Joukowski Aerofoil Investigation

[Fogo]

Hi everyone,

 

I joined recently and I'd like to share some things I've written with you. I think they might be of interest to some people.

 

This is the investigation I did for my final A level year. I was comparing the Kutta-Joukowski model of lift for thin aerofoils to experimental results. They fitted well (with 70% accuracy) but I had a few problems doing this investigation. Firstly in interpreting the Kutta-Joukowski model itself. The literature I read (and MATLAB model I used to design the aerofoils) took different mathematical approaches so it was difficult to piece together exactly how the model was meant to work. In the end I think I ended up creating an expression for pressure rather than lift; but this was the best I could do - it seemed close enough to the experimental results. (which is a terrible way to work but I guess that shows you shouldn't put a deadline on science!) So if anybody has any advice on the Kutta-Joukowski model I'd love to hear it. (but please don't send me any public domain resources. I guarantee you that I've read it. Several times.)

 

Secondly I had a bit of a problem with my statistical analysis. With my lack of experience, I wasn't quite sure which method I should use to analyse my data. In the end I think I came up with quite an inventive and accurate method. I plotted a line in which (expected results) = (observed results) and found the coefficient of determination of the line with respect to the actual data points. This gave me a numerical indication of how close the expected results equalled the observed results: 70%. I once saw a flow chart on a poster which told you which statistical analysis you should use depending on the type of data you have. I've been looking for something like that since. Would somebody be able to point me in the direction of something similar?

 

Here's the paper (any criticism or advice is welcome): JAFexperiment.pdf

 

Also, here's the thread for my more recent Quantum Entanglement report: http://www.sciencefo...m-entanglement/

And here's the thread for my introduction to Carbon Nanotubes: http://www.sciencefo...rbon-nanotubes/

Edited September 10, 2011 by Fogo