however, and at a more rapid rate
the more nearly the velocity approaches that of sound. This fundamental
behavior is shown, for example, by Ferri (reference 1, p. 112) by
computing the velocity increase due to a definite amount of tunnel
narrowing on the assumption of a uniform velocity distribution over
the narrowed cross section (see fig. 1). From these computations it
is found, for example, that a narrowing by the model of the tunnel by
1 percent gives, at small Mach numbers, an increase in velocity of
1 percent} for the Mach number M = 0.8, 2.7 percent; and for M = 0.90,
as much as 11.0 percent.
This simple rough computation indicates the absolute necessity,
on the one hand, of computations for the correction of the tunnel
velocity due to the model displacement and, on the other hand, the need
for choosing the dimensions of the model in relation to those of the
tunnel so as to be smaller the nearer the velocity of sound is
approached .
Accurate computations for flows in a compressible fluid, on
account of the complicated considerations, currently offer little
promise of success when it is considered that even the simple case of
the two-dimensional flow about a wing in an infinite compressible air
stream already lies at the limit of present-day computation possibili-
ties. Approximations must therefore be sought that come as close
as possible to the actual facts.
1. Approximate Computation of Lamia
A simple estimate of the correction for two-dimensional flow was
given by Lamia (reference 2), who in his computations took into
account the compressibility of the air up to terms of higher order and
made use of the following concept as a basis:
If a wing with infinite span is placed in an air stream (without
lift), two streamlines lying symmetrical to the wing at a large distance
ahead of and behind the wing are separated by a distance hop^ while in
the plane of the wing they are displaced by the greater distance
hoo + Ah. Between two streamlines at distance h^ therefore, the
flow in the model cross section no longer transports the same quantity
of air God as between the streamlines the same distance apart at a
large distance ahead of or behind the wing, but a smaller quantity of
air Got> - AG. Lamia takes the approach velocity v in the free air
mCA TM 1300
stream to be Increased by the amount Avq until at the model cross
section between two streamlines at distance h^, the quantity Gqo
is transported. The required increase in the velocity is considered
as an approximate value for the velocity correction to be applied to
the closed tunnel; the distance between the two streamlines hoo
are set equal to the distance between the tunnel walls.
An important result of this estimate of Lamia was that the
velocity corrections gjven by Ferri were recognized as upper limiting
values, which can be attained only for very slender models with very
large chord in comparison with the tunnel diameter . In by far the
majority of cases, however, the chord of the model is so small in
comparison with the tunnel diameter and its thickness ratio so large
that the disturbance velocities produced by the model from the
immediate neighborhood of the model up to the tunnel wall are greatly
decreased and therefore also the effect on the flow produced by the
wall becomes considerably smaller. For example, with 4 percent cross-
sectional narrowing by the model, the velocity correction for the Mach
number M = 0.75 is given by (from fig. 8 of reference 2) :
Model
Thickness
d/t
ratio.
Velocity correction
Av/vQ
(percent)
Plate in direction of
flow with finite
thickness
— ^
11.4 according to
Ferri
11.4 according to
Lamia
Elliptical cylinder
0.1
11.4 according to
Ferri
4.2 according to
Lamia
The numerical values found by Lamia, on account of the great
simplification used, can only serve as guides for the approximate
vulues of the corrections . The tunnel boundary conditions enter his
computation only partly because equal flow was assximed through the
cross section at the model position and the cross sections far ahead
of and behind the model. This inexact taking into account of the
effect of the tunnel wall led to the result that, in accordance with
his computations for all Mach numbers, as for example for M = 0,
the closed and the open tunnel have equal corrections of the velocity
but with opposite sign. For compressible flow it is known, however,
that the open tunnel requires only about one-half or one-fourth as
large corrections as for the closed tunnel (reference 3, pp. 54-58).
MCA TM 1300
2 . Approximate Computation of Franke-Weinig
A further approximation for the two-dimensional problem is given
by Franke and Weinig (reference 4) . In their investigation they
strictly consider the boundary conditions along the tunnel wall and
take into accoiint the compressibility in a manner similar to Prandtl.
The velocity correction due to the displacement of the model is given
in the following form:
where
F
h
AV-y
Vq 6 h2 (1-m2)3/2
1
3
>V^Q-K/^ir.^ "•■ ^-Kol ^,.J
2^ above
below
•]
cross-sectional area of profile
distance of tunnel wall
^upper ^^^ ^lower
^0
M = v/a
velocity at upper and lower tunnel wall,
respectively, in plane of model
velocity far ahead of model
„ , , tunnel velocity
Mach number, — —
velocity of sound
The second form of the velocity correction given previously,
which refers to the disturbance velocity measured at the wall, is in
many cases found to be very useful. This form is referred to also in
the following investigation (see section IV) in cases in which the
assumptions of the Prandtl principle in the neighborhood of the model
are no longer satisfied although, with the aid of the wall velocity,
a correction according to the Prandtl principle is still possible.
3. Purpose of the Present Investigation
The purpose of the present investigation is to give a useful
approximation of the velocity and angle-of-attack correction, in
particular for the circular- shaped closed wind tunnel. Because at
high Mach numbers the wake produced by the model resistance greatly
increases, an approximation to take account of this wake is developed.
Further, the results obtained are checked with the aid of wind-tunnel
MCA TM 1300
measurements so far as the available measurements permit such comparison.
In contrast to the work so far done, the computation is first
carried out completely for the incompressible flow. The results
thereby obtained are applied to the flow in compressible media by
correlating each flow picture of the compressible flow with a definite
flow picture in the incompressible flow with suitably modified tunnel
and model dimensions so that for both flow pictures the corrections
are either the same or stand in definite relation to each other. This
computation method has the advantage of great clarity of computation,
for the investigation is split up into two independent partial investi-
gations. Furthermore, a large number of already existing correction
computations for Incompressible flows can, according to the same
principles, be applied in a simple maimer to compressible flows so that
a good portion of the existing data is not lost but can be further
utilized.
The investigation was carried out in general form both for bodies
of rotation and for wings of various spans . The numerical data given
refer, however, predominantly to the case of the flow with rotational
symmetry. In a further report that is soon to follow the numerical
data will be supplemented.
II. COIffiECTION OF THE FLOW VELOCITY DUE TO MODEL
IN CASE OF INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
1. Equivalent Dipole or Source Strength of Model
(a) Equivalent dipole strength of model without wake.
The flow about profiles or about bodies of arbitrary shape can,
as is known, be simulated by definite arrangements of sources and
sinks or of dipoles (doublets), the strength and distribution of which
are so chosen that the resulting streamline coincides with the outline
of the body Investigated. For large distances from the dipole or
source- sink system, the disturbance velocities produced by them can be
shown to be equal to that of a single equivalent dipole that is located
at the center of gravity of the system of singularities and whose
strength is determined as follows-^:
Intensity of equivalent dipole
M+=22(aQ)=2M
"4]he equation given holds not only for doubly symmetrical but also for
arbitrary body shapes .
MCA TM 1300
where
Q strength of source or sirik
2a distance between source and corresponding sink
M moment of elementary dipole
On the assumption that the dimensions of the model are small as
compared with the diameter of the wind tunnel, the disturbance velocity
of a model at the tunnel wall can be represented by the effect of the
previously defined equivalent dipole M^. For large models, whose
chord is comparable with the tunnel diameter, the simple estimate
previously given of the equivalent dipole strength is insufficient; for
this case a computation will later be given that permits estimating the
deviation from the simple equivalent dipole.
