Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
Measurements have been made of the surface pressure distributions in the region of the junction between an untapered wing, of NACA 0015 section swept back at 20°, and a flat plate on which a turbulent boundary layer had developed, for several values of wing incidence. It is shown that the section lift coefficient of the wing diminishes, while the pressure drag coefficient increases, as the junction is approached. Oil-flow visualisations on the plate surface show the passage of the horseshoe-like vortex which forms when the retarded boundary layer flow separates as it approaches the leading-edge of the junction. Kinks in the isobars on the plate correlate with the trailing “legs” of this vortex. The surface flow visualisations also show that the turbulence in the junction region spreads onto the wing from the leading edge at an angle of about 10°.
A rotatable X-wire anemometer was used to make measurements of the mean velocity field and of five components of the Reynolds stress tensor, in the wake of the junction, with the wing at incidences of 0° and 9°. Log-law (Clauser) plots were used with the profiles Ū(Y) of longitudinal velocity to estimate the skin friction coefficient on the plate, though adjustments of the zero for Y were necessary to obtain a sensible fit. These corrections were often larger than can be readily explained, but the skin-friction values are consistent with the corresponding, measured velocity correlation, . The Reynolds stresses in the wake region clearly show that the horseshoe-like vortex legs persist beyond the trailing-edge of the wing, the turbulence intensity being larger on the suction side for the wing at incidence.
Average values of the skin-friction coefficient on the plate in the junction region are little different from those away from the junction. No corresponding information is available for the skin-friction on the wing, but if this is likewise unaffected by the junction, then the total drag of the junction region will be greater than the sum of those of the isolated parts, simply because of the increase in pressure drag.