Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Aerodynamics of Double Membrane Sailwing Airfoil Sections

摘要

A simple numerical method which can estimate the performance of both slightly and highly cambered double membrane sailwing profiles is presented. Elasticity is taken into account. A parameter study was performed and the numerical results were verified. Wind tunnel tests on a two dimensional model were carried out. The lift coefficient, C sub l, was determined from static pressures at the wind tunnel side walls. The drag coefficient was found with a wake rake. For each test, the shape of the airfoil was photographed and the pressure inside the profile was measured. Besides proving the numerical method, results show that the maximum value of the lift to drag ratio is 88.6, occurring at C sub l = 1.88, which is much higher than the values for all the other sailwings in the literature.