The equivalent dipole for various shapes of bodies was computed
by Glauert as a function of the maximum thickness and the ratio of
thickness to length of the body (reference 3) . In the present report,
Glauert 's results are so modified that the equivalent dipole strength
becomes a function primarily of the volume of the displacing body; the
effect of the thickness ratio and the difference between two-dimensional
and three-dimensional flow then remain very small for slender bodies.
In this new representation the dipole intensity is given by^ :
p
For cylinders, Glauert gives the equivalent dipole strength as
M"^ = \ b rt/2 d,
max
2 V.
(reference 3, p. 53) . The given value referred to the volume X_,
is therefore connected with the \ value of Glauert by the relation
k.
. 2
It °-max b
■V - 2 ~V
For the circular cylinder, \ = 1 and therefore ^^ = 2. For bodies
with rotational symmetry,
3
(reference 3, p. 59) and therefore
X _ Jt '3.jna;x: ^
V 4 V
For the sphere, Glauert gives \ = 1 so that Xy = 1.5,
NACA TM 1300 '
I^ = 22(a Q) = \v V Vq (1)
where
V voliime of body
vq approach velocity
For bodies with rotational synmietry the equivalent dipole is to be
applied at the center of gravity of the body. For cylinders (t/b — >0)
the previously computed equivalent dipole strength is to be distributed
along the axis of gravity of the cylinder so that along this axis there
is a uniform dipole distribution dM^ = db M"''/b
The factor \y depends on the shape of the body and the thickness
ratio. For very slender bodies (d/t— ♦O) in two-dimensional and
rotational symmetry cases ^ Xy ^^^ "the same value \y = 1.
For bodies with elliptical outline, the factor Xy is given in
figure 2 as a function of the thickness ratio for the two limiting
cases of rotational symmetrical bodies and elliptical cylinder (t/b — > O)
It is seen from the figure that, for slender bodies such as occur in
airplane structures, ky differs only by a slight amount from unity,
for example,
wing with d/t = 0.15 \y = 1.15
fuselage with d/t = 0.25 A.y = 1.065
For the very thin plate transverse to the air stream, the volume
of the body is zero. Because, however, such a plate will nevertheless
give a displacement of the streamlines, the factor X.y must tend to
infinity. If the computations in the literature^ are used for the flow
about a plate, the product is obtained for the plate with constant
height h and very large span b (h/b — »0) :
Xy V= f h2 b
and for the circular disk with the diameter d:
X,. V = i d3
V It
—
For very wide plate: reference 5. For circular plate: reference 6.
MCA TM 1300
(b) Equivalent source strength to take into account the
wake displacement behind a drag body-
Behind bodies which a flow drag connects with an energy loss
(but not an induced drag) , as is known, a wake or dead-water region
is formed that evidently increases the displacement of the body.
(See fig. 3.) This dead-water region has its source in the neighbor-
hood of the body and extends downstream to infinity, with increasing
mixing with the normal flow. It is useful to represent the effect of
this dead water for points at a great lateral distance away by a
system of sources that arise at the place of the drag body and displace
the normal stream behind the body by the same amount as the wake.
Between the strength Q of this source system and the drag of the body,
under certain simplifying assiunptions, a relation can be given which
may serve as an estimate for the displacement due to the wake^ .
According to the momentum theorem, if the undisturbed pressure is
assumed to prevail at the cross section considered behind the body, the
drag W of a body is given by
W = I dm Av = mass flow per second X velocity loss
= pj (vq - v^) vi ^ = pj k^O - ^l) ^0 - (^0 - ^l)
■S
df
Vo IV,
v.) df
Oj ^^0 - ^1
(See fig. 3.) The integral contained in the last equation gives,
however, precisely the additional strength per unit volume Q of the
equivalent source that, on the assumption of potential flow, displaces
the streamlines at a great lateral distance from the wake by the same
amount as the wake, that is,
■S'
Q = I (vq - v-l) df or W = ~ p Vq Q
By transformation
W Vq
Q = ^^ = fws Vo/2
is obtained. The same relation between the source strength and the
drag has already been given by reference 7 (p. 32) .
NACA TM 1300
On the asstunption that the static pressure in the wake differs
only slightly from the pressure of the undisturbed flow, there is
obtained, by neglecting small quadratic terms, equivalent source
strength:
Q=.|vofws (2).
where f^g = c^ F represents the harmful drag of the body (without
account taken of the induced drag) . This relation between the source
strength and the drag area is independent of the shape of the body and
holds both for two-dimensional and for three-dimensional flow.
The exact location of this equivalent source is not uniquely
determined. It appears admissible, however, to assume the source as
located at the center of gravity of the volume. Although the position
of the equivalent source may not be correctly given by this assumption,
the error thus introduced is small provided that the equivalent is used
only to represent the flow relations at a great distance from the source.
This assumption is, however, satisfied for obtaining the tunnel correct-
ions because the model dimensions are always small in comparison with
the tunnel diameter .
In the derivation of the preceding equivalent source strength, the
assumption was made that the static pressure in the wake differed only
slightly from the pressure of the undisturbed stream. At a large
distance behind the drag body this assumption holds quite well, so that
to a very good approximation the previously given equivalent source
strength remains the same although the dead-water region constantly
expands. Immediately behind the wing, however, the static pressure
may differ greatly from the undisturbed pressure of the flow so that
deviations from the simple relation given above between the drag and
the source strength are obtained. It was shown by Muttray that the
source strength decreases rapidly from a maximum value at the wing
trailing edge to a final constant value behind the wing (reference 7,
fig. 22) . This decrease means, however, that, to the previously
computed equivalent source strength, a system of additional sources and
sinks behind the wing is to be added. At a large distance from the
wing, as for example at the tunnel wall, this additional source system
acts approximately like a single dipole . The action of this additional
wake dipole is taken into account in the following correction compu-
tations if the magnitude of the tunnel corrections from the disturbance
velocities measured at the wall is determined according to equation' (4) .
The error made in assuming that the location of this wake dipole does
not coincide with the profile center of gravity is only of small
significance on account of the effect of the wake corrections .
-LQ NACA TM 1300
The same consideration applies also to the additional displacement
due to the compression shocks, so that their effect can enter approxi-
mately into the corrections provided the shock length is small as
compared with the tunnel diameter .
2. Disturbance Velocity at the Tunnel Center and at the Wall
Due to the Model and the Dead Water
Because, according to the assumption made, the model dimensions
are small in comparison with the tunnel diameter, the disturbance
velocities at the tunnel wall can be represented by the previously
determined equivalent dipole and the equivalent source. The boundary
condition which is to be satisfied by the presence of the tunnel wall
for the closed tunnel is that all velocity components normal to the
tunnel wall must vanish.
This requirement is satisfied, as is known, by superimposing an
auxiliary flow with a velocity field on the flow about the model in
the free airstream so that the composite flow satisfies the previously
given condition. The computaton for the circular tunnel is quite
complicated. In the present case the solution was determined by a
method given in reference 8 (p. 250 ) of developing the field of the
radial velocities along the tunnel wall and the velocity field of the
auxiliary flow into a Fourier series . By comparing the coefficients
of the two Fourier series, the constants for the velocity field of
the auxiliary flow were then obtained so that the velocity at
arbitrary points of the flow field could be determined. As velocity
correction, that velocity is taken which induces the auxiliary flow at
the location of the model .
The results of this computation are given in the present report
for the additional velocities at the tunnel center and for the
symmetrical case (with the equivalent dipole and equivalent source
at the tunnel center) and for the additional velocity at the tunnel
wall, because for these arrangements the computation is still rela-
tively simple, only the first term of the Fourier series being taken
into account. For several nonsymmetrical arrangements with respect
to the excess velocity at the tunnel wall, numerical values are also
given for which the first four Fourier terms entering the computation
were taken into account. It is still necessary to check whether the
further Fourier terms have an effect on the results^ .
