ME 425: AERODYNAMICS

Lecture # 16 : Airplane Performance

May 11, 2015

Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan

Associate Professor, ME, BUET

teacher.buet.ac.bd/toufiquehasan/courses.php

L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

ME425: Aerodynamics

Thrust Required Curve

At point a:
Velocity of free-stream air is high
q is high since

1
q = v 2
2
TR min.

TR =

W
L
D

* TR goes through a minimum point

Most of the required lift is obtained

from high dynamic pressure.
This Lift will support the weight of
the airplane ( L = W = q SC L )
Hence CL and therefore are small.
However, at this condition, the drag
will also be high and subsequently the
required thrust (TR = D = q SC D )

By decreasing the free-stream velocity; the magnitude of q will reduce. But to

maintain a constant lift (to support the airplane weight); CL needs to be increased by
increasing the angle of attack, . Subsequently, the TR will initially decrease and
further continue up to minimum TR.
W
W

TR =

L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

CL CD

ME425: Aerodynamics

L D
2

Thrust Required Curve

At point b:
Velocity of free-stream air is low
q is low since
1
q = v 2
2
TR =

TR min.

W
L
D

Therefore CL is to be large ( is to
be large).
At these conditions, the drag due to
lift, CD,i contributed more on the total
drag (CD=CD,0+CD,i) since CD,i varies
as CL2 by this relation

* TR goes through a minimum point

C D ,i =

CL 2
e AR

As a result CD,i increases rapidly, more rapidly than q decreases, and D and hence
TR increases.
This is why, starting at point a, TR first decreases as v decreases, then goes
through a minimum and starts to increase, as shown at point b.
L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

ME425: Aerodynamics

Condition of minimum TR
TR = D = q SC D = q S (C D ,0 + C D ,i )

C 2
TR = q S C D ,0 + L

e AR

TR = q SC D ,0 + q S
Zero-lift TR
(Thrust required to
balance zero-lift drag)

Again

CL =

Lift-induced TR
(Thrust required to
balance drag due to lift)

W
q S

TR = q SC D ,0 +

L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

CL 2
e AR

then
W2
q S e AR
ME425: Aerodynamics

Condition of minimum TR
From Thrust-required curve, at minimum TR

dTR
=0
dv

dTR dTR dv
=

=0
dq dv dq

dv
W2

SC D ,0 2
=0

dq
q
S
e
AR

C D,0 =
C D,0 =

W2
q 2 S 2 e AR

W
C L =

q S

CL 2
e AR

C D , 0 = C D ,i
At minimum Thrust required
Zero-lift drag = drag due to lift.
L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

ME425: Aerodynamics

Power Required, PR
Consider an airplane in level, unaccelerated flight at a given altitude and with
velocity, v . If the thrust required is TR then power required PR
PR = TR v
W
v
CL / CD

PR =

since

1
L = W = v 2 S C L
2
2W

v =

S CL

Then the power required can be written as PR =

PR =
PR

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W
2W

CL / C D
S CL

2 W 3C D 2
W

CL / CD
S CL3
1
CL3/ 2

CD
ME425: Aerodynamics

Power Required Curve, PR

PR min.

* PR goes through a minimum point

L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

ME425: Aerodynamics

Condition of minimum PR
PR = TR v = Dv = q SC D v = q S (C D ,0 + C D ,i ) v

C 2
TR = q Sv C D ,0 + L

e AR

TR = q SC D ,0 v + q Sv
Zero-lift PR
(Power required to
balance zero-lift drag)

Again

CL =

Lift-induced PR
(Power required to
balance drag due to lift)

W
1
v 2 S
2

1
PR = v 3 SC D,0 +
2
L4 T2 : Jan. 2015

CL 2
e AR

then
1

W 2 v S
2

e AR
ME425: Aerodynamics

Condition of minimum PR
From Power-required curve, at minimum PR

dPR
=0
dv
C D ,0 =

1
C D ,i
3
At minimum Power-required

Zero-lift drag = 1/3 (drag due to lift)

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ME425: Aerodynamics

Condition of minimum PR

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ME425: Aerodynamics

10

 Problems on
TR and PR curves
(Example 6.1 and 6.3)

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ME425: Aerodynamics

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