Numerical Simulation of the Aerodynamic Influence of Aircrafts During Aerial Refueling with Engine Jet

Abstract

Aerial refueling technology has been widely applied in various fields and it is one of the hotspots but difficulties for the aeronautical technologies. DLR-F6 WBNP model is used as a tanker and a fighter model is used as a receiver. The flow field of Probe–Drogue refueling and Flying Boom refueling is numerically simulated using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, and the effects of the jet flow and the aerodynamic characteristics of the receiver are taken into consideration. The results indicate that the effect of downwash of the tanker reduces the lift coefficient and decreases the pitching moment coefficient of the receiver. The jet flow of tanker increases the dynamic pressure while decreases the local angle of attack, which increases the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of receiver. Compared with the results without jet, the jet flow can increase the lift and the drag of the receiver and reduces the pitching moment, and even cause the change of rolling moment direction. Therefore, engine jet is an important factor when simulating aerial refueling.