Aerodynamic Model Research Articles

Experimental and CFD investigation of fatigue damage of welded cantilever under high-speed train

This paper deals with the fatigue damage of the welded cantilever under a high-speed train subjected to wind-induced loading using a field test campaign and a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) simulation. The results show that significant airflow pressure on the cantilever frames and the structural resonance are the main cause of the fatigue damage of welded joints. During long-term operation, the free end of the cantilever tends to vibrate undesirably, which affects the service life of the structure. Firstly, a finite element model with constant amplitude of wind pressure is created based on the current design specifications to assess the static and fatigue strength of the cantilever. The simulation results show that the structural strength meets the standard design requirements. However, the results of the field test show that the acceleration at the free end of the cantilever is 32.0 m/s2, which far exceeds the relevant requirements. Meanwhile, there is a significant difference in aerodynamic pressure on the frame surfaces between the leading and trailing cars. An aerodynamic model is created for two full-size cars with the CFD method. The results show that FIV (flow-induced vibration) is the main cause of the continuous vibration of the elastic cantilever frame as long as the wake shedding occurs at a frequency close to the natural frequency of the frame. This study provides a reference for the aerodynamic fatigue design of the equipment mounted high-speed trains, especially for structures with low stiffness affected by open airflow.

Blended-Wing-Body Regional Aircraft Optimization with High-Fidelity Aerodynamics and Critical Design Requirements

Conventional tube-and-wing and proposed blended-wing-body airliners must satisfy several design requirements, but the latter configuration is tightly integrated and sensitive to these requirements. In this work, blended-wing-body regional aircraft are investigated using a gradient-based mixed-fidelity multidisciplinary optimization framework centered on a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver. In addition to sizing and cruise trim, design requirements considered include one-engine-inoperative directional trim, takeoff rotation ability, takeoff field length, initial climb performance, low-speed trim and static margin, and top-of-climb rate of climb. Results show how optimal design features vary and performance is overpredicted if critical design requirements are excluded and how key elements of geometric freedom help realize the potential of the configuration. A 4.8% block fuel burn benefit is enabled by pivot-piston variable-length landing gear even with low-mounted engines and high design freedom. The off-design constraints penalize block fuel burn by 3.2% if variable-length landing gear is considered, but this value reaches 7.6% if lower geometric freedom that inhibits tight cabin contouring and the formation of a novel forebody ridge is removed. Leading-edge carving is found to be optimal. The high design freedom and high-fidelity aerodynamics model help efficiently satisfy the design requirements, resulting in a cruise lift-to-drag ratio of 21.7 at 36,000 ft and Mach 0.78.

Modelling and analysis of two-dimensional static and dynamic aeroelasticity of Fish Bone Active Camber morphing aerofoils

As a continuous and smooth morphing concept for aerofoils, the Fish Bone Active Camber (FishBAC) concept has demonstrated significant aerodynamic efficiency improvements over traditional hinged flaps. In this paper, to investigate the static and dynamic aeroelasticity of FishBAC aerofoils, an unsteady two dimensional coupled fluid-structure interaction model is developed, which includes the structural response of the FishBAC spine, skin, stringers, tendons and actuator, coupled to an unsteady aerodynamics model. The structural dynamic model is Timoshenko beam-theory-based, while the aerodynamic model is based on Peters’ unsteady model. The static and dynamic aeroelasticity is studied after the model is validated. Results show that the increase in pulley rotational angle reduces the zero-lift angle of attack, while keeping the slope between the lift coefficient and angle of attack the same. A shorter morphing region closer to the trailing edge is beneficial for generating larger lift coefficient with the same tendon moment and angle of attack. Flutter occurs with the increase of the air speed. When the morphing end position is fixed at 0.9 chord, increasing the morphing length reduces the critical flutter speed significantly, with the second bending mode tending to drive instability. With the same morphing length, moving the morphing region closer to the leading edge increases the critical flutter speed, and the unstable mode changes from the second mode into the first mode.

