Reference area, in drag coefficient formula

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SUMMARY

The reference area in the drag coefficient formula varies based on the object being analyzed. For boats and ships, the reference area is typically the submerged surface area. In contrast, for automobiles, it is the frontal area, while for airfoils, it is defined by the chord length. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for accurate drag coefficient calculations.

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  • Knowledge of geometric calculations for different shapes
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  • Research the drag coefficient formula for various objects
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  • Explore the differences in reference area definitions across different fields
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Engineers, naval architects, and students studying fluid dynamics or marine engineering will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focused on optimizing vessel performance.

Demson
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hi

small question

in the drag coefficient formula

for boats and ships, is the reference area, the surface area of the submerged part of the ship/boat?

demson
 
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Hi Demson! Welcome to PF! :smile:

It depends … see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient" for details :wink:
The reference area depends on what type of drag coefficient is being measured. For automobiles and many other objects, the reference area is the frontal area of the vehicle (i.e., the cross-sectional area when viewed from ahead). For example, for a sphere A = π r2 (hence not the surface area = 4 π r2).

For airfoils, the reference area is the chord …



 
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