Date of Award

Spring 1996

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Program/Concentration

Aerospace Engineering

Committee Director

Colin P. Britcher

Committee Member

Robert L. Ash

Committee Member

A. Sidney Roberts

Call Number for Print

Special Collections; LD4331.E535 W36

Abstract

A flush-mounted heat exchanger concept, using the wing surface to dissipate heat, is investigated as a lower drag alternative to conventional ducted plate-fin radiators. A feasibility analysis is made for an unmanned high-altitude aircraft which will reach altitudes up to 25 kilometers. A computer code is used to calculate approximate heat transfer coefficients over the airfoil's surface. A model is tested in the Old Dominion University subsonic wind tunnel to verify the results of the computer code. The results indicate that a flush mounted heat exchanger design is able to provide 20 to 100 percent of the required heat dissipation at 25 kilometers altitude, depending upon which areas of the wing are considered usable. The attainable dissipation increases with decreasing altitude and with increasing angle of attack. The effect of surface heating on the boundary layer development is discussed. It is concluded that flush-mounted heat exchangers are a viable design option and are worthy of further study.

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/pm6h-g366

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