Hydrofoil lift calculator verification at 20 m/s with 1:1 aspect ratio

  • Thread starter Thread starter urbsurfer
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
3 replies · 4K views
urbsurfer
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
I downloaded a hydrofoil simulation calculator and wanted to verify the results I am getting.
Can someone tell me if the following numbers are accurate? I am trying to get the highest amount of lift I can for a constant water velocity over hydrofoil of 20m/sec or 38.9Knots. I am also trying to keep the foil span as short as possible.

Here are the input numbers:
Foil Area Square Meters: 1 Sq M (1M span X 1M chord)
Speed M/sec: 20 M/sec
density of water kg/m^3: 1000
thickness of foil divided by chord: 0.5
Aspect ratio (Foil span/chord): 1 "This is a square foil I know"
Angle of attack: 14.32 degrees
Profile Curvature: 0.25

The calculation is claiming that the hydrofoil would produce 53690 pounds of lift with these numbers. I need to make sure this is true and also that the wing is not in a stalled state on these numbers.
Greatly appreciated. Sidenote: Would anything change if I put a rectangular ducting around the hyrdrofoil? I know in airfoils and fans, the ducting produces more volume of airflow.
BE
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Deliberately_Troy
Physics news on Phys.org
The numbers sound believable. It is not so different than the foils that lift America's Cup racing yachts out of the water.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Deliberately_Troy
urbsurfer said:
Sidenote: Would anything change if I put a rectangular ducting around the hyrdrofoil? I know in airfoils and fans, the ducting produces more volume of airflow.
It should have a few effects having ducting around the hydrofoil. Having ducting will improve the straight line tracking of the vessel, as well as keeping the flow across the foil cleaner. It would also reduce spillage across the side of the foil, reducing likelihood of one side producing more lift than the other. Being a narrow foil, maintaining even latteral lift will be crucial, as the effects of latteral lift differential (capsizing) will likely be quicker than a foil with the same amount of lift, generated over a wider area.