Unmanned aerial vehicle fuel tank structure design optimization based on Flow-EFD fluid simulation

Abstract

Fuel quantity indication and fuel low level warning design is an important technology for unmanned aerial vehicle design with long distance flight capability. Since the size and shape of overflow holes opened on fuel tank rib structure impact the fuel leakage rate and in turn impact whether fuel low level warning will be triggered at expected time, this article use RNG-turbulence model based on Flow-EFD fluid simulation to compare three different overflow hole design schemes and get the conclusion that several rectangular holes design has negative impact on fuel level descending and will not cause nuisance fuel low level alert under large pitch angle.