Study on wing-tip device technology

Abstract

Aircraft wings are designed to make airflow to travel faster on top and slower on bottom. The lift force is generated by the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the wing due to the Bernoulli principle. The downwash also provides lift due to Newtons third law. The wake vortex is the consequence of the production of lift. The spinning turbulent flow at the wing tip creates induced drag, and decreases the total aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft. A wing tip device is a piece of extension of the wing attached to the wing tip vertically upward or downward. The idea of a wing tip device comes from nature, where engineers reference the wings of different types of birds. The main purpose of this design is to counter and reduce the total drag, allowing aircraft to optimize its aerodynamic performances to reduce fuel consumption. Different wing tip devices based on their structure design have various positive impacts on the aviation industry. In this article, the origin and the applications of wing-tip devices are discussed, offering a reference for the development of wing-tip devices.