Effects of structural thermal boundary conditions on hypersonic aerothermoelasticity of all-movable control surface

Abstract

Structural thermal boundary conditions are usually simplified in the aerothermoelastic analysis. However, it will influence the heat transfer, the temperature distribution, and the structure stiffness, which have effects on the accurate prediction of the aerothermoelastic characteristics. In this study, an aerothermoelastic framework for hypersonic vehicles is developed, and the effects of structural thermal boundary conditions on aerothermoelasticity of all-movable control surface are investigated. The Reynold’s averaged Navier–Stokes equations are solved by computational fluid dynamics method to obtain the thermal environment. The transient heat transfer, the thermal stress, and the structure mode are analyzed by using finite element method. Finally, the local piston theory is used to calculate the unsteady aerodynamic force, and aeroelastic characteristics are analyzed in the state space. Aerothermoelastic characteristics of three different structural thermal boundaries are investigated in detail, including aerodynamic heating only on control surface; aerodynamic heating on both the control surface and the shaft; and aerodynamic heating on the control surface, the shaft, and the body. The results show that the heat transfer process, the temperature distribution, the thermal stresses, and the natural frequencies of the structure are influenced significantly by structural thermal boundary conditions especially in the shaft. Furthermore, the aerothermoelastic stability margin is affected ultimately.