The theoretical determination of the lift coefficient for a thin elliptic cylinder

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the calculation of the lift coefficient of an infinitely long, thin elliptic cylinder in a stream of viscous fluid moving with constant velocity at infinity, in a direction inclined at some angle to the major axis. The method used is a general one and many be applied to any cylinder with a stream-line section provided the potential flow past the cylinder, for a given value of the circulation, is calculable. It is clear from experiment that two cases arise according as the flow in the boundary layer is fully laminar, or partly laminar and partly turbulent. It appears that experimental conditions have not yet been obtained capable of producing a boundary layer turbulent right from the forward stagnation point. Mathematically, however, the discussion of this latter problem is a necessary preliminary to the one in which both laminar and turbulent portions are present.