A further report will be issued on the required corrections of the
given numerical data when the higher Fourier terms are taken into
account in which the computation procedure will also be described in
detail .
NACA TM 1300 11
(a) Disturbance velocity due to the model.
In the notation of Glauert, the velocity correction to be applied
at the tunnel center is written as follows :
Avx
= \ \y ' (3)
VQ ' ' D^
where
V voliime of body
D tunnel diameter
As has been previously explained^ Xy represents a factor that
takes into account the model shape. (See fig. 2.) The factor T-y-
depends on the tunnel shape and on the ratio of the model dimensions
to the tunnel ^diameter. For a closed circular tunnel the factor Ty
is given in table 1 for several typical cases.
In the method given by Weinig, the additional velocity at the
center of the tunnel may also be represented as a function of the
additional velocity at the wall of the tunnel . As in the two-
dimensional case computed by Weinig, it may also be shown for the
closed circular tunnel that the disturbance velocities occurring at
the plane of the model at the tunnel wall Avjj^ due to the model
bear a definite ratio to the disturbance velocity Av-^ at the tunnel
center. (See fig. 4.) If, for the comparison velocity Av^j^, the
arithmetical mean of the velocities above and below the model is
chosen, this mean value is independent of the lift because a potential
vortex at the model at these two points induces equal but opposite
circulation velocities. The wall velocity, according to figure 4,
is composed of two parts : namely, a part that directly represents
the disturbance velocity of the equivalent dlpole and a part that is
due to the wall effect. The required velocity Avx at the tunnel
center may therefore be written as
^^x Avxw , ^
= m (4)
The factor m in this equation depends on the tunnel shape and on the
ratio of the model dimensions to the tunnel diameter . For the closed
circular tunnel the factor m for several typical cases is given in
table 2.
12 NACA TM 1300
For comparison, it may be mentioned here that for a wing with infinite
span between two walls, Weinig gives the value m = l/3 . The factor m
is likewise found to depend to a relatively large degree on the tunnel
shape .
(b) Correction for models of very large chord
The numerical values given in the preceding section (a) for the
velocity corrections were computed on the assumption that all the model
dimensions except the wing span were small compared to the tunnel
diameter. It is often necessary, however, to obtain an idea of how
the data are modified if the preceding assiomption no longer holds true
with respect to the model chord.
In order to investigate this effect on bodies of rotation in the
center of the tunnel, the additional velocities at the tunnel center
and at the wall were computed for various distances of the source-sink
system replacing the body by the method given in section (a). The
distribution of the sources and sinks for these bodies was chosen as
shown in figure 5. With this arrangement, the ratio ^T)xof±le/^ ^
was found to be equal to 0.75 as corresponds to the usual shapes in
airplane structures and to wings and fuselages . Because for these
bodies the magnitude of the equivalent dipole is known from equation (l)
M^ = Z (2aQ), the disturbance velocities at the center of the tunnel
and at the wall can likewise be immediately given by equations (3) and
(4) if the effect of the large model chord is neglected. Through a
comparison of the results, the numerical values for Ty and for the
ratio m (equations (3) and (4)) were found to require a correction.
The correction is represented in figure 6. For very large model chord,
the additional velocities at the tunnel center are seen to differ only
by a small amount from the value for vanishingly small models. The
wall velcoity Av^^ and therefore also the ratio m of wall velocity
to center velocity depend, however, to a great extent on the model
chord. For example, for a wing whose chord is equal to the tunnel
diameter, the center velocity is 89 percent of the velocity obtained
on the assumption of vanishingly small model chord, whereas the wall
velocity is 66 percent of the corresponding value.
The previous Investigations for models of large chord refer only
to bodies with rotational symmetry and to wings with vanishingly small
span in comparison with the tunnel diameter. Strictly speaking, it
would be necessary to carry out also corresponding computations for
wings with various ratios of the span to the tunnel diameter. Before
the results are extended in this respect, however, it may be assumed
as a useful approximation that the correction values given in figure 6
hold also for wings with finite ratio of span to tunnel diameter.
RACA TM 1300 13
(c) Disturbance velocity due to the wake
The effect on the tunnel wall of the dead-water region formed
behind a drag body and therefore the effect on the tunnel correction
can be given approximately by an equivalent source at the location of
the model. (See section II, 1, (b).) If, for this flow, the boundary
conditions at the tunnel wall are satisfied by superposition of the
source flow in the free air stream on an additional velocity field
according to section II, 2, (a), it is readily seen that in the closed
tunnel at the model location no velocity component arises in the
approaching flow direction because of the additional flow field,* only
for unsymmetrical arrangement of the source in the tunnel will a
velocity component arise at right angles to the approaching flow
direction, which leads to a change of angle of attack. This change of
angle of attack is also, however, in general without significance, for
models are practically never mounted unsymmetrically in the wind tunnel.
Although no velocity component in the the flow direction is induced
by the additional velocity field at the model location, a correction for
the approach velocity in the closed tunnel is necessary. The relations
are seen most simply with the aid of figure 7 in the case of the
infinitely wide tunnel. The velocity field arising from the source
in the tunnel and from the external sources reflected in the wall is
characterized by the fact that the velocity components in the model
plane in the flow direction vanish. At an infinite upstream and
downstream distance, however, a parallel flow is formed with the
velocity v = ± i S_. For the flow in the tunnel at a large distance from
^ FK
the source this means that the approach velocity is no longer v'q but
Vq = v'q - —3-- The velocity vq therefore increases up to the plane of
^ K 10
the model by the amount Avx = -g- — and up to a section very far behind
the body by Av = Q/Fj^. The required approach- velocity correction in the
closed tunnel is, therefore, with the air of equation (2), obtained as
AVx
1
Q
1
fws
^0
2
^K ^0
4
Fk
(5)
where
^ws - '^•w ^ harmful drag area
Fg tunnel cross section
14 NACA TM 1300
The distribution of this correction velocity over the model cross
section is uniform; that is^ at the tunnel center and at the wall there
is the same velocity increment Av^- In the equation
Av^/vq = m Av^/vq
the factor m therefore has the value m = 1.
This equation for the velocity correction due to the wake and
magnitude of the factor m is independent of the shape of the closed
tunnel and therefore holds for square as well as for circulax tunnels,
etc.
In a corresponding manner it may be shown simply that in wind
tunnels with open test section no velocity correction is required to
take into account the displacement due to the wake. The boundary
condition of the free jet would be satisfied by reflecting sources
and sinks alternately at the tunnel wall, in a similar manner to that
indicated in figure 7. At the center of the tunnel no direct velocity
component is obtained in the flow direction. At an infinite distance
upstream and downstream of the plane of the source the velocity
components due to the sources and the sinks reduce to zero as the
velocities induced by them mutually cancel.