Modeling of the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of the NACA 0015 airfoil from the data of numerical calculations of the flow

The possible application of the results of numerical modeling in developing an approximate phenomenological mathematical aerodynamic model applicable in solving the problems of dynamics is studied with reference to the example of the unsteady flow past the NACA 0015 airfoil oscillating in the angle of attackat different frequencies, amplitudes, and mean angles of attack. For this purpose, the Reynolds equations are solved in both steady and unsteady formulations, together with thek–ω-SST turbulence model. The results of the calculations are validated by means of comparing them with the experimental data. The model of the normal force and the longitudinal moment formulated within the frameworkof an approach introducing an internal dynamic variable is identified according to the data of calculations. The results of the modeling are compared with the numerical and experimental data. The comparison with the conventional approach to the modeling based on the linear unsteady model with the use of dynamic derivatives is also carried out.

Unified momentum model for rotor aerodynamics across operating regimes

Despite substantial growth in wind energy technology in recent decades, aerodynamic modeling of wind turbines relies on momentum models derived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which are well-known to break down under flow regimes in which wind turbines often operate. This gap in theoretical modeling for rotors that are misaligned with the inflow and also for high-thrust rotors has resulted in the development of numerous empirical corrections which are widely applied in textbooks, research articles, and open-source and industry design codes. This work reports a Unified Momentum Model to efficiently predict power production, thrust force, and wake dynamics of rotors under arbitrary inflow angles and thrust coefficients without empirical corrections. The Unified Momentum Model is additionally coupled with a blade element model to enable blade element momentum modeling predictions of wind turbines in high thrust coefficient and yaw misaligned states without using corrections for these states. This Unified Momentum Model can form a new basis for wind turbine modeling, design, and control tools from first principles and may enable further development of innovations necessary for increased wind production and reliability to respond to 21st century climate change challenges.

A Jacobi-Ritz Approach for Aeroelastic Analysis of Swept Distributed Propulsion Aircraft Wing

Abstract This paper presents a Jacobi-Ritz approach for conducting flutter and divergence analysis of a complex distributed propulsion aircraft wing like NASA X-57. The general orthogonal Jacobi polynomials are used to approximate the bending displacement and torsional rotation angle in the Ritz method based structural and aeroelastic analysis. The Jacobi polynomials satisfy the orthogonality condition using weight functions which are easily modified to satisfy different essential and natural boundary conditions. Compared to simple polynomials, Jacobi polynomials can eliminate the well-known ill-conditioning numerical issues when considering higher-order polynomials. The Jacobi-Ritz method is also found to alleviate mode switching often encountered in tracking the changes of modes with the varying airspeed. The Jacobi-Ritz method is later used to investigate the flutter and divergence speeds under distributed propulsor mass and their locations, nonuniform aerodynamic model in the presence of multiple propulsors, and the sweep angle. Results show that placing the distributed propulsors on the wing's leading edge increases the flutter speed even though the bending and torsion modal frequencies are decreased compared to those of the wing without propulsors. The presence of pods for the middle high-lift motors causes an extra aerodynamic moment which reduces the flutter speed. Parametric studies also show that the divergence speed is lower than the flutter speed for a uniform and straight distributed propulsor wing. Using swept-back wing configuration and placing the tip propulsor near the wing's leading edge can help to increase both flutter and divergence speeds.

Joint sensitivity analysis method of impeller aerodynamic performance to key geometric errors of five-axis machine tool

As a high-performance workpiece, an impeller must ensure both dimensional accuracy and aerodynamic performance. A five-axis machine tool has various geometric errors, which seriously influence the impeller processing quality, hence it is crucial to identify the key error items and compensate them. In this study a joint sensitivity analysis method for the key geometric errors of a five-axis machine tool is proposed that focuses on the aerodynamic performance of an impeller. First, a volumetric error model and an aerodynamic performance model were built, representing the relationships between the tool center point volumetric errors and each of the geometric errors and the impeller aerodynamic performance. Then, the improved Sobol method was implemented to compute the total sensitivity index of each variable in the two models, from which two sensitivity distribution matrices were obtained. Finally, a joint sensitivity analysis was performed on these two matrices to identify the key geometric errors. Experiments were executed to ascertain the impact of compensation strategies on the impeller aerodynamic performance. The results showed that after compensating for the key errors, the total pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency loss rate of the impeller are reduced by 72.2% and 55.8% under the design parameters. The significant improvement in the aerodynamic performance of the impeller demonstrates the accuracy of key geometric error identification.

