AE303: Aerodynamics

Content of the Course

Part 1: Fluid Mechanics

• Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Basic Definitions
    • pressure
    • shear stress
    • viscosity
    • no slip condition
  • Basic Fluid Properties
    • density
    • specific weight
    • specific gravity
    • ideal gas law
    • properties involving the flow of heat
    • speed of sound through a gas (no derivation)
    • surface tension and its effect on fluid levels in tubes
    • vapor pressure, boiling point, and cavitation
• Chapter 2: Fluid Statics
  • pressure acts equally in all directions
  • pressure transmission
  • absolute and gage pressure
  • pressure variation with elevation: the hydrostatic equation
    • hydrostatic equation applied to an incompressible fluid
    • hydrostatic equation applied to a compressible fluid
  • Pressure measurement with
    • manometer
    • pressure transducer
• Chapter 3: Fluid Dynamics
  • position and fluid velocity: Lagrangian and Eulerian approaches
  • acceleration
  • Euler's equation
  • Definition of system, control surface, and control volume
  • Flow rates: volumetric and mass flow
  • Differential form of the Continuity Equation
  • Rotational and Irrotational Flow
  • Derivation of Bernoulli's Equation
  • Application of Bernoulli's Equation
• Chapter 4: Some Dimensionless Numbers (these will be covered again in the textbook)
  • Mach number
  • Reynolds number
  • C_L
  • C_D
• Chapter 5: Introduction to the boundary layer
  • Conceptual understanding
  • laminar boundary layers
  • turbulent boundary layers
  • the role of Reynolds number in boundary layer analysis
• Chapter 6: Reynolds Transport Theorem
  • The Continuity Equation
• Chapter 7: Reynolds Transport Theorem
  • The Momentum Equation
• Chapter 8: Reynolds Transport Theorem
  NOTE: this topic has been moved to AE305 and will not be covered in AE303
  • The Energy Equation
  • Bernoulli's equation revisited

Part 2: Aerodynamics

This section of the course follows the textbook.

This course is offered by Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at The University of Alabama.

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