III. VELOCny CORRECTION DUE TO THE MODEL AND THE WAKE AT
HIGH SUBSONIC VELOCITIES WITHIN THE REGION OF VALIDITY
OF THE PRANDTL PRINCIPLE
The equations given above for the tunnel correction hold only for
the incompressible flow. With the aid of the Prandtl principle,
however, a given tunnel with the model in a compressible flow can be
correlated with another tunnel with models of modified dimensions in
an incompressible flow. Between the velocities in the two correspond-
ing tunnels definite relations hold so that, with the aid of these
relations, the flow in the compressible medium can be reduced to the
flow in the Incompressible medium. The form of the Prandtl principle
which is here used is as follows (reference 9) :
At each point of the compressible flow the same potential holds
as compared with the corresponding point of the incompressible flow
and the same velocity in the flow direction (x-direction) with the
velocities at right angles to this direction reduced by the factor
4/1-M^. The corresponding points in the two flow fields are connnected
by the following relations:
MCA TM 1300 ^^
•''■incompr -
■'^compr
yincompr =
Vl-M^ ycompr
^incompr =
VI -M^ Zcompr
where
tunnel velocity
M Mach number,
velocity of sound
1. Model Displacement
For a wing with large aspect ratio B/t in a closed wind tunnel,
the potential field for incompressible flow is shown in figure 8. The
model is assumed to be slender enough and to possess a sufficiently
sharp leading edge that the Prandtl principle is satisfied along the
entire profile contour. The profile contour is given by the boundary
streamline of a definite soiarce-sink arrangement so that the potential
lines are continued to the interior of the surface enclosed by the
boundary streamline . On the potential lines = const so that they
must intersect the tunnel wall and the profile surface at right angles,
for at these bounding surfaces no normal velocity components exist.
If this potential field is now transformed according to the
Prandtl principle, that is, if the lines \/1-m2 . This assumption means, however, that the stream lines in
the neighborhood of the x-axis, as also in particular the bounding
16 NACA TM 1300
stream, have flatter slopes dy/dx by the factor /y/l-M^ than before
the distortion. The profile shape determined by the bounding stre am-
line is therefore thinner after the distortion in the ratio 'y/l-M^ .
The span of the wing with large aspect ratio B/t is determined by
the length of the segment with sources and sinks or dipoles distributed
on it. Th is di stance is likewise increased by the distortion in the
ratio l//yl-M so that the compari son w ing in the compressible flow
has a greater span in the ratio ±/ i/l^-W- .
Because the profile section has, through the transformation, become
more slend er in the ratio ^l-M"^ but the span has become larger in the
ratio 1/ /y'l-M^, the initial wing and the corresponding wing of the
compressible flow have the same volume. It is also known for slender
bodies of rotation that in the transformation according to the Prandtl
principle their contour is, to a first approximation, unchanged so
that in this case also the volume undergoes no change (reference 8).
Because in the Prandtl transformation the velocity components in
the flow direction remain the same, a condition that holds also without
restriction for the velocity components due to the model and the tunnel
wall, the same corrections on the approach velocities are to be used
for the bodies in the compressible flow as for a body transformed in
the manner explained ab ove i n an incompressible flow in a tunnel
reduced by the factor -^l-M^ .
If, therefore, a model that at small velocities has the approach-
velocity correction Avx/vq for small velocities is placed in a closed
tunnel and the Mach number continuously increased, the velocity
correction according to equation (3) increases in the ratio
1/(1-m2)3/2, that is,
(^) 1 (^\ (6)
\ vq/ compr (1-M^)^/^ \ "^0 / incompr
In the preceding relation, the factors Ty and Xy contained
in equation (3) were assumed not to vary in the transformation accord-
ing to the Prandtl principle. For Xy ^ small displacement actually
occurs that is due to the change In the effective thickness ratio.
According to figure 2, however, Xy depends only to a slight extent
on the thickness ratio, so that the change in Xy ^^^y i^ general be
neglected without great error.
The factor ty does not vary as long as the model chord Is small
in comparison with the tunnel diameter. With increasing Mach number,
however, the effective ratio of model chord to tunnel diameter rises as
1/ Vl-M^, because the model chord remain s unch anged while the tunnel
diameter becomes smaller by the factor '\l-¥? . When the Mach number is
increased, the question is thus raised of the correction of models with
large chord in a closed tunnel. According to figure 6, the correction
MCA TM 1300 17
of the factor Ty can be estimated "by letting the effective ratio of
the model chord to the tunnel diameter increase hy the factor l/ Vl-M^ .
As long as the model chord can still be considered small in compari-
son with the turinel diameter, the factor m in equation (3) undergoes
no change. In the transformation according to the Prandtl principle,
the same ratio of model span to tunnel diameter occurs for the compari-
son tunnel as for the initial tunnel, so that for both systems the same
factor according to table 2 is to be used. If in the transformation
too high ratios of chord to tunnel diameter result, however, then the
value of m is to be corrected with the aid of figure 6.
2 . Additional Velocity Due to the Wake
The same consideration for the computation of the velocity correct-
ion due to the model displacement can also be applied for the additional
displacement due to the wake . In a purely formal manner, on the
assumption that the drag surface does not vary with increasing tunnel
velocity, there is obtained from equation (3) :
(^) =_1 (^\ (7)
\ Vq / compr -|__]yj2 \ ^0 J mcompr ^ '
It is thus seen that, in contrast to the cases so far given, the
tunnel correction does not increase by l/(l-M ) / but by 1/(1-m2).
Because, in this computation, the effect of the wake was replaced by the
flow about a source which, as is known, gives in a parallel stream a
bounding stream line in the form of a "half -body, " the preceding result
means that for a body of small chord, for example, a fuselage in a
tunnel, the velocity corrections increase by the factor i/(1-m2)3/2^
for a half-body in a closed tunnel the velocity corrections increase
only by the factor l/(l-M^).
> /y/^////////////^////' /////////////////
— * — fc __
Fuselage in T " ^ ~ Half -body
tunnel ^-- mn &uuuuuuu ^^ tunnel
77^^77777777777777- 77777777777777?
The reason for this different behavior of the two body shapes is
to be sought in the fact that for flow with rotational symmetry, the
radial velocities acting on the wall at points a small distance upstream
or downstream of the model for short bodies (equivalent dipole) decrease
approximately in Inverse ratio to the foxirth power of the distance from
the body, whereas for the half -body (equivalent source) they decrease
only in the inverse ratio of the second power of the distance from the
body. If, therefore, corresponding to the Prandtl principle, the tunnel
18 NACA TM 1300
diameter in an incompressible flow is reduced for both bodies to the
same extent, it is seen immediately that in the case of the half -body
the wall effect must increase by a less amount than for the short bodyS.
If the velocity correction is again referred to the wall velocity,
the factor m in equation (4) is still to be set equal to 1 for the
region of validity of the Prandtl principle, because when the wake is
taken into consideration, this factor is independent of the magnitude
of the tunnel diameter. (See section II, 2, (c).)
IV. VELOCITY COREIECTION DUE TO THE MODEL AND THE WAKE FOR
THE CASE WHERE THE PRANDTL PRINCIPLE ALONG THE MODEL
SURFACE DOES NOT HOLD TRUE
The assumption for the validity of the Prandtl principle is that
the additional velocities due to the body are small compared with the
tunnel velocity. In many cases, particularly at high Mach numbers,
this assumption is not satisfied along the surface of the body. At
The radial velocities of source and dipole decrease according to these
considerations, for small values of x, by the second or fourth power
of R; the addition al ve locities increase, however, with the second or
third power of l/yl-M^. This difference in the exponential relation
is to be ascribed to the fact that at a great distance ahead of or
behind the source and the dipole, the radial velocities in each case
vary by the same amount so that an equalization of the power exponent
occurs . A simple check computation for the amount of the velocity
increase is possible for the half -body. If a half -body is in a closed
tunnel, the stream is parallel far ahead of and behind its nose. The
velocity increase is computed simply by the decrease in the cross
section df . From the known equations
and
in agreement with the relation previously found from the Prandtl
principle:
dv _ 1 df
dp _
P
k
m2
l-M^
df
f
dp
P
= -
kM^
dv
V
MCA TM 1300
19
some distance aJiead of or behind the body the additional velocities
have become small enough, however, that for the flow outside of a
definite boundary line the Prandtl principle may again be applied.
