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A computation study on the aerodynamic influence of interaction wing-propeller for a tilt-body MAV

Kwanchai Chinwicharnam (Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.)
Edgard David Gomez Ariza (Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, Toulouse, France.)
Jean-Marc Moschetta (Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, Toulouse, France.)
Chinnapat Thipyopas (Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 5 October 2015

488

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of a propeller slipstream on the aerodynamic characteristics of a fixed-wing micro air vehicle (MAV) by simplifying a propeller to an actuator disk and an actuator volume.

Design/methodology/approach

A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) approach.

Findings

The simulation flows are found and show that the propeller slipstream changes the flow field around the wing, which improves the aerodynamic performance of the wing. The aerodynamic performance is improved first, when the separation of the boundary flow at the upper surface wing is delayed. Second, the flow region of the boundary layer is boosted close to the wing surface again at a high incidence angle. And finally, the velocity inlet of the wing is increased by the propeller-induced flow.

Research limitations/implications

The incidence angle is in the range of 0-80°with an increment of 20°. The free stream velocity and RPM used are 6 m/s and 5,000 rpm, respectively.

Originality/value

A propeller is simplified to an actuator disk and an actuator volume.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research has been funded through a research contract of the Graduate School of Kasetsart University, Thailand and ISAE, France. The authors appreciate the Graduate School of Kasetsart University which supported the budget for this research. The authors would like to thank Giles Grondin and Nicolas Doué, who gave considerable recommendations and suggestions regarding CFD for this work to be completed. Finally, the authors would like to thank my American teachers who are Marilyn and Jim Black, who helped to correct the English in this paper.

Citation

Chinwicharnam, K., Gomez Ariza, E.D., Moschetta, J.-M. and Thipyopas, C. (2015), "A computation study on the aerodynamic influence of interaction wing-propeller for a tilt-body MAV", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 87 No. 6, pp. 521-529. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-06-2014-0087

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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