Data-driven aeroelastic analyses of structures in turbulent wind conditions using enhanced Gaussian Processes with aerodynamic priors

Recent advancements in data-driven aeroelasticity have been driven by the wealth of data available in the wind engineering practice, especially in modeling aerodynamic forces. Despite progress, challenges persist in addressing free-stream turbulence and incorporating physics knowledge into data-driven aerodynamic force models. This paper presents a hybrid Gaussian Process (GPs) methodology for non-linear modeling of aerodynamic forces induced by gusts and motion on bluff bodies. Building on a recently developed GP model of the motion-induced forces, we formulate a hybrid GP aerodynamic force model that incorporates both gust- and motion-induced angles of attack as exogenous inputs, alongside a semi-analytical quasi-steady (QS) model as a physics-based prior knowledge. In this manner, the GP model incorporates the absent physics of the QS model, and the non-dimensional hybrid formulation enhances its appeal from an aerodynamic perspective. We devise a training procedure that leverages simultaneous input signals of gust angles, based on random free-stream turbulence, and motion angles, based on random broadband signals. We verify the methodology through analytical linear aerodynamics of a flat plate and non-linear aerodynamics of a bridge deck using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The standout feature of the presented methodology is its applicability for aeroelastic buffeting analyses, showcasing robustness when handling broadband excitation. Importantly, the non-linear hybrid model preserves its capability to capture higher-order harmonics in the motion-induced forces and remains applicable for flutter analysis, while incorporating both motion and gust angles as input. Applications of the methodology are anticipated in the aeroelastic analysis and monitoring of slender line-like structures.

Controller design and remote piloting training module development for unmanned cropped delta reflex wing configuration

In this study, a cost-effective high-fidelity six-degree of freedom module augmented with an onboard controller is developed. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under consideration is a wing-alone configuration with a cropped delta planform and reflex airfoil cross-section designed to perform manoeuvres at high angles of attack. The six-degree of freedom dynamics for the aforementioned configuration is developed based on Newtonian mechanics incorporating linear and nonlinear aerodynamic models to expand flight simulations in corresponding regimes. Aerodynamic stability and control parameters for the simulations are obtained from full-scale wind tunnel measurements and flight tests. It is observed that the linear aerodynamic model is valid in angle of attack (α) domain −5°≤α≤10°, followed by nonlinearity up to α≈21°, post which lift coefficient remains almost constant with angle of attack till 45°. The simulation model is validated with the corresponding flight data obtained from flight tests. A user-friendly graphical interface with real-time animation of UAV has been developed for the aforementioned configuration by integrating MATLAB and Flightgear environment with real-time control input from the hardware to enable the pilot for visual and tactile feedback, respectively. A controller based on total energy control is designed for velocity and altitude hold modes, while an attitude hold controller is designed for pitch and roll angle tracking to enable controller-in-the-loop remote piloting simulations. In order to enhance practical applicability, the designed module has been tested under various simulated wind conditions. It is noticed from the results that the steady-state error in attitude remains below 2% with a maximum overshoot of 5° from reference. The total energy controller achieves a zero steady-state error with a maximum overshoot of 2 m/s for velocity and 6 m for altitude, respectively. The developed module enhances remote piloting training, flight response assessment, and control algorithm testing for cropped delta planform UAVs.

Application of Time-Variant Systems Theory to the Unsteady Aerodynamics of Rotary Wings

This work employs the principles of time-variant systems theory to investigate the unsteady aerodynamics of rotary-wing configurations under periodic equilibrium conditions. Their application enables an extension of the pulse technique for system identification, as well as the adaptation of the linear-frequency-domain formulation commonly utilized in fixed-wing to rotary-wing scenarios. These methodologies effectively incorporate the aerodynamic nonlinearities associated with the equilibrium state into an efficient time-variant linearized representation of the unsteady aerodynamics. To promote its application in the context of rotary-wing aeroelasticity, a state-space realization based on a periodic autoregressive model with exogenous input is subsequently employed. Upon transformation from discrete to continuous time, the resulting aerodynamic model adopts a linear continuous-time periodic state-space formulation, offering compatibility for its coupling with a wide range of structural models. The proposed aerodynamic framework tailored to rotary-wing aeroelasticity holds applicability across a spectrum of aerodynamic models of arbitrary complexity, spanning from incompressible potential flow approximations to potentially more sophisticated methods. Showcasing the potential of this framework, the widely studied lossy Mathieu equation and the aerodynamic response to a flap perturbation about the periodic equilibrium condition of a prototypical rotor blade section, incorporating nonlinearities through an analytical dynamic stall model, are considered.

