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Wing Tip Vortices

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Fluid Vortices

Part of the book series: Fluid Mechanics and Its Applications ((FMIA,volume 30))

Abstract

One of the most conspicuous features of an airplane flying at high altitude is its white contrails. These contrails, which are formed by the condensation of engine exhaust water vapour, clearly delineate the location of the wing tip vortices. The contrails are often the first — and perhaps the only — exposure most of us have to wing tip vortices (also referred to as “trailing vortices” or, imprecisely, as “wing wake vortices” or “tip wake vortices”). This chapter aims to explain the origin of tip vortices (§X.l) and review their technological relevance (§X.2). The chapter then summarizes lifting line theory, the simplest finite wing theory (§X.3), and synopsizes our knowledge of tip vortex behaviour (§X.4, §X.5).

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Sheldon I. Green

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    Sheldon I. Green

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Green, S.I. (1995). Wing Tip Vortices. In: Green, S.I. (eds) Fluid Vortices. Fluid Mechanics and Its Applications, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0249-0_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0249-0_10

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