Aerodynamic improvements of paraglider performance

摘要

An analysis of paraglider performance shows that wing section drag is the most significant contribution to overall drag. ^An earlier experimental investigation of a typical flexible paraglider wing section showed that poor section performance is mainly due to two factors: a large trailing edge separation and the deformation of the wing between ribs. ^This study investigates a number of modifications to a flexible paraglider section with the aim of reducing the detrimental effects. ^The devices studied are: vortex generators, leading edge stiffeners, and trailing edge slots. ^All are capable of being retro-fitted to an existing wing. ^Measurements show that these modifications are capable of increasing the maximum c1 of the wing, as well as giving up to 25 percent improvement in L/D. ^(Author)