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Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

João Morgado, Miguel A.R. Silvestre and José C. Páscoa

The purpose of the paper is to analyse different post-stall models, originally developed for use in wind turbine codes, and extend their use to the propeller performance…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to analyse different post-stall models, originally developed for use in wind turbine codes, and extend their use to the propeller performance prediction.

Design/methodology/approach

Different post-stall methods available in the literature were implemented in JBLADE software. JBLADE contains an improved version of Blade Element Momentum theory, and it is appropriate for the design and analysis of different propellers in off-design conditions.

Findings

The preliminary analysis of the results shows that the propeller performance prediction can be improved using these implemented post-stall models. However, there is a lack of accuracy in the performance prediction of some propellers. Further comparisons including distribution of forces along the blade may help to better understand this inaccuracy of the models, and it will be studied in future work.

Originality/value

The work has extended the use of the post-stall models to the propeller performance prediction codes. It is shown that these models can be used to obtain an improved prediction of the propeller’s performance.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, vol. 88 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2022

Jeena Joseph, Sathyabhama A. and Surya Sridhar

With aims to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of aerodynamic surfaces, study on flow control over these surfaces has gained importance. With the addition of flow control…

Abstract

Purpose

With aims to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of aerodynamic surfaces, study on flow control over these surfaces has gained importance. With the addition of flow control devices such as synthetic jets and vortex generators, the flow characteristics can be modified over the surface and, at the same time, enhance the performance of the body. One such flow control device is the tubercle. Inspired by the humpback whale’s flippers, these leading-edge serrations have improved the aerodynamic efficiency and the lift characteristics of airfoils and wings. This paper aims to discusses in detail the flow physics associated with tubercles and their effect on swept wings.

Design/methodology/approach

This study involves a series of experimental and numerical analyses that have been performed on four different wing configurations, with four different sweep angles corresponding to 0°, 10°, 20° and 30° at a low Reynolds number corresponding to Rec=100,000.

Findings

Results indicate that the effect of tubercles diminishes with an increase in wing sweep. A significant performance enhancement was observed in the stall and post-stall regions. The addition of tubercles led to a smooth post-stall lift characteristic compared to the sudden loss in the lift with regular wings. Among the four different wings under observation, it was found that tubercles were most effective on the 0° configuration (no sweep), showing a 10.8% increment in maximum lift and a 38.5% increase in the average lift generated in the post-stall region. Tubercles were least effective on 30° configuration. Furthermore, with an increase in wing sweep, co-rotating vortices were distinctly observed rather than counter-rotating vortices.

Originality/value

While extensive numerical and experimental studies have been performed on straight wings with tubercles, studies on the tubercle effect on swept wings at low Reynolds number are minimal and mainly experimental in nature. This study uses numerical methods to explore the complex flow physics associated with tubercles and their implementation on swept wings. This study can be used as an introductory study to implement passive flow control devices in the low Reynolds number regime.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 94 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 November 2021

M. R. Nived, Bandi Sai Mukesh, Sai Saketha Chandra Athkuri and Vinayak Eswaran

This paper aims to conduct, a detailed investigation of various Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models to study their performance in attached and separated flows. The…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to conduct, a detailed investigation of various Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models to study their performance in attached and separated flows. The turbulent flow over two airfoils, namely, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)-0012 and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) MS(1)-0317 with a static stall setup at a Reynolds number of 6 million, is chosen to investigate these models. The pre-stall and post-stall regions, which are in the range of angles of attack 0°–20°, are simulated.

Design/methodology/approach

RANS turbulence models with the Boussinesq approximation are the most commonly used cost-effective models for engineering flows. Four RANS models are considered to predict the static stall of two airfoils: Spalart–Allmaras (SA), Menter’s kω shear stress transport (SST), k – kL and SA-Bas Cakmakcioglu modified (BCM) transition model. All the simulations are performed on an in-house unstructured-grid compressible flow solver.

Findings

All the turbulence models considered predicted the lift and drag coefficients in good agreement with experimental data for both airfoils in the attached pre-stall region. For the NACA-0012 airfoil, all models except the SA-BCM over-predicted the stall angle by 2°, whereas SA-BCM failed to predict stall. For the NASA MS(1)-0317 airfoil, all models predicted the lift and drag coefficients accurately for attached flow. But the first three models showed even further delayed stall, whereas SA-BCM again did not predict stall.

