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Design of fuselage shapes for natural laminar flowRecent technological advances in airplane construction techniques and materials allow for the production of aerodynamic surfaces without significant waviness and roughness, permitting long runs of natural laminar flow (NLF). The present research effort seeks to refine and validate computational design tools for use in the design of axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric natural-laminar-flow bodies. The principal task of the investigation involves fuselage body shaping using a computational design procedure. Analytical methods were refined and exploratory calculations conducted to predict laminar boundary-layer on selected body shapes. Using a low-order surface-singularity aerodynamic analysis program, pressure distribution, boundary-layer development, transition location and drag coefficient have been obtained for a number of body shapes including a representative business-aircraft fuselage. Extensive runs of laminar flow were predicted in regions of favorable pressure gradient on smooth body surfaces. A computational design procedure was developed to obtain a body shape with minimum drag having large extent of NLF.
Document ID
19860014381
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Dodbele, S. S.
(Vigyan Research Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Vandam, C. P.
(Vigyan Research Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Vijgen, P. M. H. W.
(Kansas Univ., Lawrence Lawrence, Kas., United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 1986
Publication Information
Publisher: NASA
Subject Category
Fluid Mechanics And Heat Transfer
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-3970
NAS 1.26:3970
Accession Number
86N23852
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-17926
PROJECT: RTOP 324-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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