RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Aerodynamics.plot_airfoil_boundary_layer_properties

plot_airfoil_boundary_layer_properties#

plot_airfoil_boundary_layer_properties(ap, save_figure=False, show_legend=False, file_type='.png', save_filename='Airfoil_with_Boundary_Layers', width=11, height=7)[source]#

Generate plots of airfoil boundary layer properties and distributions.

Parameters:

  • ap (Data) –

    Airfoil properties data structure containing:
    • x, yarrays

      Airfoil surface coordinates

    • y_blarray

      Boundary layer displacement thickness coordinates

    • Ue_Vinfarray

      Edge velocity ratio (Ue/U∞)

    • Harray

      Shape factor

    • delta_stararray

      Displacement thickness

    • deltaarray

      Boundary layer thickness

    • thetaarray

      Momentum thickness

    • cfarray

      Skin friction coefficient

    • Re_thetaarray

      Momentum thickness Reynolds number

    • AoAarray

      Angles of attack [rad]

    • Rearray

      Reynolds numbers

  • save_figure (bool, optional) – Save figures to files if True, default False

  • show_legend (bool, optional) – Display case legend if True, default False

  • file_type (str, optional) – File extension for saved figures, default “.png”

  • save_filename (str, optional) – Base name for saved figure files, default ‘Airfoil_with_Boundary_Layers’

  • width (float, optional) – Figure width in inches, default 11

  • height (float, optional) – Figure height in inches, default 7

Returns:

fig – Figure showing airfoil with boundary layers

Return type:

matplotlib.figure.Figure

Notes

Creates multiple figures showing:

  • Airfoil profile with boundary layer thickness

  • Edge velocity distribution

  • Shape factor distribution

  • Displacement thickness distribution

  • Boundary layer thickness distribution

  • Momentum thickness distribution

  • Skin friction distribution

  • Momentum thickness Reynolds number distribution

Each case (combination of AoA and Re) is plotted in a different color. Upper and lower surfaces are distinguished by line style.

Definitions

‘Shape Factor’

Ratio of displacement to momentum thickness

‘Displacement Thickness’

Distance flow is displaced from surface

‘Momentum Thickness’

Loss of momentum flux in boundary layer

See also

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Common.set_axes

Standardized axis formatting

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Common.plot_style

RCAIDE plot styling

RCAIDE.Library.Analysis.Aerodynamics.process_airfoil_boundary_layer

Analysis module

plot_quantity(ap, q, qaxis, qname, ylim_low, ylim_high, file_type, show_legend, save_figure, width, height)[source]#

Generate standardized plots of boundary layer quantities along airfoil surfaces.

Parameters:

  • ap (Data) –

    Airfoil properties data structure containing:
    • xarray

      Airfoil surface coordinates

    • AoAarray

      Angles of attack [rad]

    • Rearray

      Reynolds numbers

  • q (array) – Values of quantity to plot along airfoil surface

  • qaxis (str) – LaTeX-formatted axis label for quantity

  • qname (str) – Descriptive name for quantity (used in title)

  • ylim_low (float) – Lower limit for y-axis

  • ylim_high (float) – Upper limit for y-axis

  • file_type (str) – File extension for saved figure

  • show_legend (bool) – Display case legend if True

  • save_figure (bool) – Save figure to file if True

  • width (float) – Figure width in inches

  • height (float) – Figure height in inches

Return type:

None

Notes

Creates a single figure showing the specified quantity distribution along the airfoil surface for all cases (combinations of AoA and Re).

Cases are plotted in different colors using the inferno colormap. Legend entries show AoA in degrees and Re number for each case.

The plot uses standardized RCAIDE styling and axis formatting.

See also

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Common.set_axes

Standardized axis formatting

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Common.plot_style

RCAIDE plot styling

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Aerodynamics.plot_airfoil_boundary_layer_properties

Main plotting function