Abstract
In this article, a method for calculation of air loads of an aircraft with an elastic wing is presented. The method can predict a redistribution of air loads when the elastic wing deforms. Unlike the traditional Euler or Navier-Stokes CFD to FEM coupling, the method uses 3D panel method as a source of aerodynamic data. This makes the calculation feasible on a typical recent workstation. Due to a short computational time and low hardware demands this method is suitable for both the preliminary design stage and the load evaluation stage. A case study is presented. The study compares a glider wing performing a pull maneuver at both rigid and and elastic state. The study indicates a significant redistribution of air load at the elastic case.
Highlights
A NASA Helios High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft had a wing with a wingspan of 75 m and aspect ratio of 30 [1]
A numerical validation means to prerform the case study using a RANS CFD solver as a source of aerodynamic data coupled to a wing modeled by shell elements or by 3D solid elements
The main advantages of the presented method are simple definition of the wing stiffness, absence of the volume mesh around the wing and problems related with remeshing at large deformations
Summary
A flight of a modern glider or a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft is a representative example of the fluid-structure interaction problem. These flying vehicles are a result of a search for the most aerodynamically effective shape. This leads to a need for a wing with a large wingspan and an aspect ratio. A NASA Helios HALE aircraft had a wing with a wingspan of 75 m and aspect ratio of 30 [1]. During a flight of such aircraft, the wing undergoes large deformations, still in the elastic regime, as shown on Figure 1
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