Low-Speed CFD Simulations of High-Speed Wing Configurations for a Highly Maneuverable UAV
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Date
2024-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
In the past few decades, unmanned aerial vehicles have become increasingly present in the skies above. This can be attributed to key advancements in control systems, navigation systems, communications hardware, and other key systems that were not readily available before. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the military is growing rapidly as their potential to fulfill various missions has been revealed through recent conflicts. One role of particular interest is the air-to-air combat role, which could be fulfilled by an uninhabited combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). To achieve this goal the use of a high-speed wing configuration, such as the delta wing, would be necessary. The delta wing performs favorably in the supersonic flow regime but underperforms in the subsonic flow regime. The purpose of this research was to investigate the low-speed aerodynamics of high-speed wing configurations for a highly maneuverable UAV using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Computational analysis was done using Ansys FLUENT to develop a full aircraft model that characterized important flow features of the delta wing at various angles of attack. Simulations were conducted at standard day conditions and a Reynolds Number of 5×10^5. Model results were verified using pressure, velocity, and streamline contours. The model was validated by comparing the lift and drag coefficient results with experimental and theoretical data. It was revealed that at low speeds and high angles of attack leading edge vortices form, which aid the delta wing in generating additional lift in the subsonic flow regime. As the angle of attack increases, the vortices grow spanwise and begin to break down resulting in a loss of lift. This research demonstrates CFD’s ability to play a vital role in the aircraft design process. The results from this research will complement existing wind tunnel results and aid in future design improvements by the Flight Vehicle Design & Testing Group to the experimental UAV. Furthermore, results from this research will help those in industry and the Department of Defense (DOD) in designing unmanned aerial vehicles.
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Keywords
Delta Wing, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Low-speed aerodynamics, High-speed wing configurations, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)