Problems

1. A car has a frontal projected area of 1.6 m2 and travels at 60 km/h. It has a drag coefficient of 0.35 based
on frontal area.
(a) Calculate the power required to overcome wind resistance by the car.
(b) If the drag coefficient is reduced to 0.30 by streamlining, for the same power expended in
overcoming air 3resistance, what speed of the car is possible?
[air= 1.2 kg/m ]
Solution:

2. A chimney has a diameter of 2.5 m and is 50 m tall. Calculate the bending moment at the
base of the chimney when a gale at 80 km/h blows across it. [CD = 1.20 and 0.33 with critical
Reynolds number at 5 x 105, air= 1.2 kg/m3 , = 1.5 x 10-5 m2/s]
Solution:
3. A cylinder 1.2 m in diameter and 9 m long rotates at 210 rpm with its axis normal to an air
stream of velocity 10 m/s. Calculate the theoretical (i) circulation around the cylinder, (ii)
theoretical lift coefficient and lift force and (iii) location of stagnation points, [air = 1,2kg/m3]
4. A 1940 model car has a drag coefficient CD = 0.95. (a) What is the aerodynamic drag on this car when it
travels at 30 km/h. Assume frontal area of 1.8 m2 . (b) What is the power spent in overcoming this
drag? [air = 1.22 kg/m3 ] (Ans: FD = 72.44 N, P = 603.6 W)
5. A radio antenna having a diameter of 6 mm extends 1.5 m upwards into air in the front part of a car. If the
car moves at 100 km/h, estimate the bending moment at the base of the antenna. [air = 1.2 kg/m3 ,
CD=1.2] (Ans: M =0.375 Nm)
6. A television antenna is supported on a vertical cylindrical support of 7.5 cm diameter extending 10 m above
a flat roof., CD = 0.5 for 104 < Re < 3.105 > and CD = 0.2 for Re > 3.105]. (Ans If a wind of 60 km/h
blows past it, estimate the drag on the support, [air = 1.2 kg/m3 , = 1.5 x 10-5 m2/s.: FD=62.5 N)
7. An airplane weighs 25 kN and has a wing area of 25 m2. If the plane travels a steady speed of 200 km/h in
the horizontal plane, calculate its lift coefficient? [air = 1.2 kg/m3 ] (Ans. CL = 0.54)
8. A small airplane has a weight of 10 kN, a wing area of 25 m2 and a take off speed 100 km/h. The lift and
drag coefficients of the wing for small angles of attack can be approximated as CL = 0.11 a and CD = 0.002
+ 0.0025 where = angle of attack in degrees. Find the angle of attack needed and the power required at
the take off? [air = 1.2 kg/m3 ] (Ans: =7.85o , P=6.96 kW)
9 A 2.0 m diameter cylinder is 10 m long and rotates at 300 rpm about its axis which is normal to an air
stream of velocity 20 m/s. Calculate the (a) theoretical lift force per unit length. (b) the position of stagnation
points and (c) actual lift, drag and resultant force on the cylinder. [For actual lift and drag take CL = 3.40
and CD = 0.65, air = 1.25 kg/m3]
(Ans. (a) FL = 4.935 kN/m; (b) 1= - 51.77, 2= 231.7, (c) FaL = 17 kN, Fan = 3.25 kN, = 79.180 )