High-fidelity aerodynamic model for generalized crosswind loads on tall buildings

Accurate and rapid acquisition of crosswind loads is crucial for the preliminary structural design of tall buildings. Existing studies on predicting the crosswind loads on tall buildings commonly face limited applicability and low accuracy, thus hindering the widespread practical application. To address the issue, this study establishes a comprehensive database of generalized crosswind loads based on high-fidelity data from wind tunnel tests and large-eddy simulation (LES). Furthermore, an aerodynamic model for predicting the crosswind loads is proposed using the artificial neural network (ANN). This model accurately predicts the generalized crosswind loads on tall buildings incorporating a diverse range of building dimensions and three distinct boundary layer wind fields. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed model are validated thoroughly by comparison with the experimental data from this study and other literature. In addition, the parametric analysis shows that certain variations in the building height have a slight effect on the crosswind loads. When the side ratio SR = 1, the crosswind base moment spectra are insensitive to the variations in building width. While for SR > 1, both the spectral values and the root mean square (RMS) base moment coefficients decrease greatly with the increase in building width. The proposed model provides a comprehensive perspective to understand the variation patterns of the crosswind loads on tall buildings under the combined effects of various influencing factors. Moreover, it provides a solution for the rapid and accurate evaluation of the crosswind responses in current wind engineering practice.

Aerodynamic Behavior of Hump Slab Track in Desert Railways: A Case Study in Shuregaz, Iran

The development of rail transport necessitates expanding environmentally friendly infrastructure. However, specific challenges arise in desert and sandy regions. One innovative solution to manage the effects of windblown sand on desert railways is the use of hump slab track superstructure. This paper develops a solid–fluid aerodynamic model based on ANSYS Fluent 2021 R2 software to simulate the hump slab track during a sandstorm. The model is validated through wind tunnel testing. A case study of a railway sandstorm in the Shuregaz region of Iran is presented, evaluating various sandstorm parameters and hump heights to determine their impact on sand concentration and particle velocity within the sand transit channels. The results indicate that increasing the sand particle diameter (from 150 to 250 µm) leads to higher sand concentration (up to 40%) and lower sand movement velocity (up to 28%). These results have been observed with a higher incremental approach concerning the sand flow rate. Conversely, increasing sandstorm velocity (from 10 to 30 m/s) decreases sand concentration and increases sand movement velocity up to 80% and 150%, respectively. Additionally, a 25 cm hump height significantly enhances sand passage by creating larger channels.

A novel efficient calculation method for rotor aeroacoustic characteristics based on multiple aerodynamic surfaces source model

Based on the simplified acoustic source model of multiple aerodynamic surfaces, an efficient calculation method for rotor aeroacoustic characteristics has been established. Firstly, the aerodynamic characteristics database of the airfoil is obtained based on the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. The inflow environment of each blade element is calculated using the free wake method, and the distribution of chord-wise loading is obtained by combining the established database. Subsequently, based on the F1A equation, a simplified formula for loading noise with pressure difference as a parameter is derived. The thickness noise is obtained from the blade shape and operating conditions, and the blade surface mesh is constructed by using the adaptive curvature distribution strategy of airfoil points. The validation is carried out by comparing with experimental values in the hover and forward flight states. Then, A hybrid weighted interpolation scheme is proposed based on inverse distance weighted interpolation (IDW) and bidirectional linear interpolation method, which is suitable for capturing blade/vortex interaction (BVI) noise. A set of parameters suitable for engineering applications is obtained through the parametric sensitivity analysis. The computational time and memory usage are reduced to 1/47 and 1/4 of the original amount, respectively. Finally, Using the above method, the influence of rotational speeds (ω) on rotor aeroacoustic characteristics are studied. The results show that ω and sound pressure level (SPL) are linearly related and the SPL decreases by approximately 5 dB for every 0.1 Ω decrease in ω. The rotational speed ω≈90 %Ω can effectively suppress rotor aeroacoustic levels, benefiting the stealth design of helicopters.

