NASA-TP-2990

Abstract

Experimental and theoretical aerodynamic characteristics were compared for a high-lift, semispan wing configuration that incorporated a slightly modified version of the NASA Advanced Laminar Flow Control airfoil section. The experimental investigation was conducted in the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel at chord Reynolds numbers of 2.36 and 3.33 million. A two-dimensional airfoil code and a three-dimensional panel code were used to obtain aerodynamic predictions. Two-dimensional data were corrected for three-dimensional effects. Comparisons between predicted and measured values were made for the cruise configuration and for various high-lift configurations. Both codes predicted lift and pitching moment coefficients that agreed well with experiment for the cruise configuration. These parameters were overpredicted for all high-lift configurations. Drag coefficient was underpredicted for all cases. Corrected two-dimensional pressure distributions typically agreed well with experiment, while the panel code overpredicted the leading-edge suction peak on the wing. One important feature missing from both of these codes was a capability for separated flow analysis. The major cause of disparity between the measured data and predictions presented herein was attributed to separated flow conditions.