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Aerodynamics for Yacht & Sail Designers

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  1. Introduction

    Meet the instructor
  2. Fundamentals section "teaser"
  3. Airfoil Analysis section "teaser"
  4. Fundamentals: Fundamentals of Aerodynamics
    Why is it important for Yacht Designers and Sailors?
  5. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
  6. Aerodynamic Variables
  7. Aerodynamic Forces & Coefficients, Centre of Pressure
  8. Quiz - Module I
    1 Quiz
  9. Fundamentals: Methods of Describing Fluid Flow & Conservation Equations
    Lagrangian & Eulerian Fluid Frameworks
  10. Conservation Equations
  11. Quiz - Module II
    1 Quiz
  12. Fundamentals: Types of Flow & Boundary Layer
    Types of Fluids
  13. Types of Flows
  14. Reynolds & Mach Numbers
  15. The Boundary Layer
  16. Quiz - Module III
    1 Quiz
  17. Fundamentals: Vorticity, Circulation, and Potential Flows
    Vorticity & Circulation
  18. Potential Flow Theory
  19. Superposition of Potential Flows
  20. Quiz - Module IV
    1 Quiz
  21. Fundamentals: Kutta-Joukowsky Theorem
    Flow Over a Circular Cylinder
  22. Magnus Effect
  23. The Kutta-Joukowski Theorem
  24. Quiz - Module V
    1 Quiz
  25. Airfoils: Analysis & Geometry
    Airfoil Geometry
  26. Aerodynamic Forces
  27. Flaps
  28. Quiz - Module VI
    1 Quiz
  29. Airfoils: NACA Series
    Experimental & Theoretical Airfoils
  30. NACA Airfoils Series
  31. Quiz - Module VII (assignment)
  32. Airfoils: Thin Airfoil Theory
    Thin Airfoil Theory
  33. Quiz - Module VIII
    1 Quiz
  34. Airfoils: Vortex Panel Method
    The Vortex Panel Method
  35. Quiz - Module IX
    1 Quiz
  36. Wings: Analysis & Geometry
    Wing Geometry
  37. Elements to Modify Wing Geometry
  38. Quiz - Module X
    1 Quiz
  39. Wings: Aerodynamic Principles of Finite Wings
    Basic Aerodynamic Principles of Finite Wings
  40. Quiz - Module XI
    1 Quiz
  41. Wings: Lift, Induced Drag, and Induced Angle of Attack
    Lift, Induced Drag, and Induced Angle of Attack
  42. Systems to Reduce Induced Drag
  43. Quiz - Module XII
    1 Quiz
  44. Wings: Lifting Line Theory
    Lifting-Line Theory
  45. Lifting-Line Theory: Elliptical Distribution of Circulation
  46. Lifting-Line Theory: Arbitrary Distribution of Circulation
  47. Quiz - Module XIII (assignment)
  48. Wings: Effects of Planform and Twist. Optimum Twist
    Effects of Wing Planform
  49. Optimum Wing Twist
  50. Quiz - Module XIV
    1 Quiz
  51. Sail Aerodynamic Analysis
    Sail Aerodynamic Analysis
  52. Quiz - Module XV
    1 Quiz
  53. Course Materials
    Course Materials
  54. Course Survey
    Course Evaluation Survey
    1 Quiz
  55. Summary
    Wrap-up

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the summary video of the course Introduction to Aerodynamics.

Throughout this course, we’ve tried to answer three fundamental questions about aerodynamics:

  • What are aerodynamics and fluid mechanics?
  • Why do we study aerodynamics and the flow around objects?
  • How do we study these flows around 2D and 3D objects?

To answer these questions, we first introduced flow visualization methods like streamlines, streaklines, pathlines, and string tubes. We presented the fundamental aerodynamic variables for our analysis, such as pressure, density, velocity, and temperature. We also explained the boundary layer, a crucial concept in understanding how the flow interacts with an object and how drag is produced.

After this, we studied the potential theory with the superposition of potential flows, amongst which we have the superposition of a source and a sink, which allows us to construct more complex flows. Then, we introduced the Magnus Effect and its applications to real cases. We ended this part with the fundamental Kutta-Joukowski theorem that explains how the lift can be calculated from the circulation around an airfoil.

Once we finished with the fundamentals, we started with the 2D theory by introducing the geometry of airfoils and the parameters that modify it. We also saw practical geometries, such as the NACA family, one of aerodynamics’s most important airfoil families. Finally, we discussed 2D flow analysis by presenting the Thin Airfoil Theory and the Vortex Panel Methods.

Next, we entered into the 3D flow analysis by describing the geometry of wings, the devices used to modify it, such as flaps, and the concept of planform and its different types. After that, we started with the Finite Wing Theory, where we introduced the downwash, which creates a downward velocity that generates an induced angle of attack that produces induced drag. Then, we focussed on devices that help reduce the induced drag, such as winglets, and mentioned their different types and possible locations, and ended by discussing their applications to sailboats. We then explained the Lifting Line Theory and studied how the planform can affect performance and how the wing twist can modify the zero-lift angle.

We ended the course by introducing the Vortex Lattice Method and by using it, together with many other concepts seen during the course, to explain how a sail aerodynamic analysis can be carried out.

So this has been all for this course, and I hope you have enjoyed it and that it will be helpful for you from now on.

Thank you very much! And remember that Navalapp has other courses where you can further develop sail analysis and yacht design.