Wing Geometry Research Articles

Enhancing Aircraft Glide Performance through Wing Geometry Modifications

Modifications to wing geometry can significantly influence the glide performance of an aircraft, affecting critical aspects such as lift, drag, and overall flight efficiency. This study investigates how variations in wing design parameters, including aspect ratio, wing loading, and camber, impact the glide ratio and performance of fixed-wing aircraft. Using a combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and scaled model flight tests, the research provides a detailed analysis of how these geometric adjustments affect aerodynamic characteristics during unpowered flight. The results indicate that increasing the aspect ratio, which involves lengthening the wingspan relative to the wing chord, significantly improves glide performance by reducing induced drag, thus enhancing the aircraft's lift-to-drag ratio. This improvement is particularly beneficial during extended glide phases, as it allows for greater distances covered per unit of altitude loss. Adjustments to wing loading, defined as the aircraft’s weight divided by the wing area, showed that lower wing loading generally improves glide efficiency but at the cost of increased sensitivity to turbulence and gusts. Changes in camber, or the curvature of the wing, had more complex effects; higher camber increased lift but also raised drag, highlighting the need for a balanced approach depending on flight conditions.

Exploring Aerodynamics: The Impact of Aspect Ratio on Paper Airplane Flight Dynamics

Aspect Ratio significantly influences the aerodynamic performance of aircraft, dictating crucial factors such as lift and glide efficiency. This paper investigates the impact of varying Aspect Ratios on the Gliding Angle of paper airplanes, serving as analogs for larger aircraft. Different models of paper airplanes, each with unique Aspect Ratios, are constructed and tested under controlled conditions to measure their aerodynamic responses. The experiment employs video tracking and statistical analysis to precisely gauge the glide angles and correlate these with Aspect Ratios. Results indicate that an increase in Aspect Ratio generally leads to a decrease in the Gliding Angle, suggesting enhanced aerodynamic performance. However, this relationship exhibits complexity beyond a straightforward linear association, hinting at the nuanced interactions between wing geometry and airflow dynamics. Further, the study explores the Lift to Drag ratio, revealing its dependency on the glide dynamics shaped by Aspect Ratio variations. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of flight mechanics, potentially guiding the design of more efficient gliders and other aircraft by optimizing Aspect Ratios to suit specific flight requirements.

The Influence of Wing Geometry Changes on Aircraft Gliding

This research delves into the influence of wing geometry, specifically aspect ratio (AR), on the gliding performance of model airplanes. A systematic experimental investigation was conducted to measure how changes in AR affect the lift-to-drag ratio (Cl/Cd), lift force, and drag force across a range of ARs from 0.444 to 2.25. The study utilized power-law regression analysis to establish functional relationships between AR and the aerodynamic forces involved. Findings from this analysis highlight a significant increase in Cl/Cd with an increase in AR, confirming theoretical predictions that suggest reduced drag at higher aspect ratios. Additionally, a complex interplay between lift and drag forces was observed, providing new insights into wing design for optimizing model airplane performance. The empirical models developed here offer a robust tool for predicting aerodynamic outcomes, which can inform future model airplane designs as well as educational projects in aeronautics. Insights gained also lay groundwork for potential extrapolations to full-sized aircraft in efforts to enhance aerodynamic efficiency and performance.

The Impact of Camber Variation on NACA 2412 Airfoil Efficiency and Its Implications for Adaptive Engineering Solutions

This paper investigates the effects of varying the camber on the aerodynamic efficiency of the NACA 2412 airfoil by analyzing the Lift-to-Drag (L/D) ratio. Using wind tunnel tests at a constant speed of 95 MPH, data was collected for different camber configurations, and L/D ratios were computed for each trial. The NACA 2412 airfoil camber was modified to increase the camber by 20%, decrease it by 20%, and decrease surface area by 20%. These were all tested at Angle of Attack values from 0 to 30 in 5-degree increments. The results revealed a strong correlation between camber variation and aerodynamic efficiency, with certain camber settings significantly enhancing performance at specific Angles of Attack. While the original NACA 2412 served as a control, modifications such as reduced camber and surface area demonstrated significant efficiency changes, underscoring the role of camber in optimizing performance. The study provides valuable insights for optimizing airfoil design, offering practical applications in aircraft engineering, particularly in the development of systems that can adapt wing geometry dynamically to optimize performance. However, limitations such as fixed airspeed and limited camber variations were noted, highlighting the need for further investigation into more diverse conditions. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how engineering solutions can enhance aircraft performance by incorporating adaptable design elements.