Originality/value

The numerical results at high Re obtained from this work, especially that of the NASA MS(1)-0317, are new to the literature in the knowledge of the authors. This paper highlights the inability of RANS models to predict the stall phenomenon and suggests a need for improvement in modeling flow physics in near- and post-stall flows.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2021

Agnieszka Kwiek, Cezary Galinski, Krzysztof Bogdański, Jaroslaw Hajduk and Andrzej Tarnowski

According to the study of the space flight market, there is a demand for space suborbital flights including commercial tourist flights. However, one of the challenges is to design…

Abstract

Purpose

According to the study of the space flight market, there is a demand for space suborbital flights including commercial tourist flights. However, one of the challenges is to design a mission and a vehicle that could offer flights with relatively low G-loads. The project of the rocket-plane in a strake-wing configuration was undertaken to check if such a design could meet the FAA recommendation for this kind of flight. The project concept assumes that the rocket plane is released from a slowly flying carrier plane, then climbs above 100 kilometers above sea level and returns in a glide flight using a vortex lift generated by the strake-wing configuration. Such a mission has to include a flight transition during the release and return phases which might not be comfortable for passengers. Verification if FAA recommendation is fulfilled during these transition maneuvers was the purpose of this study.

Design/methodology/approach

The project was focused on the numerical investigation of a possibility to perform transition maneuvers mentioned above in a passenger-friendly way. The numerical simulations of a full-scale rocket-plane were performed using the simulation and dynamic stability analyzer (SDSA) software package. The influence of an elevator deflection change on flight parameters was investigated in two cases: a transition from the steep descent at high angles of attack to the level glide just after rocket-plane release from the carrier and an analogous transition after re-entry to the atmosphere. In particular, G-loads and G-rates were analyzed.

Findings

As a result, it was found that the values of these parameters satisfied the specific requirements during the separation and transition from a steep descent to gliding. They would be acceptable for an average passenger.

Research limitations/implications

To verify the modeling approach, a flight test campaign was performed. During the experiment, a rocket-plane scaled model was released from the RC model helicopter. The rocket-plane model was geometrically similar only. Froude scales were not applied because they would cause excessive technical complications. Therefore, a separate simulation of the experiment with the application of the scaled model was performed in the SDSA software package. Results of this simulation appeared to be comparable to flight test results so it can be concluded that results for the full-scale rocket-plane simulation are also realistic.

Practical implications

It was proven that the rocket-plane in a strake-wing configuration could meet the FAA recommendation concerning G-loads and G rates during suborbital flight. Moreover, it was proven that the SDSA software package could be applied successfully to simulate flight characteristics of airplanes flying at angles of attack not only lower than stall angles but also greater than stall angles.

Social implications

The application of rocket-planes in a strake-wing configuration could make suborbital tourist flights more popular, thus facilitating the development of manned space flights and contributing to their cost reduction. That is why it was so important to prove that they could meet the FAA recommendation for this kind of service.

Originality/value

The original design of the rocket plane was analyzed. It is equipped with an optimized strake wing and is controlled with oblique, all moving, wingtip plates. Its post-stall flight characteristics were simulated with the application of the SDSA software package which was previously validated only for angles of attack smaller than stall angle. Therefore, experimental validation was necessary. However, because of excessive technical problems caused by the application of Froude scales it was not possible to perform a conventional test with a dynamically scaled model. Therefore, the geometrically scaled model was built and flight tested. Then a separate simulation of the experiment with the application of this model was performed. Results of this separate simulation were compared with the results of the flight test. This comparison allowed to draw the conclusion on the applicability of the SDSA software for post-stall analyzes and, indirectly, on the applicability of the proposed rocket-plane for tourist suborbital flights. This approach to the experimental verification of numerical simulations is quite unique. Finally, a quite original method of the model launching during flight test experiment was applied.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 93 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2018

