RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Aerodynamics.plot_airfoil_surface_forces

plot_airfoil_surface_forces#

plot_airfoil_surface_forces(ap, save_figure=False, arrow_color='red', save_filename='Airfoil_Cp_Distribution', show_figure=True, file_type='.png')[source]#

Generate plots showing pressure forces on airfoil surface using arrows.

Parameters:

  • ap (Data) –

    Airfoil properties data structure containing:
    • xarray

      Airfoil surface x-coordinates

    • yarray

      Airfoil surface y-coordinates

    • cparray

      Pressure coefficients at surface points

    • normalsarray

      Surface normal vectors [nx, ny]

    • AoAarray

      Angles of attack [rad]

    • Rearray

      Reynolds numbers

  • save_figure (bool, optional) – Save figure to file if True, default False

  • arrow_color (str, optional) – Color specification for force arrows, default ‘red’

  • save_filename (str, optional) – Name for saved figure file, default ‘Airfoil_Cp_Distribution’

  • show_figure (bool, optional) – Display figure if True, default True

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

Returns:

fig

Return type:

matplotlib.figure.Figure

Notes

Creates a figure showing:

  • Airfoil profile

  • Pressure force vectors as arrows normal to surface

  • Arrow length proportional to local pressure coefficient

  • Arrows point inward for negative Cp (suction)

  • Arrows point outward for positive Cp (pressure)

A separate figure is created for each combination of angle of attack and Reynolds number.

Definitions

‘Surface Normal’

Unit vector perpendicular to airfoil surface

See also

RCAIDE.Library.Plots.Common.set_axes

Standardized axis formatting

RCAIDE.Library.Analysis.Aerodynamics.compute_pressure_forces

Analysis module