PERFORMANCE OF TRAILING AERODYNAMIC DECELERATORS AT HIGH DYNAMIC PRESSURES. PART III. WIND TUNNEL TESTING OF RIGID AND FLEXIBLE PARACHUTE MODELS
Abstract
THE MAJOR RESULTS OF THE TEST PROGRAM ARE SUMMARIZED. SOLID METAL CANOPIES WITHOUT SUSPENSION LINES WHICH WERE PROPERLY VENTED EXHIBITED STABLE FLOW AT ALL TIMES REGARDLESS OF CHANGES IN POROSITY, MACH NUMBER, DYNAMIC PRESSURE, AND VARIOUS OTHER PARAMETERS. THE ADDITION OF SUSPENSION LINES TO THE SOLID CANOPIES CAUSED UNSTABLE FLOW TO EXIST AT ALL TIMES. REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SUSPENSION LINES OR ADDING FLOW STABILIZERS DID NOT IMPROVE FLOW PATTERNS. FABRIC CANOPIES BEHAVED POORLY IN GENERAL AND APPEARED TO BE SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT UPON THE LOCATION OF A CONICAL INTERLINE SHOCK WAVE. A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT WAS NOTED WHEN THE NUMBER OF GORES WAS INCREASED. AVERAGE DRAG COEFFICIENT WAS A FUNCTION OF AVERAGE INFLATED AREA RATIO. SHAPED GORES IMPROVED BEHAVIOR SOMEWHAT, THE 45 DEG CONICAL RIBBON GIVING THE MOST STABLE PERFORMANCE OF ALL FABRIC CONFIGURATIONS TESTED.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1959
- Accession Number
- AD0248951
Entities
People
- B. A. Engstrom
- R. A. Meyer