Training Guide > Compressible Flow Tutorials > Transonic Flow over an Airfoil > Plotting Graphs
Plotting Graphs
The lift and drag coefficients will be plotted to help in determining when the analysis has converged.
- Right-click the Reports node and select .
A new report node named Force Coefficient 1 will be created.
A new plot node will appear named Drag Coefficient Plot.
- Double-click on the Drag Coefficient Plot node to display the empty plot in the Graphics window.
- Repeat the steps described above to create and display a plot for the lift coefficient. All settings should be the same as for the drag coefficient except that the report node should be renamed Lift Coefficient and its Direction property should be set to
[-0.0443, 0.9990, 0.0].
Experimental data for the pressure coefficient on the airfoil are provided in file aero_exp.xy in the doc/tutorials/aerofoil directory. These will be plotted on a graph alongside the results of the analysis.
To plot the experimental data:
- Right-click the Tools > Tables node and then select .
- Locate and open file
aero_exp.xy.
- Right-click the Plots node and select .
- Open the XY Plot 1 node, then right-click the Tabular node and select .
A new node named tabular will appear within the node.
- In the Properties window, select for the Table property.
Make sure that the X Column and Y Column properties are filled as shown below.
A graph of the experimental data will appear in XY Plot 1.
To add the numerical data to the same graph:
- Select the XY Plot 1 node.
- In the Properties window, click on the Parts property and select in the Select Objects dialog.
- Select the Y Types > Y Type 1 > Scalar node.
- In the Properties window, select for the Scalar property.
The initial pressure coefficient is shown in the XY Plot 1 as being zero everywhere.
The pressure coefficient requires specification of a reference pressure and a reference velocity.
The usual convention in aerodynamics problems is to reverse the y-axis orientation in pressure coefficient plots.
- Select the XY Plot 1 > Axes node.
- Click on the Axis Orientation property and select the option shown below.
The setup is now complete. Save the simulation.
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