Analysis of thermally activated fluid-structure interaction for a morphing plate immersed in turbulent flow

Abstract

In the framework of vehicle aerodynamics, new integrated systems can be developed based on shape memory metal alloys (SMAs) capability to perform surface morphing. Such systems can be exploited to create appendices containing active composites that change shape in response to variable thermal inputs, in relation to the desired aerodynamic behavior. The purpose of these systems is to offer benefits in terms of vehicle’s performance and fuel consumption rate. Even the design of the simplest geometry appendix, a finite horizontal plate aligned with a turbulent air flow, is nevertheless affected by three intertwined and nonlinear phenomena - namely the solid/fluid/thermal interactions. In order to approach the definition of appropriate design parameters, the space of operating variables must be explored by devising a numerical simulation encompassing the equation of structural motion and the energy and Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations, complemented by a viable turbulence model. In this paper, a fully-coupled model encompassing all phenomena involved is tested by implementing a sensitivity analysis for a thermally activated morphing surface. Temperature, stress and velocity distributions are presented and discussed for a given geometry case. A new metrics leading to aerodynamic lift calculations is then proposed and demonstrated, that will simplify the preliminary design procedures.