Aerodynamic Analysis and Design Numerical Simulation of the Vortex Flow over a Common Research Model with Flying-Wing Configuration

Abstract

Previous wind tunnel study has found that the lift slope of a common research model with flying-wing configuration in a transonic freestream can experience a sudden drop as the angle of attack is increased. A numerical investigation of aerodynamic characteristics of the flying-wing configuration in transonic speed flow is presented with the intend to examine the changes of the flow characteristics in detail. As can been seen from the analysis, at sufficiently high angles of attack the dominant feature of flows over the leeside of the configuration is a pair of counter-rotating vortices. Solving the steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations , the flow structures were exhibited in different angles and the analysis of total pressure, static pressure and axial velocity through wing vortex cores were presented in order to analyze the flow characteristics for the develop of the vortex. The investigation shows that the numerical method is accurate enough to capture the features of the flow especially the formation and breakdown of the leading-edge vortices. The rapid expansion of the vortex core and adverse pressure gradient the flow encounters in the chordwise direction affect the aerodynamic performance severely.