Ewa Marcinkiewicz, Zdobyslaw Jan Goraj and Marcin Figat

The purpose of this paper is to describe an integrated approach to spin analysis based on 6-DOF (degrees of freedom) fully nonlinear equations of motion and a three-dimensional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an integrated approach to spin analysis based on 6-DOF (degrees of freedom) fully nonlinear equations of motion and a three-dimensional multigrid Euler method used to specify a flow model. Another purpose of this study is to investigate military trainer performance during a developed phase of a deliberately executed spin, and to predict an aircraft tendency while entering a spin and its response to control surface deflections needed for recovery.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess spin properties, the calculations of aerodynamic characteristics were performed through an angle-of-attack range of −30 degrees to +50 degrees and a sideslip-angle range of −30 degrees to +30 degrees. Then, dynamic equations of motion of a rigid aircraft together with aerodynamic loads being premised on stability derivatives concept were numerically integrated. Finally, the examination of light turboprop dynamic behaviour in post-stalling conditions was carried out.

Findings

The computational method used to evaluate spin was positively verified by comparing it with the experimental outcome. Moreover, the Euler code-based approach to lay down aerodynamics could be considered as reliable to provide high angles-of-attack characteristics. Conclusions incorporate the results of a comparative analysis focusing especially on comprehensive assessment of output data quality in relation to flight tests.

Originality/value

The conducted calculations take into account aerodynamic and flight dynamic interaction of an aerobatic-category turboprop in spin conditions. A number of manoeuvres considering different aircraft configurations were simulated. The computational outcomes were subsequently compared to the results of in-flight tests and the collected data were thoroughly analysed to draw final conclusions.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 91 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Ewa Cichocka

The paper focuses on the evaluation of a light aircraft spin. The main purpose of this paper is to achieve reliable mathematical models of aircraft motion beyond stall conditions…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper focuses on the evaluation of a light aircraft spin. The main purpose of this paper is to achieve reliable mathematical models of aircraft motion beyond stall conditions to subsequently predict spin properties based on calculation only. Another vitally significant objective is to verify whether the aerodynamic characteristics determined numerically are coherent with the wind tunnel measurements performed on the dynamically scaled aircraft models.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis was carried out for two certified conventional light aircraft. The first part of the investigation is devoted to the verification of the simplified methods used to identify the aircraft recoverability from spinning steady-state turns and estimate the primary post-stall flight parameters. Then, the spin simulations were executed. The computational results were thereafter compared with the in-flight data recordings.

Findings

The study confirms the coincidence between the calculated spinning behaviour and the observed aircraft response during the flight tests. The mathematical models of aircraft spatial motion have been found to be credible for predicting spin properties. The simplified methods are reliable to determine the basic spin performance of light aircraft at the preliminary design stage, whereas the spin simulations enable recognition and comprehensive examination of all spin modes.

Practical implications

The outcomes of conducted calculation and comparisons of computational spin properties with flight test recordings have indicated that the qualitative assessment of spinning motion is enabled at each stage of the designing process.

Originality/value

The paper involves the comparison of the computational results with the recordings of spin in-flight tests and the correlation between calculated and experimentally obtained aerodynamics of light aircraft.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 89 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 1997

Aristide F. Massardo, Cristiana Giusto and Fabio Ghiglino

Analyses a stage‐by‐stage model to simulate the dynamic response of compression systems operating with axial multistage compressors. The compressor model is coupled with two…

Abstract

Analyses a stage‐by‐stage model to simulate the dynamic response of compression systems operating with axial multistage compressors. The compressor model is coupled with two different downstream volume (plenum) representations: the first is zero‐dimensional and the second is one‐dimensional. Both dynamic models utilize complete stage performance curves (direct unstalled flow, stalled flow and back flow) obtained through experimental investigation, or from theoretical analysis based on turbomachinery geometry and semi‐empirical considerations. Analyses in depth the results of the dynamic simulations, obtained utilizing both methods, compared to the experimental data reported in the literature, and finally compares one to the other through a fast Fourier transformer (FFT) analysis.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 69 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 September 2021

Bilal Malik, Jehanzeb Masud and Suhail Akhtar

This paper aims to provide a detailed review of the experimental research on the prediction of aircraft spin and recovery characteristics using dynamically scaled aircraft models.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a detailed review of the experimental research on the prediction of aircraft spin and recovery characteristics using dynamically scaled aircraft models.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper organizes experimental techniques to predict aircraft spin and recovery characteristics into three broad categories: dynamic free-flight tests, dynamic force tests and a relatively novel technique called wind tunnel based virtual flight testing.

