Wind Loads on a Flat Panel with Different Aspect Ratios and at Various Angles?

Google for aerodynamics. That's the science that best deals with the problem you're facing.

Thank you DVader1000! I'll follow your suggestion and let you know about the results.

What is the right web address? Is it the one that takes you a auestion and answer sessions?

Thanks again,

Mike

If the Wikipedia text does not give you what you want you could direct your question to me. I let you 1st see the recommended text since it will help to understand any further explanation.

Hi nick name:

Thanks for your help. I tried Wikipedia but didn't get anywhere. Please give me some guidance if you have time.

I appreciate it,

Mike

You might try DesignFOIL software. There is a free Trial Version at:

http://www.designfoil.com/

It is easy to use and, has a good tutorial write-up.

For your application, just select a standard airfoil and drag the shape into a panel. Then run it in the "Virtual Wind Tunnel" at various angles of attack. It will predict and display the pressure distribution across the panel.

You select the "Wind Speed" and scale of the model by computing the Reynolds Number (they tell you how to calculate it).

Unfortunately, in order to change the Reynolds Number, you have to buy the software, but you can get a really good idea about the performance just using the default value. (back-calculating that will give you the scale and wind speed.

Hello Ray8:

Thanks for your response. I went to the web site you suggested but, as the name implies, everything is about airfoils.

In my application in solar energy, I am calculating wind loads on a flat mirror which is mounted on a simple steel frame. There is no airfoil type profile.

I still have to work with DesignFoil software. There may be an option to define an "airfoil" as simply flat. What do you think?

Thanks again,

Mike

Mike,

You might be able to import a rectangular (or near rectangular) shape as an the Airfoil, but I haven't tried it. I only have the "Demo Version".

Ray