NACA 0015 Wing Pressure and Trailing Vortex Measurements

A NACA 0015 semispan wing was placed in a low-speed wind tunnel, and measurements were made of the pressure on the upper and lower surface of the wing and of the velocity across the vortex trailing downstream from the tip of the wing. Pressure data were obtained for both 2D and 3D configurations. These data feature a detailed comparison between wing tips with square and round lateral edges. A two-component laser velocimeter was used to measure velocity profiles across the vortex at numerous stations behind the wing and for various combinations of conditions. These conditions include three aspect ratios, three chord lengths, a square- and a round-lateral tip, presence or absence of a boundary-layer trip, and three image plane positions located opposite the wing tips. The addition of a round-lateral edge to the wing tip was found to eliminate the secondary vortex near the wing tip, but had little effect on the downstream characteristics of the trailing vortex.