Wing
endplates act as span increase aerodynamically. That is, in
general
terms, a wing with an endplate is equal to a wider wing with out
one.
>>Using this formula: Aspect Ratio (AR) = span/chord We can calculate the AR for wings of 165 cm and 200 cm widths given a chord of 40 cm for both: 165 cm wing AR
= 4.125
>>Next, using this formula: Effective Aspect Ratio (AR_effective) = Actual Aspect Ratio (AR_actual) * (1 + 1.9 * (endplate depth/span)) We can calculate the AR_effective for wings of 165 cm and 200 cm widths given a chord of 40 cm for both, and endplate depths of 15 cm and 60 cm: 165 cm wide
wing:
200 cm wide
wing:
>>And finally, going back the original Aspect Ratio formula and using Algebra to work backwards we can then determine the Effective Span, that is, the endplate's impact on aerodynamic span: The Effective
span of a 165 cm wide wing
given the endplate depth as such:
The Effective
Span of a 200 cm wide wing
given the endplate depth as such:
Formulas out of Joseph
Katz's New Directions in Race Car Aerodynamics
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