Observation of airplane flow fields by natural condensation effectsIn-flight condensation patterns can illustrate a variety of airplane flow fields, such as attached and separated flows, vortex flows, and expansion and shock waves. These patterns are a unique source of flow visualization that has not been utilized previously. Condensation patterns at full-scale Reynolds number can provide useful information for researchers experimenting in subscale tunnels. It is also shown that computed values of relative humidity in the local flow field provide an inexpensive way to analyze the qualitative features of the condensation pattern, although a more complete theoretical modeling is necessary to obtain details of the condensation process. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that relative humidity is more sensitive to changes in local static temperature than to changes in pressure.
Document ID
19880034912
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Campbell, James F. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Chambers, Joseph R. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Rumsey, Christopher L. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)