Center of Pressure (fluid Mechanics) - Movement of Center of Pressure For Aerodynamic Fields

Movement of Center of Pressure For Aerodynamic Fields

The center of pressure on a symmetric airfoil typically lies close to 25% of the chord length behind the leading edge of the airfoil. (This is called the "quarter-chord point".) For a symmetric airfoil, as angle of attack and lift coefficient change, the center of pressure does not move. It remains around the quarter-chord point for all angles of attack and lift coefficients. The role of center of pressure in the control characterization of aircraft takes a different form than in missiles.

On a cambered airfoil the center of pressure does not occupy a fixed location. For a conventionally cambered airfoil, the center of pressure lies a little behind the quarter-chord point at maximum lift coefficient (large angle of attack), but as lift coefficient reduces (angle of attack reduces) the center of pressure moves toward the rear. When the lift coefficient is zero an airfoil is generating no lift but a conventionally cambered airfoil generates a nose-down pitching moment, so the location of the center of pressure is an infinite distance behind the airfoil. This direction of movement of the center of pressure on a conventionally cambered airfoil is de-stabilising, necessitating a horizontal stabiliser to provide the aircraft with longitudinal static stability. Aircraft tend to use cambered wings because they have relatively benign flights with preferred flight orientations as compared to missiles.

For a reflex-cambered airfoil, the center of pressure lies a little ahead of the quarter-chord point at maximum lift coefficient (large angle of attack), but as lift coefficient reduces (angle of attack reduces) the center of pressure moves forward. When the lift coefficient is zero an airfoil is generating no lift but a reflex-cambered airfoil generates a nose-up pitching moment, so the location of the center of pressure is an infinite distance ahead of the airfoil. This direction of movement of the center of pressure on a reflex-cambered airfoil is stabilising, and a horizontal stabiliser is not necessary. A tailless aircraft with a straight wing can be designed to have positive longitudinal static stability if the wing has reflex camber.

The way the center of pressure moves as lift coefficient changes makes it difficult to use the center of pressure in the mathematical analysis of longitudinal static stability of an aircraft. For this reason, it is much simpler to use the aerodynamic center when carrying out a mathematical analysis. The aerodynamic center occupies a fixed location on an airfoil, typically close to the quarter-chord point.

The aerodynamic center is the conceptual starting point for longitudinal stability. Providing the center of gravity of an aircraft lies forward of the aerodynamic center the aircraft will have positive longitudinal stability. The horizontal stabilizer contributes extra stability and this allows the center of gravity to be a small distance aft of the aerodynamic center without the aircraft reaching neutral stability. The position of the center of gravity at which the aircraft has neutral stability is called the neutral point.