Arvel Gentry paper on analog field plotter

Discussion in 'Hydrodynamics and Aerodynamics' started by tropostudio, Jan 18, 2015.

  1. tropostudio
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    tropostudio Junior Member

    Hi -

    This may be a pretty specialized request, but does anyone have a link or a copy of a paper Arvel Gentry wrote that focused quite specifically on the analog field plotter set-up he used for simulating flow around foils? I have a particular interest in that apparatus and method for modeling fluid flow, despite all it's limitations ;) Since his website has come down, I can't find that paper online.

    Thanks,

    Chris Krumm
     
  2. Mikko Brummer
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    Mikko Brummer Senior Member

    I only have this Origins of lift paper, it doesn't really describe the plotter. A good paper otherwise.
     

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  3. tropostudio
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    tropostudio Junior Member

    Thanks Mikko. I don't recall the title of the paper, only that it focused heavily on his use of the analog plotter, which used conductive paper and conductive ink. It had several photos and diagrams. His plotter set-up was a more complicated version of those occasionally still used in colleges or high schools for investigating 2D field patterns.
     
  4. Mikko Brummer
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    Mikko Brummer Senior Member

    I think it was an article in Sail Magazine about 1973. The was also a book, Best of Sail Magazine, where it was published. You might want to ask in Sail mag.
     
  5. MikeJohns
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    MikeJohns Senior Member

    Have a dig through the articles and papers here :

    http://arvelgentry.jimdo.com/articles/

    I have the Best of sail.. book Mikko is referring to, but it's in a crate in a shed. I'll go and look for it if you cannot find what you need on that website.

    But there are some very good PC based data aquisition systems these days ??
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2015
  6. Doug Halsey
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    Doug Halsey Senior Member

    I found my old copy of the book The Best of Sail Trim, which I think is the one Mike Johns is referring to, but it doesn't have as many of the articles as the link that Mike also gave. The article "Another Look at the Slot Effect" shows a photo of Arvel with the Analog Field Plotter, but not much description of it or references for more information.

    Does anyone know if Arvel is OK? I used to know him when we both worked at McDonnell Douglas, but lost touch when he moved to Boeing (before the merger). He certainly was a sharp guy & a very hard worker!
     
  7. Doug Halsey
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    Doug Halsey Senior Member

  8. MikeJohns
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    MikeJohns Senior Member

    Hi Doug, yes that's the book I was presuming Miko was referring to, there is also a follow up that from memory is called Best of sail trim 2

    I don't know how Arvel is.
     
  9. Doug Halsey
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    Doug Halsey Senior Member


  10. tropostudio
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    tropostudio Junior Member

    Doug - that is the paper. Many thanks. Yes, this can all be done via computer simulation, but there is merit in understanding analog methods. For example, in explaining electrical concepts to my son, and figuring it out for myself, I often think in terms of fluid flow. Here is a case where the complexities of fluid flow might be made clearer through an electrical potential analogy. Thanks again,

    Chris Krumm
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2015
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