(See references 10 and 4.) In figure 9, for example, the region
enclosed by the boundary line no longer follows the Prandtl principles
so that the transfonnation law is unknown for the streamlines within,
the boundary and for the body contour.
This fact is now applied to the flow in a tunnel, first for the
simplest case of the flow in an infinitely wide tunnel with parallel
walls . In an incompressible flow the boundary conditions at the
tunnel wall are satisfied for the dipole replacing the body by an
infinite reflection of the equivalent dipole at the tunnel wall. In
the neighborhood of the dipole the disturbance velocities are so large,
however, that within a certain limiting region the Prandtl principle
is no longer applicable (fig. lO) . The transformation of this
Incompressible flow field according to the Prandtl principle is possible,
however, for the regions lying outside with boundary lines; within
the boundary lines, as stated above, a transformation must be made
according to an as yet unknown law so that the body contour for the
compressible flow is likewise unknown. According to the Prandtl
principle, the strength of the equivalent dipole can no longer be
determined by computation for a given body. This gap can however
be closed for the wind-tunnel test by a simple measurement. Because
the additional velocity at the tunnel wall above and below the model
is a measure of the effective dipole strength and the tunnel walls,
moreover, lie within the region of validity of the Prandtl principle,
the effective dipole strength can be determined by measuring the
velocity at the wall. The required tunnel- correction velocity at the
tunnel center, is as is known, the sum of the induced velocities of
all reflected dipoles whose intensity is known from the measurement
of the wall velocity and for which the tunnel center belongs to the
region of validity of the Prandtl principle. This knowledge means,
however, that between the wall velocity and the approach-velocity
correction at the tunnel center the same relation holds as in an
unrestricted region of validity of the Prandtl principle, that is,
Avx/vq = m AVxw/vq
This relation is not restricted to only the flow between two
walls . As can be readily seen, it can be applied also for the closed
tunnel of arbitrary cross-sectional shape, for example, for the
circular tunnel. The only difference consists in the fact that in the
flow between two walls the additional potential to satisfy the tunnel
wall conditions is produced by the reflected singularities, whereas
in the most general case the additional potential arises also from the
20 NACA TM 1300
singularities outside of the tunnel; the strength and the location of
these singularities cannot be found, however, by simple reflection.
As long as the model dimensions are small as compared with the
tunnel diameter the values to be assigned to m are those given in
table 2. For models with large chords and for high Mach numbers,
however, an estimate for the correction of the factors m due to very
large ratio of the chord of the model to the tunnel diameter must be
made with the aid of figure 6.
The relations given between the velocity at the wall and the
tunnel- correction velocity for flows about models, for which in the
neighborhood of the model the Prandtl principle no longer holds, can
also be derived for the velocities induced by the wake.
The previously described extension of the tunnel- correction
computations to Mach numbers for which the Prandtl principle in the
neighborhood of the model no longer holds is naturally inapplicable
without restriction up to a Mach number M = 1. An upper limit of the
applicability is given, for example, if the sound velocity is attained
or exceeded at the tunnel wall . In this limiting case the assumptions
of the Prandtl principle are no longer satisfied in the neighborhood
of the tunnel wall so that the entire transformation process is
inapplicable. How closely this upper limit may be approached in the
wind tunnel measurement without fundamentally altering the pressure
field about the profile can be determined by experiment. This limiting
Mach number will depend, among other factors, on the degree of
obstruction of the tunnel by the model and on the angle of attack of
the model. Corresponding tests to determine admissible model dimensions
for definite limiting Mach numbers and angles of attack are at present
being conducted at the DVL.
V. TIMNEL COREffiCTIOWS DUE TO LIFT AT HIGH SUBSONIC VELOCITIES
1 . Wing in Free Air Stream
In order to consider briefly the flow relations about a wing with
lift in a compressible medium, the wing will first be considered replaced
by a vortex filament in a free air stream. The flow field about a
potential vortex in an incompressible flow is schematically represented
in figure 11. If the velocities along the closed bounding line ABCD
are added, the following integral represents the circulation of the
vortex:
V ds = Z = circulation
HA.CA TM 1300 21
The magnitude of the circulation is, as is known, independent of
the path of integration as long as the vortex lies within the boundary
line. In a medium of constant density there is then obtained for the
lift per unit length
A = p Z VQ
where p is the air density.
If the flow field of this vortex is now transformed according to
the Prandtl principle where there is again excluded a region in the
immediate neighborhood of the vortex center, the control surface ABCD
is extended in the direction of the y axis. (See fig. 11.) At the
same time, however, the veloc ity co mponent Vy is reduced at corres-
ponding points in the ratio /v/l-M'^ so that the product of the path
element by the velocity at the normal boundary lines undergoes no
change as a result of the transformation. Because, however, in the
X direction neither the lengths nor the velocities have changed, the
circulation integral along the lines ABCD or A'B'C'D' remains
unchanged. If the line A'B'C'D' is taken at a very large distance
from the vortex, where the disturbance velocities and therefore the
pressure and density changes in the flow have been reduced to vanishingly
small values, the compressible flow in the neighborhood of the control
line completely resembles an incompressible flow, which means that for
the lift per unit length the familiar relation again holds:
A = p vq Z
where p is the density of the medium at a great distance from the
vortex .
From the preceding consideration, the conclusion can therefore
be drawn that in the Prandtl transformation the circulation and the
lift referred to the span element are unchanged.
For compressible flow the same lift per unit spa n is, as known,
attained at an angle of attack reduced in the ratio hJl-W^ . This is
seen from the fact that in the transformation the velocity components
normal to the flow direction become smaller while the components in
the flow direction remain unchanged. The slope of the stream lines
and therefore also the angle of attack thus become smaller in the
same ratio .
The same considerations may be applied also for a wing of finite
span with elliptical lift distribution. A wing in a compressible flow
is then to be compared with a wing in an incompressib le fl ow for which
the span of the second wing is reduced in the ratio (^/l-M^ . At each
22 NACA TM 1300
section at corresponding distances from the center of the wing the
circulation and the lift per unit span element then agree for both
wings with elliptical lift distribution, whereas in the incompressible
flow the angle of attack, b oth t he geometrical and the induced, are il
increased in the ratio l/ -^l-M^ . The comparison wing in the
incompressible flow then has an aspect ratio (span b/chord t) imparled
by the factor yl-M^. For the induced drag in the compressible flow
the equation \
? '
^a F
cwi = ca Ao^ = -^ ^
nevertheless still holds where
F wing area in compressible flow ^
b span in compressible flow :
because for the comparison wing Ip. the inc ompre ssible flow the induced '
angle of attack Aaj_ is increased by l/ r\J'L-W^ while through the ;
transformati on to a compressible flow this angle of attack is again '
reduced by yI-M^ . The two effects thus mutually cancel. ,
The equations for the induced angle of attack
•^a F ;
and the induced drag
-a F
retain their validity also for compressible flow.
<^wi - ~~;i 7
2. Wing with Lift in the Wind Tunnel
As has already been stated in corresponding cases, a wing in the
wind tunnel with compressible flow can be made to correspond to a
definite wing with equal lift in a similar reduced wind tunnel with
incompressible flow. Between the correction velocities of the compari-
son tunnel and the initial one the relation then exists that the Vy
c orrec tions in the compressible flow must be made smaller in the ratio
i(/l-M2. In this manner all correction computations can be carried over
to the compressible flow.