Flight Dynamic Uncertainty Quantification Modeling Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks

When attempting to develop aerodynamic models for extreme flight conditions, including high angle of attack, high rotational rates, and tumbling motion, many classical methods have challenges in accurately modeling the highly nonlinear aerodynamic effects present. Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have previously been shown to be a potential technique to model these nonlinear aerodynamic effects when framed as a system identification problem. PINNs are well suited to this problem as they benefit from the universal approximation abilities of neural networks while directly incorporating known physical constraints into the training process. One of the main challenges in machine learning algorithms, including PINNs, is quantifying the confidence in a deterministic model prediction. This work expands on the previous development of PINNs as an aerodynamic and system identification tool by incorporating uncertainty quantification through three ensemble methods to provide calibrated confidence intervals on both aerodynamic coefficients and propagated trajectories. This work demonstrates and evaluates these methods on a simulated F16 case study where up to 100 PINN models are trained on varying training datasets. These models provide aerodynamic coefficients directly and are used to propagate trajectories within a six-degree-of-freedom simulation environment.

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Its Sensitivity Analysis of a Cylindrical Projectile at Different Incidences

The accurate evaluation of aerodynamic characteristics is a prerequisite and foundation for the design of high-performance aerodynamic shapes, navigation guidance, and strength of projectiles. The nonlinearity of aerodynamic calculations for a projectile is high, and the modeling and simulation are difficult, especially under the high-angle of attack flight conditions. Small variations in flight conditions, and structural parameters, etc., may cause large deviations in aerodynamic responses. Taking a small cylindrical projectile as an example, and to realize its attitude control, it is necessary to conduct aerodynamic characteristics analysis on it and analyze the main influencing factors of its aerodynamic characteristics parameters. In this paper, the finite volume method is used to solve the three-dimensional unsteady N-S equation, combined with the SST k-ω turbulence model, the overlapping grid technology, and the forced pitching vibration method, and the aerodynamic characteristics analysis model of the projectile is established, which realizes the accurate simulation of the surrounding flow field, aerodynamic coefficients, and dynamic derivative of the projectile under different flight conditions. On this basis, the Sobol global sensitivity analysis method based on the augmented radial basis function surrogate model of aerodynamics characteristics and Latin hypercube sampling is used to efficiently analyze and obtain the main influence parameters of cylindrical projectile aerodynamic characteristics. This paper provides a basic theory and fast algorithm for subsequent engineering system design, which has important theoretical and engineering value.

Windage loss characterisation for flywheel energy storage system: Model and experimental validation

In this paper, a windage loss characterisation strategy for Flywheel Energy Storage Systems (FESS) is presented. An effective windage loss modelling in FESS is essential for feasible and competitive design. Unlike generic aerodynamic loss models, FESS require particular attention to their unique characteristics i.e., vacuum, small airgaps, high angular speed, and presence of low friction rotor supports.The proposed model is based on several analytical and semi-empirical windage loss solutions for cylindrical and planar surface interactions, harmonised to manage the transition between laminar and turbulent flows. Also, the model is enriched by introducing corrections for rarefied gasses, using kinetic gas theory formulation. Therefore, it is possible the reduce the windage overestimation occurring with Navier–Stokes equation solutions for laminar flow. The model is compared to case studies from the literature featuring different boundary and operating conditions, to check consistency of all the harmonised models. A dedicated experimental test-rig is developed to validate the corrections to the model for rarefied gas at different vacuum levels. Then, a non-invasive characterisation approach for FESS windage losses in self-discharge phase is proposed and validated on the test-rig.

