Feasibility Study of Applying Laminar Flow Control to an LTA Vehicle

Abstract

The feasibility of applying laminar boundary-layer control with body shaping to a high altitude, Lighter-Than-Air vehicle was investigated. Solar- radiation-induced surface heating was shown to have a destabilizing effect on laminar flow and caused the laminar flow to break down on regions of the vehicle surface exposed to high levels of solar radiation. Aerodynamic drag estimates were made for the vehicle. Surface waviness and roughness criteria for achieving laminar flow were determined.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA088148

Entities

People

  • Dwight J. Warner
  • Suphi A. Ozgur
  • Wayne W. Haigh

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerostats
  • Aircrafts
  • Boundary Layer
  • Boundary Layer Control
  • Boundary Layer Flow
  • Boundary Layer Transition
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Drag
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Friction
  • High Altitude
  • Laminar Boundary Layer
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Gradients
  • Solar Radiation
  • Turbulent Flow
  • Vehicle Design

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.