Findings

After a thorough review, usefulness, limitations and open problems in the presented techniques are highlighted to provide a useful reference to researchers. The area of application of each technique within the research scope of aircraft spin is also presented.

Originality/value

Previous reviews on the prediction of aircraft spin and recovery characteristics were published many years ago and also have confined scope as they address particular spin technologies. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive review on the subject and fill the information void regarding the state of the art aircraft spin technologies.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 94 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2010

Adnan Maqsood and Tiauw Hiong Go

The purpose of this paper is to describe the longitudinal dynamics of a hover‐capable rigid‐winged unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) under various equilibrium flight conditions. The…

1135

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the longitudinal dynamics of a hover‐capable rigid‐winged unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) under various equilibrium flight conditions. The effects of the variable‐incidence wing in comparison with the fixed in‐incidence wing on the dynamics of UAV are also discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The aerodynamic modeling of the vehicle covers both pre‐stall and post‐stall regimes using a three‐dimensional vortex lattice method incorporating viscous corrections. The trim states across a velocity spectrum are evaluated using a nonlinear constrained optimization scheme based on sequential quadratic programming. Then linearized dynamic analysis around trim states is carried out in order to compare the characteristics of the conventional platform with the modified platform incorporating variable‐incidence wing.

Findings

It is found that with the variable‐incidence wing, the longitudinal equilibrium flights can be achieved with reduced thrust‐to‐weight ratio demands and lower elevator deflection. However, the use of the variable‐incidence wing changes the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle considerably as indicated through the linear dynamic analysis.

Research limitations/implications

The results presented in this paper are based on linear dynamic analysis about static trim point data. Further analysis taking into account nonlinearity, the unsteady aerodynamic effects and associated cross‐coupling because of asymmetric forces may be needed to reveal the true dynamics of the vehicle under unsteady maneuvers.

Practical implications

The variable‐incidence wing is a useful design feature to reduce the thrust‐to‐weight ratio requirements and to increase elevator control authority, however its effect on the dynamics warrants further investigation.

Originality/value

This is the first paper highlighting the effects of variable‐incidence wing on an agile hover‐capable UAV.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 82 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2022

E. Livya and S. Nadaraja Pillai

This paper aims to study the extended trailing edge airfoil for a range of angle of attack at different intensities of turbulence.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the extended trailing edge airfoil for a range of angle of attack at different intensities of turbulence.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an experimental study on NACA 0020 airfoil with thin extended trailing edge modification of amplitude of h = 0.1c, 0.2c and 0.3c at the Reynolds number of 2.14 × 105 are tested. The research was carried out for an angle of attack ranging from 0° = α = 35° for the turbulence intensity of 0.3%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 12%. From the experimental readings, the surface pressures are scanned using a Scanivalve (MPS2464) pressure scanner for a sampling frequency of 700 Hz. The scanned pressures are converted to aerodynamic force coefficient and the results are combined and discussed.

Findings

The airfoil with the extended trailing edge will convert the adverse pressure gradient to a plateau pressure zone, indicating the delayed flow separation. The CL value at higher turbulence intensity (TI = 12%) for the extended trailing edge over perform the base airfoil at the post-stall region. The maintenance of flow stability is observed from the spectral graph.

Practical implications

A thin elongated trailing edge attached to the conventional airfoil serves as a flow control device by delaying the stall and improving the lift characteristics. Additionally, extending the airfoil's trailing edge helps to manage the performance of the airfoil even at a high level of turbulence.

Originality/value

Distinct from existing studies, the presented results reveals how the extended trailing edge attached to the airfoil performs in the turbulence zone ranging from 0.3% to 12% of TI. The displayed pressure distribution explains the need for increasing trailing edge amplitude (h) and its impact on flow behaviour. The observation is that extended trailing edge airfoil bears to maintain the performance even at higher turbulence region.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 94 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

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