Assessing low Reynolds number airfoil performance in microburst environments for micro/unmanned aerial vehicles: A numerical study

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of microbursts, which are a common meteorological phenomenon, on aircraft performance. A multiphase computational fluid dynamics model has been developed to simulate the microburst-generated downdraft environment over an airfoil. The simulations were conducted at a 12° angle of attack for takeoff conditions with a Reynolds number of 2×105. The lift and drag coefficients were compared to experimental results and exhibited a strong correlation. Additionally, this study examined the volume of fluid and the coefficient of pressure distribution. It also examined the boundary-layer velocity profiles at five different chord positions, the location of rivulet formation on the upper surface of the airfoil, and water film height. The results revealed a maximum variation of 72.18% and 16.53% in lift and drag coefficients, respectively, between the numerical and experimental results. These findings provide valuable insight into the effects of microbursts on aircraft performance and have implications for the aviation industry.