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Department of Mechanical Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2011/12


ME30032: Aerodynamics

Click here for further information Credits: 6
Click here for further information Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Click here for further information Period: Semester 1
Click here for further information Assessment: EX 100%
Click here for further information Supplementary Assessment: ME30032 Re-Assessment Examination (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take ME20022
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
To improve the students' understanding of fundamentals of inviscid and viscous flow, principles of lift and drag, turbulence and compressibility.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* Estimate lift for an arbitrary aerofoil cross-sections.
* Calculate the load distributions over an arbitrary three-dimensional wing.
* Apply the boundary layer equations to laminar and turbulent flow.
* Estimate the drag, and predict lift and drag at high Mach numbers.

Skills:
Problem solving and numeracy (taught and assessed).

Content:
Incompressible flow over aerofoils: irrotational flow over a circular cylinder, Kutta-Joukowski theorem, thin aerofoil theory, cambered and flapped aerofoil, vortex panel method, high-lift devices.
Incompressible flow over finite wings: induced drag, lifting-line theory, general lift distribution, lifting-surface theory, delta wings.
Fundamentals of viscous flow: viscosity and stress, fluid acceleration, conservation of mass and momentum.
Boundary layers: boundary layer equations, zero pressure gradient, separation, similarity solutions, arbitrary pressure gradient, boundary layer control in laminar flow, other thin shear flows.
Flow instabilities, transition and turbulence: stability theory, instability over a flat plate, factors affecting instability and transition, turbulent transport of momentum, turbulent boundary layer over a flat plate, turbulent drag reduction and separation control, turbulence measurement.
Lift and drag at high Mach numbers: Mach number regimes, normal and oblique shock waves, expansion waves, shock-expansion theory for supersonic aerofoils, subsonic and transonic flow over aerofoils, linearised supersonic flow, wings and influence of sweepback.
Topics for self study that could be examined.
Click here for further informationProgramme availability:

ME30032 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFB26 : BEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEME-AKB26 : BEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Thick Sandwich) - Year 4
  • UEME-AFM04 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEME-AKM04 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Thick Sandwich) - Year 4
  • UEME-AFM05 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering with French (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEME-AKM05 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering with French (Thick Sandwich) - Year 4
  • UEME-AFM06 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering with German (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEME-AKM06 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering with German (Thick Sandwich) - Year 4

ME30032 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Mathematical Sciences
  • TSMA-AFM08 : MSc Modern Applications of Mathematics (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSMA-AFL02 : PG Dip Modern Applications of Mathematics (Full-time) - Year 1
Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFM01 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM01 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM02 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering with French (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM02 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering with French (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM03 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering with German (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM03 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering with German (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM16 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM16 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM17 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with French (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM17 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with French (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM18 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with German (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM18 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with German (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM38 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM38 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM39 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing, Management and French (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM39 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing, Management and French (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5
  • UEME-AFM40 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing, Management and German (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEME-AKM40 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing, Management and German (Thick Sandwich) - Year 5

NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.