MCA TM 1300 23
The results of the existing -wind-tunnel-correction computations
are, in general, represented in the following form:
^a F
Angle of attack correction: Aa = 5 -g- |n—
where
6 correction factor, function of ratio wing span to tunnel diameter,
tunnel shape, and lift distribution
F wing area
Fg; tunnel cross section
In the Prandtl transformation the value of the factor 5 is not
changed "because the ratio of span to tunnel diameter, which determines
its value, remains the same and so do the tunnel shape and the lift
distribution. The wing area, however, becomes . smaller in the ratio
/^1-m2, the tunnel cross-sectional area in the ratio (l-M^) so that
for the comparison tunnel in the in compr essible flow the angle of
attack is greater in the ratio l/'\/T-y^ . This increase is, however,
again canceled in converting to the compressible flow because all Vy
velocities and angl es of attack become smaller in the Prandtl trans-
formation by Yl-M^ .
The important result is thus found that for elliptical lift
distribution the angle-of-attack corrections and therefore also the
corrections of the induced drag can be dealt with in the same way as
for incompressible flow.
The assumption underlying the preceding general result is,
however, that the dimensions of the wing with the exception of the
span are small compared with the tunnel diameter and only the corrections
at the location of the wing are considered. If such is not the case,
as, for example, in the correction of a wing with large chord due to
the stream curvature in the wind tunnel or in the computation of the
downwash behind a wing, it is again advisable to make use of the idea
of a comparison tunnel with its corrections determined. It is thus
found, for example, that the correction due t o the stream curvature
for large chord wings increases as l//\/l-M'^, the profile chord remain-
ing the same in the Prandtl tra nsfor mation, while the tunnel diameter
becomes smaller by the factor Yl-M^ . With increasing Mach number the
ratios of the wing chord to the tunnel diameter also increase in the
comparison. The corrections due to the flow curvature may therefore
at high Mach niimbers be of significance, although for an incompressible
flow they may be entirely negligible.
24 NACA TM 1300
VI. APPLICATION OF THE WIKD TUOTEL CORRECTIONS DERIVED PREVIOUSLY
1 . Superposability of the Individual Corrections
In the present work the different factors for the wind tunnel
corrections, like model displacement, wake displacement, and lift,
were treated as though only one of these magnitudes was alone effective
(for example, a displacement body without lift and drag, or a lifting
vortex without displacement, and so forth) . In the wind tunnel test,
however, the various factors enter in general together so that the
question arises of the superposability of the individual corrections.
In the incompressible flow the question can immediately be
answered in that the individual factors are simply to be superposed
linearly. Each individual correction can, as is known, be computed
from the corresponding potential field. Because for incompressible
flow the potentials can be superposed linearly, the corrections derived
from them can similarly be superposed linearly.
In the case of the compressible flow, a flow picture in the
incompressible flow was made to correspond to each flow picture, with
the aid of the Prandtl principle. Between the velocities and angles
of attack of the two flow fields the familiar relations of the Prandtl
principle hold. In the incompressible comparison flow field, the
individual factors and the corrections may again be linearly superposed.
Because the required corrections in the compressible flow differ from
these comparison corrections only by a factor, the law of linear
superposition of the corrections holds also for the compressible flow.
2 . Application of the Corrections in the Wind-Tunnel Test
(a) The corrections due to the lift are obtained according to
the known equations from the measured lift. The corrections do not
increase, for equal lift coefficient, with increasing Mach number as
long as the model chord in the comparison tunnel remains small as
compared with the tunnel diameter. The corrections due to flow
curvature for large-chord mod els i ncrease, however, with increasing
Mach number in the ratio i/\/1-M''^ so that these corrections can
become of significance although for the incompressible flow they are
entirely negligible.
(b) The corrections due to the measured drag are computed
according to equations (5) and (7). They increase for equal drag area
fws = cw F as 1/(1-m2).
.
MCA TM 1300 25
(c) The corrections due to the model displacement are, for small
Mach numbers, estimated according to equations (3) and (6), as long as
it is assumed that along the body contour the assumptions of the Prandtl
principle are satisfied with sufficient accuracy. The corrections
increase as 1/(1-m2)3/2_ jf at high Mach numbers in the neighborhood
of the model the Prandtl principle no longer holds, the correction
velocity at the tunnel center is obtained from the additional velocity
measured at the wall above and below the model with the aid of equa-
tion (4) and the factor m given in table 2. From the additional
velocity measured at the wall, the part due to the drag is to be
subtracted as this correction is already taken into account. In
addition, the effect of the mounting is naturally to be taken into
account as is done most simply by a calibration measurement.
At high Mach numbers the previously given corrections depend on
measurements that are obtained at a large distance from the model and
that there have the same values as in the neighborhood of the model .
Because the ass"umptions for the Prandtl principle used in these correct-
ions are well satisfied at a large distance from the model, the previous
corrections are also admissible when the Prandtl principle in the
neighborhood of the model no longer holds .
3. Sample Computations and Comparison with the Approximate
Computations of Ferri and Lamia
For the velocity correction due to the model displacement the
previously derived equations give higher approximations than those of
Ferri or of Lamia. In order to obtain an idea of the admissibility
of the assumptions of Ferri or Lamia it is therefore convenient to
compare, with the aid of a few examples, the various approximate
computations. (See table 3.)
From the comparison of the values in the table it is seen that,
in accordance with expectation, the wind-tunnel corrections of Ferri
are greatly overestimated. The values of Lamia, particularly for the
tunnel with open section, also still lie considerably higher than the
more accurate values of Franke-Weinig or Glauert-Gothert .
The comparison of the closed circular tunnel with the closed
tunnel with plane walls shows that in spite of the same ratios of
model thickness to tunnel height the wind-tunnel corrections consider-
ably deviate from each other .
26 NACA TM 1300
4. Relations from the Adlabatic Equation as an Aid to
Wind-Tunnel Corrections
For the correction of dynamic pressure and Mach number, several
of the relations obtained from the adiabatic equations are of import-
ance. These are:
Correction of the dynamic pressure:
dq/q = (S-M^) dv/v = - l/2 (S-M^) dp/q
Correction of the Mach niomber:
m/u = (1+ ^ M^) dv/v = - 1/2 (1+ -^ M^) dp/q
where
p static pressure
q pv /2, dynamic pressure
V velocity
k 1.405 for air
/n k-1 2n .
The value of the expression in parenthesis (.1 + —^ M j is repre-
sented in figure 12. The factors yl-}^, l-M^ and (1-m2)3/2^ which
occur freq.uently, are also plotted in figure 13.
VTI. COMPARISON OF THE COMPUTED CORRECTIONS WITH
WIND TUNNEL CORRECTIONS
To check the tunnel corrections determined above for high subsonic
velocities, the high-speed DVL wind tunnel was available. This wind
tunnel has a closed measuring section of 2.7-meter diameter and attains
at about 50 percent of the available driving power the velocity of
sound in the measuring section.
1. Changes in the Wall Pressure through the Mounting of
Rectangular Wings of Various Chords
In order to learn the effect of the tunnel wall on the measure-
ment values at high subsonic velocities, four rectangular wings of
1
NACA TM 1300 27
equal profile, HACA 0015-64, with various chords were investigated in
this tunnel; the chords were t = 350, 500, 700 and 1000 millimeters.
The span (B = 1.35 m) and the mounting were the same for all four wings
investigated. The additional velocities produced by the tunnel walls
cannot be directly measured. At most the increase in the surface
pressure at various Mach numbers could be compared insofar as the change
in the surface pressures in the free air stream at high subsonic
velocities could be considered as known from some computations . In
this case too, however, the observed increase in the surface pressure
is due partly to the increase of the flow about the profile as a result
of the compressibility effect and partly to the effect of the tunnel
wall, so that the part due to the wall effect, obtained through split-
ting the measured values, is at least uncertain.
