Perfect Gases

Flow Fields
Equation of State
Airspeed
Reynolds Number
Mach Number
MAE 2
2
MAE 2
Fundamental Quantities in Aerodynamics
Pressure is the normal force per unit area exerted on a surface due to as molecules
impactin that surface!
"ypical units# N$m
2
% lb$ft
2
% atm
"he density of a as is its mass per unit &olume!
"ypical units# '$m
(
% slu$ft
(
"emperature is a measure of the a&erae 'inetic enery of the particles in the as!
"ypical units# )%
o
*%
o
R%
o
F
p=
lim
dA-0
(
df
dA
)
p=pressure
dF=force acting on dA
dA=small area
j=
lim
dv -0
(
dm
dv
)
j=density
dm=mass inside dv
dv=small volume
(
MAE 2
Flow Fields
"he &elocity of a flowin as is the &elocity of a small fluid element as it passes
throuh a fixed point!
+elocity is &ector quanitity , it has a manitude and a direction!
A fluid particle in steady flow will trace a path -called a streamline. in space!
Pressure% density% temperature% and &elocity are all point properties!
"hey can all &ary from one point in space to another!
A flow field is defined by 'nowlede of each parameter for e&ery point in space!
p=p( x , x , z)
j=j( x , y , z)
T =T ( x , y , z)

V =

V ( x , y , z )
x
y
/
0
MAE 2
Equation of State
A perfect as is one in which intermolecular forces are neliible!
Air% ha&in relati&ely low density% acts li'e a perfect as!
"he equation of state for a perfect as is#
p=jRT
R=287
J
(kg)( K)
=1716
( ft )(lb)
(slug)( R
o
)
p=pressure
j=density
T =temperature
R=specific gas constant
"he specific as constant -R. for air is#
1
MAE 2
Airspeed
Airspeed refers to the speed of the air relati&e to the airplane!
"he aerodynamic forces% actin on the airplane% are produced by this relati&e motion!
V
A/ G
=V
A/ P
+V
P/G
V
A/G
=speed of air relative to ground
V
P/G
=speed of airplane relative to ground
V
A/ P
=speed of air relative to airplane
V =V
A/ P
=airspeed
V
A/ G
=V +V
P/ G
V =V
A/G
V
P/ G
2
MAE 2
Wind Tunnels
A wind tunnel produces an airspeed that is that same as the round speed of an
airplane mo&in in still air!
Airplane is mo&in relati&e to round
Air is not mo&in relati&e to round
Airplane is not mo&in relati&e to round
Air is mo&in relati&e to round
V
P/G
V
A/G
V =V
P/G
V =V
A/G
V V
V =V
A/G
V
P/ G
V =V
A/G
V
P/ G
3
MAE 2
Reynolds Number
+iscosity of a fluid measures its ability to equali/e differences in momentum!
"he &iscosity of a liquid decreases with increasin temperature!
"he &iscosity of a as increases with increasin temperature!
A hih Reynolds number indicates that the &iscous -friction. forces are relati&ely low!
R
e
=
jV l
j
R
e
=Reynolds number
j=density
V =airspeed
l =length of the body or surface
j=viscosity coefficient
j=1.789410

kg
(m)( s)
=!.7!7!10
7
slug
( ft )(s)
"he &iscosity coefficient for air at sea4le&el is approximately#
5
MAE 2
ac! Number
For a perfect as% the speed of sound depends only on temperature!
a=
.
RT
"he Mach number -M. compares the airspeed -+. to the speed of sound -a.
Speed of sound -a. should not be confused with acceleration -a.
M=
V
a
M 6 7% flow is subsonic
M 8 7% flow is sonic
9!5 6 M 6 7!2% flow is transonic
M : 7% flow is supersonic
M : 1% flow is hypersonic
a=speed of sound
T =temperature
=ratio of specific heats =1.4"for air#
;
MAE 2
Resources
<ind "unnels in Action -NASA.
http#$$www!youtube!com$watch=&8M's>?p@/ui0