Euler equation simulation of propeller-wing interaction in transonicflow

Abstract

A method is presented for the computation of propeller-win g interaction in transonic rotational flow The approach is to use the three dimensional, time dependent Euler equations with force terms included to simulate the propeller Viscous inviscid interaction on the wing surface is included by coupling the three dimensional Euler equations with the two dimensional compressible turbulent inverse integral boundary layer equations Numerical solutions are compared with experimental data for a 32 deg swept supercritical wing without a propeller simulator, a wing with a propeller simulator producing thrust only, and a wing with a propeller simulator producing thrust and swirl in each direction TUDIES indicate that a significant reduction in fuel consumption of transport aircraft can be achieved by advanced technology turboprop or prop fan propulsion systems It is intended that such propulsion systems be used on transonic aircraft Small changes in transonic flow about a wing can cause appreciable change in shock wave strength and location and consequently influence lift, drag, boundary layer growth, separation, etc Because propellers can produce significant changes in the transonic flow about a wing, if is necessary to understand the influence of a propeller slip stream on a supercritical type wing The purpose of this paper is to present a computational fluid dynamic method of simulating three dimensional transonic propeller wing in teraction, including swirl Most investigations of propeller wing flowfields have been limited to subsonic 15 and high subsonic6 Mach numbers Rizk7 and Narain8 have investigated the transonic problem using the potential flow equations A transonic propeller wing interaction flowfield, however, is rotational due to variations in flow properties induced by the propeller, embedded shocks and viscous effects The approach taken herein is to use the three-dimensional, time dependent Euler equations including the energy equation, in order to allow for rotational flow In addition * viscous effects are taken into account by coupling the three-dimensional Euler equations with the two dimensional compressible turbulent inverse integral boun dary layer equations. The method used to incorporate the influence of a propeller in the Euler equations is described in the following section The Euler equation solver is then briefly discussed followed by an explanation of how viscous inviscid interaction is in eluded in the computational method Finally, numerical results are presented and compared with results from a transonic flow experiment designed to simulate the influence of a propeller on a supercritical wing