A useful method of checking the corrections is offered, however,
by the measurement of the wall pressure in the model plane. The
computation of the wall pressure depends on the same assumptions as the
computation of the correction velocities at the tunnel center, as has
already been explained in the previous sections. This close connection
expresses itself also in the fact that the pressure changes due to the
model measured at the wall stand in quite definite relation to the
correction velocities at the center of the tunnel. (See equation 4.)
In addition, the pressure changes at the tunnel wall are always greater
than the pressure changes entering the correction computation so that
the wall pressures are more easily susceptible to an accurate measure-
ment. The tests were conducted by measuring the wall pressures pj,
Pjjj, and p^ for various dynamic pressures. (See fig. 14.) The
measuring stations for the pressures pj and Pm were uniformly
distributed over the entire circular cross-section. For the measure-
ment of p-y in the test section, three close-lying holes were bored -
in the wall in the model plane above and below the model and these were
combined to give the arithmetic mean. It may be shown that the dynamic
pressure and the Mach number in the plane of the model and the wall
pressure p^ without the model were functions only of the ratio
(Pl - Plll)/Pi- These relations were determined by tests and plotted
as calibration curves . The values determined from this ratio for the
dynamic pressure and the Mach number are, in what follows, denoted as
the uncorrected test- section values. If a model is mounted in the test
section, the indicated wall pressure p changes for equal pressure
ratio (pj - Piii)/Pi- From this change of the wall pressure, the
corrections to be applied can be determined.
The wall-pressure changes measured for wings of various chords
are plotted in figure 15 as functions of the corrected Mach niimber in
the test-section center. In order to eliminate the effect of the
mounting, the wall-pressure change was not referred to the wall pressure
of the free test section but to the wall pressure for a mounted wing
28 NACA TM 1300
of 350-millimeter chord. In order to obtain a computational comparison
the Prandtl principle was assumed to be valid also in the neighborhood
of the model. Although this assumption does not hold with certainty
if compression shocks occur at the model, that is, at a Mach number
above approximately 0.76, it may nevertheless be assumed that the
admissibility of the assumptions can be checked from the trend of the
computed and measured curves. This assumption holds at least for the
greater part of the curve, which is below the critical Mach number of
0.76. The computation of the wall-pressure changes was then carried
out with the aid of equations (3), (5), (6), and (7) and tables 1 and 2,
first without taking account of the measured wing drag and again with
the drag taken into account. It was found that for the wings investi-
gated, the wing drag becomes of significance only if it has increased
greatly because of the compression shock. Nevertheless it even then
has a small effect so that the error in taking account of the wing drag
has not too great an effect on the curves .
The effective Mach number with which the rise in the wall pressure
is to be computed is not unique, particularly at high Mach numbers.
The Prandtl principle requires that the mean Mach number of the flow
field under consideration be substituted. In order to show the effect
of this uncertainty, two curves were computed, one for the corrected
Mach numbers at the tunnel center, which in any case had to be considered
as too small in the neighborhood of the model. For the other curve the
Mach numbers computed at the wall were used, which in the neighborhood
of the body came close to the mean Mach niimber. From the curves in
figure 15 it is seen that the computed curves on the whole agree well
with the measurement points . The existing deviations all lie within
a scatter range that can be explained by an inexact estimate of the
effective Mach number .
It may therefore be said in conclusion that the computations
throughout agree with the measurements to the degree that may be
expected from the assumptions made .
With regard to the previously mentioned uncertainty in the deter-
mination of the effective Mach number, it is further to be added that
this uncertainty does not exist in the correction of the dynamic
pressure and the Mach number. The principal factor of importance,
namely, the ratio of measured wall-pressure change to the tunnel cor-
rection, is independent of the corresponding Mach number. Only in the
determination of the correction factors m^Q-^-p/m and Xy /v at
large model chord and in the taking into account of the wake displace-
ment does the Mach number enter . The deviation of the computation
through uncertainties in these corrections should not be of great
significance.
KACA TM 1300 29
2. Effect of the Lift on the Wall Pressure
The measurements described above on the rectangular wing were
carried out for a symmetrical flow about the wing, that is, for zero
lift . The fact that a change in the angle of attack to a first approxi-
mation has no effect on the mean wall pressure is to be expected from,
the considerations of section II, 2. The circulation due to the lift
produces on the upper and lower sides equal and opposite velocity and
pressure changes so that the disturbance velocity through the circu-
lation in forming the mean of the wall pressures on the top and under
sides drops out. There is only an effect due to changes in the wing
drag as a result of different angle of attack, which, however, because
of the small effect of the drag on the wind-tunnel corrections, cannot
be of great significance.
These facts could be confirmed by tests. Figure 16 shows, for a
rectangular wing of 500-millimeter chord, the wall pressure p-^^ as a
function of the pressure difference pj - pm, already discussed
previously for 0° and 5° angles of attack. It is seen that there are
no systematic deviations between the measuring points of the various
angles of attack that could not be ascribed to errors in measurement. The
5 angle of attack means, however, that at high Mach numbers, in general,
the limit of the angle of attack is of greatest interest in the wind
tunnel experiment . This independence of the angle of attack means a
considerable simplification in evaluating the results because the cali-
bration curves for dynamic pressure and Mach number need not be corrected
for each investigated angle of attack.
3. Pressure Drop in the Test Section Due to Wake Displacement
In order to check equations (5) and (7) for taking into account
the wake behind the drag bodies, use was made of the fact, discussed
in section II, 2, c, that at a large distance behind the model the
disturbance velocity due to the wake is just twice as great as the
corrections at the wing location according to the equation (5). It
was further assumed that at the end of the test section, that is, about
two wing chords behind the investigated wing of 500-millimeter chord,
this final value is already practically attained. Under these assump-
tions the additional pressure drop due to the wake as compared with the
test section without obstacles could be computationally estimated. For
the effective Mach number there were again substituted two values which
correspond respectively to the Mach number in the test section and the
Mach niimber at the end of the test section.
For this comparison too (fig. 17), the measuring values lie within
the region that is described by the computed curves. The residual
deviations can be ascribed to measuring errors or deviations in the
effective Mach number.
30 NACA TM 1300
VIII . SUMMARY
(1) For wings with finite ratio of span to tunnel diameter and
for bodies of rotation in closed circular tunnels, the wind-tunnel
corrections due to the model displacement in an incompressible flow
are computed.
The corrections, in contrast to Glauert's method, are given as a
function of the voltime of the displacing body. In this method the
effect of the contour shape for slender body shapes becomes vanishingly
small,' in particular in the limiting case of very slender bodies the
same form factor is obtained for three-dimensional and two-dimensional
flows .
(2) For incompressible flow the additional velocities due to the
dead-water region behind the resistance bodies is represented by a
simple equation.
(3) With the aid of the Prandtl principle it is shown that for
compressible flow the tunnel corrections due to the model displacement
increase as l/(l-M ) / and due to the wake for equal drag area as
l/(l-M^). The corrections due to the lift remain, for equal lift
coefficient, unchanged provided the wing chord is small compared to
the tunnel height .
(4) On increasing the Mach number the corrections to take accou nt
of the stream curvature for models with large chord rise as l/^\/T-y^
so that these corrections have significance at high Mach numbers even
though they are negligible at small Mach numbers .
(5) The derived corrections for high Mach numbers remain valid
if along the model surface the assumptions of the Prandtl principle
are no longer satisfied. The limiting Mach number up to which the
method is applicable is to be determined by wind-tunnel tests.
(6) A comparison between computation and measurement shows good
agreement as far as may be expected from the assumptions made .
