Examination and Prediction of the Lift Components of Low Aspect Ratio Rectangular Flat Plate Wings

Abstract

An investigation of the lift components present over low aspect ratio rectangular wings is presented. Wing aspect ratios ranging from 0.5 to 3 are examined using published experimental results and analytic analysis methods. The methods are based on the fundamental decomposition of Polhamus; that is, lift is attributed to a potential flow lift component coupled with a vortical lift component stemming from the leading and side edges of the flat plate wing. The analysis suggests a low sensitivity to Reynolds numbers spanning three orders of magnitude and brings into doubt the realization of a leading edge vortex lift component for wings with unswept leading edges under steady state conditions. The analytic prediction method of Purvis is shown to provide close accord with all experimental data sets when lift contributions caused by a leading edge vortex are excluded.