Aerodynamic Analysis of a Low-Speed Tandem-Channel Wing for eVTOL Aircraft Considering Propeller–Wing Interaction

Abstract

Fixed-wing aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities need a lower speed and a higher lift during transition. To meet these needs, a tandem-channel wing layout has been developed, including a FLR (front wing lower than rear wing) configuration and a FUR (front wing upper than rear wing) configuration, which differ in height differences between the front and rear wings. Numerical simulations have been performed to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of the two configurations. The results show that a significant increase in lift coefficient occurs when the propeller rotational speed and the angle of attack increase. The lift at a small angle of attack increases by more than 50% at a high propeller rotational speed, and the stall angle of attack increases by more than 10 degrees. For the FLR configuration, the downwash effect of the front wing impacts the rear wing, decreasing the local angle of attack and delaying airflow separation on the top surface. For the FUR configuration, the up surface of the rear wing is induced by the wake flow of the front wing propeller at a high propeller rotational speed, which increases the lift and the stall angle of attack but makes the aircraft have static instability.