Translated by S. Reiss
National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics
NACA TM 1300
31
TABLE I - FACTOR T^ FOR THE CLOSED CIRCULAR TUTMELI (EQUATION 3)
\b, span of rectangular wing; D, tunnel diameterj
Model shape
Body of
rotation
Rectangular wing
b/d =
b/D = 0.25
B/D = 0.50
B/d =0.75
Factor Ty
1.02
1.02
1.04
1.06
1.10
Glauert (reference 3, p. 58) gives for the factor T„ after suitable
conversion for bodies with rotational symmetry:
T^ = 0.797 X 4/n =^ 1.016
for closed circular tunnel,
Ty = -0.206 X 4/rt = -0.263
for open circular tunnel . The deviations of these values from those
in table 1 lie within the accuracy of computation.
TABLE II - FACTOR m FOR THE CLOSED CIRCULAR TUTMEL (EQUATION 4)
{b, span of rectangular wing; D, tunnel diameter]
Model shape
Body of
rotation
Rectangular wing
b/d =
b/d = 0.25
b/d = 0.50
Factor m
0.45
0.45
0.46
0.49
32
NACA TM 1300
TABLE III - VELOCITY CORRECTION IN VARIOUS WIND TUNNELS FOR
A WING WITH ELLIPTICAL CROSS-SECTION WITH d/t = 0-10
FOR A MCH NUMBER OF 0.75
Tunnel shape
Wing thickness
Span
Velocity correction
(percent)
Tunnel height
Tunnel width
(percent)
Closed tunnel
4
1
11.4 -- Ferri
with parallel
4.2 -- Lamia
walls;
2.5 -- Franke-
h = constant;
Weinig
b *oc
and Glauert-
Gothert
Open free jet
4
1
-4.2 -- Lamia
with parallel
walls;
-1.3 -- Glauert-
h = constant;
GiSthert
b — > 00
Closed circu-
4
0.25
1.2 — G8thert
lar tunnel
MCA TM 1300 33
REFEFLEWCES
1. Ferri, A.: The Guidonia High-Speed Tunnel. Aircraft Engineering,
vol. XII, no. 140, Oct. 1940, pp. 302-305.
2. Lamia, E. : Der Einfluss der Strahlagrenze in Hochgeschid-ndigkeits-
Windkanaien. F.B. 1007, Luftfahrtforschung, Dez. 15, 1938.
3. Glauert, H. : Wind Tunnel Interference on Wings, Bodies, and
Airscrews. R. & M. No. 1566, British A. E.G., 1933, pp. 54-58.
4. Franke, A., and Weinig, F.: The Correction of the .Speed of Flow
and the Angle of Incidence Due to Blockage by Aerofoil Models
in a High Speed Wind Tunnel with Closed Working Section.
F.B. 1171, Rep. & Trans. 259, British M.A. P. , April 1946.
5. Fuchs, Richard, und Hopf, Ludwig: Handbuch der Flugzeugkunde,
Bd. II. Aerodynamlk. Richard Carl Schmidt & Co. (Berlin),
1922.
6. Lamb, H.: The Hydrodynamic Forces on a Cylinder Moving in Two
Dimensions. R. & M. No. 1218, British A. R.S. , 1929.
7. Muttray, H. : Ueber die Anwendung des impulsmessverfahrens zur
unmittelboren Ermittlung des Profilwiderstandes bei
Wlndkanaluntersuchungen. GDC 10/l07T, ZWB Rep. 824/2,
Nov. 15, 1937.
8. Lotz, J.: Korrektur des Abwindes in Windkanalen mlt kreisrunden
Oder elliptischen Querschnitten. Luftfahrtforschung, Bd. 12,
Nr. 8, Dez. 25, 1935, S. 250-264.
9. Gothert, B. : Einige Bemerkungen zur Prandtl ' schen Regel in Bezug
auf ebene und raumliche Stromung. (ohne Auftrieb), F.B. 1165,
Institut fur Aerodynamik, Berlin-Adlershof , Dez . 30, 1939 .
10. Prandtl, L.: General Considerations on the Flow of Compressible
Fluids. NACA TM 805, 1936.
34
NACA TM 1300
■^60.
Figure 1. - Wind tunnel with model. One-dimensional velocity distribution according
to Ferri,
1.4
1.2
1.0
.2
Equivalent dipole strength:
' M^ = 2 • £ (a • Q) =X^ • V • Vp
— V Volume of the tody
Vq Free-atream velocity
.08 .16 .24 .32 .40
Thickness ratio, d/t
Flgiire 2. - Eijuivalent dipole strength for elliptical cylinder and ellipsoid of revolution
(recomputed from reference 3).
Figure 3, - Model with vortex wake.
NACA TM 1300
35
Through model-, I r- Through wall
'0 ^'^"^
XW
Figure 4. - Telocity distrihutlon for a model in the wind tunnel.
n
Partial
streamline
'0^:
Sources
I'igure 5. - Diatrlhution of the sources and sinks for the hounding
streamlines under consideration.
.8
.6
.4
.2
Ty hzw m = Factors for minutely small model chord
'''^corr ^^^ ™corr ^ Factors for finite model chord
I I I I I
Model chord/tunnel diameter t/D
.3
.6 .7
.9 1.0 1.1 1.2
Figure 6. - Effect of the model chord on the factors t^ (equation (3))
and m (equation (4)) for source-sink "body with ratio F/d x t = ~ 0.75
(rotational symmetry or wing with ratio of span/tunnel diameter -^O).
36
MCA TM 1300
Reflected
mirrored
source
-Source
^,^_
w
■ Reflected
_-^— mirrored
- . — aource
Figure 7. - Soiarce in the tunnel with reflected sources .
rD/^/x-yfi
3: V
(a) Incompressible medium.
(b) Compressible medium, potentials of
(a) distorted according to Prandtl,
Figure 8. - Wing in closed tunnel for incompressible and compressible flow according to the
Prandtl principle.
^Boundary line
Figure 9. - Dipole in parallel flow.
NACA TM 1300
37
■Reflected
mirrored
Bouadary line_
-Dlpole
in the
tuimel
■Eeflected
_ mirrored
];®X-'"-rL_--
figure 10. - Dipole in timnel with "boundary lines for the case of the
validity of the Prandtl principle.
Compreasihle
J Incompreaaihle ^p^^ 31
Figure 11. - Potential vortex in the parallel flow.
38
NACA TM 1300
1.4
1.2
1.0
.8
.4
.2
.2
T-*
,
—
V
-c =
1 +
£-1
2
m2
i^iacn
•^■^ }
.4
.6
.8
1.0
Figure 12. - Factor C as a function of the Mach numlier.
dM/k = C • dv/v = -1/2 • C • dp/fi v2;
NACA TM 1300
39
^
71
/
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/
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OJ
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y
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r
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to
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f
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1
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pi
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40
NACA TM 1300
f^Pi
^^Xli
- y
Figure 14. - Wall pressures for determining the dynamic pressure,
MCA TM 1300
41
Mach numter at tunnel center, v/a corr
i 1 1 1 1-
Flgure 15. - Comparison of the computed and measured wall-pressure changes through
mounting of rectangular wings (KACA 0015-64) with various chords.
42
NACA TM 1300
340
320
300
280
260
240
220
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600
mm HgO
Figure 16, - Wall pressures at the measuring section at 0° and. 5°
angles of attack of a rectangular wing (NACA 0015-64)
vith 500-Biilliiiieter chord.
Diagi-am recomputed for
p-p = 10,000 iTTm HpO
•
/
Pi-iV
•
/
I
I
J
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— r-
1 1 r 1
Test points:
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NACA TM 1300
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DOCUMENTS DEPARTMENT
120 MARSTON SCIENCE LIBRARY
P.O. BOX 117011
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