Time-Varying Aeroelastic Modeling and Analysis for a Morphing Wing

The paper presents a novel time-varying aeroelastic modeling approach for the morphing wing with the process of camber changing. The time-varying modeling methodology includes structural dynamics modeling, unsteady aerodynamic modeling, and interpolation for fluid–structure coupling. Firstly, the morphing wing is modularized and divided into fixed and variable parts by the floating frame of reference formulation. It is combined with the Craig–Bampton method to reduce order and eliminate nonindependent degrees of freedom. Then, the unsteady vortex-lattice method is used to calculate the transient, unsteady aerodynamic force for time evolution. Furthermore, the above time-varying structural dynamics modeling and a fluid–structure coupling interpolation are integrated to construct overall aeroelastic modeling, obtaining a set of differential-algebraic equations. Finally, these equations are numerically solved by the generalized-α method. The proposed approach provides an innovative idea to deal with the incredible complexity of the aeroelastic effect as structural characteristics change over time. It can efficiently and accurately analyze the morphing wing’s transient response or flutter property. To verify and utilize the time-varying aeroelastic modeling approach, numerical calculations and comparative studies were carried out regarding the time-varying characteristics of the structural modes, aerodynamic calculations, and flutter prediction of the morphing wing.

Nonlinear Surrogate Model Design for Aerodynamic Dataset Generation Based on Artificial Neural Networks

In this work we construct a surrogate model using artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the steady-state behavior of an unmanned combat aircraft. We employ various strategies to improve the model’s accuracy, including the consideration of design tolerances, creating independent surrogate models for the different flow regimes and encoding non-numeric input features. We also explore alternative machine learning models, albeit they demonstrated a lower reliability than ANNs. Two scenarios are considered for the target variable: one focusing solely on predicting the pitching moment coefficient, and the other incorporating the roll moment coefficient as well. We investigate different methods for handling multiple targets, finding that constructing a single model with multiple outputs consistently outperforms developing separate models for each target variable. Overall, the ANN provides predictions that show excellent agreement with the experimental data, demonstrating its effectiveness and reliability in aerodynamic modeling.

Thermo-aeroelastic analysis of triangular composite plate with embedded shape memory alloy at supersonic flow

This work investigates the effectiveness of a shape-memory alloy (SMA) in controlling the instabilities of triangular composite plates under supersonic flow. Lagoudas’ quadratic polynomial hardening theory models the SMA effect. First-order piston theory was used for the aerodynamic modeling, and the reference-temperature method was used for modeling the thermal heating. The buckling and post-buckling behaviors were studied for different boundary conditions with four different layups. In addition, buckling and post-buckling of the composite plate, with and without shape memory alloy wire, has been studied. The effect of SMA wire on aeroelastic instabilities is accurately studied. The embedded SMA wire significantly increased the stability region (postpone divergence and flutter velocities) and buckling temperature. Also, the time responses of the triangular composite plate are determined at different Mach numbers, showing that by increasing the Mach number, the SMA wire can control or decrease the vibration amplitudes.

Benchmarking of Aerodynamic Models for Isolated Propellers Operating at Positive and Negative Thrust

Operating a conventional propeller at negative thrust results in the operation of positively cambered blade sections at negative angles of attack, leading to flow separation. Consequently, accurately simulating the aerodynamics of propellers operating at negative thrust poses a greater challenge than at positive thrust. This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the aerodynamic modeling capabilities of numerical methods, spanning low to high fidelity, for computing propeller performance across both positive and negative thrust regimes. Low-fidelity methods, namely, blade-element momentum and lifting line theories, effectively predict propeller performance trends at positive thrust. However, they fail to capture trends at negative thrust beyond the maximum power output point due to the neglect of three-dimensional flow effects. Both steady and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations with y+<1 perform well across both positive and negative thrust conditions, with errors below 2% for both thrust and power magnitudes near the maximum power output point. Lattice-Boltzmann very-large-eddy simulations (LB-VLESs) with y+≤10 exhibit excellent agreement with experimental data with less than 1% error near the maximum power output point but with significant computational costs. Conversely, LB-VLESs with y+≥15 offer a more economical approach to capture general trends with the computational cost of the same order as unsteady RANS. However, wall models introduce errors in modeling flow separation, leading to a 16% overestimation of power magnitude near the maximum power output point. The results highlight the necessity of using tools with increased fidelity levels when considering propeller operation at negative thrust compared to the conventional positive thrust regime.