From conventional to bioinspired: Evolution of tail surface designs in micro air vehicles

The paper presents the evolution of the tail surface design of a micro air vehicle based on adaptive wing geometry. The initial prototype was conceived as a tailless aircraft geometry, waiting for future innovations and stability augmentations. An initial experimental test bench will be presented to characterize the variation of wing profile curvature as a function of the voltage, through MFC actuators. Once these results have been analyzed, the process of conceiving a conventional T-tail was initiated, ultimately evolving toward the proposal of a bioinspired tail based on the tail shape of various birds. The results obtained in wind tunnel tests using PIV techniques will be presented. The results validate the selected tail surface design as an appropriate geometry for a bioinspired micro air vehicle.

Analisis Aplikasi Mekanika Fluida Dalam Industri Penerbangan

This literature review highlights the critical role of fluid mechanics in aviation, focusing on its applications in aircraft design, performance optimization, and safety. Fluid mechanics studies the behavior of fluids and their interactions with solid surfaces, with core principles like laminar and turbulent flow, Bernoulli's principle, and viscosity crucial for aerodynamic design. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has revolutionized aircraft engineering by enabling accurate simulation and optimization of fluid flow, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Innovations such as variable geometry wings, winglets, and advanced composite materials demonstrate the synergy between fluid mechanics and material science, leading to lighter, more efficient aircraft. Challenges like stall—where airflow separates from the wing—remain, necessitating further research into extreme fluid behavior and advanced control systems to improve safety. This review underscores the need for continued innovation to enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of aviation.

Analytic Solutions for Volume, Mass, Center of Gravity, and Inertia of Wing Segments and Rotors of Constant Density

In the preliminary design of aircraft lifting surfaces, accurate mass and inertia properties can be difficult to obtain. Typically, such methods as computer-aided design or statistical processes are used to determine these properties. These methods require significant time and effort to implement. The present paper presents an exact analytic method for calculating the volume, mass, center of gravity, and inertia properties of wing segments and rotors of constant density. The influence of taper, spanwise thickness distribution, airfoil geometry, and sweep are included. The utility of the method is presented, and the accuracy is evaluated with various test cases via percent difference with a corresponding computer-aided design model. These case studies demonstrate the present method to be accurate to within about 1% for typical wing geometries and within about 1.3% for typical propeller geometries.

Unified scheme design and control optimization of flapping wing for next-generation manta ray robot

An efficient global optimization (EGO) algorithm has been used in the geometry design and motion for a manta ray-like flapping wing to optimize the best swimming performance. To this end, we combine a three-dimensional simulation using STAR-CCM+ with this framework to generate the optimal flapping wing geometry that maximizes the lift-to-drag ratio. The drag and moment coefficients between the original and optimized flapping wings were further compared in a servo-driven towing tank to validate the optimization effects. In addition, by associating the force experiments in a water tunnel, we successfully predict the motion trajectory for the largest thrust with the same EGO algorithm. A free-swimming test is carried out to verify the optimization. This study gives a unified scheme design optimization for the next-generation manta ray robot.

The Effects of a Seagull Airfoil on the Aerodynamic Performance of a Small Wind Turbine

Birds’ flight characteristics such as gliding and dynamic soaring have inspired various optimizations and designs of wind turbines. The implementation of biological wing geometries such as the airfoil profile of seabirds has improved wind turbine performance. However, the field can still benefit from further investigation into the aerodynamic characteristics of an inspired design. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of a seagull airfoil design on the aerodynamic performance of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Phase VI wind turbine. By replacing its S809 airfoil with the laser-scanned profile of the seagull airfoil, the aerodynamic behavior at key locations of the NREL Phase VI wind turbine blade was numerically simulated in a three-dimensional environment using the Ansys Fluent 2022 R1 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The results were validated against the experimental data, and analysis of the torque outputs, pressure distributions, and velocity profiles that were generated by both the baseline and modified models demonstrated the ability of the seagull airfoil profile to modify regions of minimum and maximum local velocities to achieve highly favorable pressure differentials, significantly increasing the torque output of the NREL Phase VI wind turbine by 350, 539, 823, and 577 Nm at 10, 15, 20, and 25 m/s inlet velocities, respectively.

Demographic inference from the mt-DNA COI gene and wing geometry of Culex gelidus (Diptera: Culicidae), an important vector of Japanese encephalitis in Thailand

Culex gelidus (Diptera: Culicidae), an important vector of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), contributes to human viral encephalitis in many Asian countries, including Thailand. This study represents the first investigation of the demographic patterns of Cx. gelidus populations in Thailand using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene analysis and wing geometric morphometrics (GM). Mosquitoes were collected from 10 provinces across six regions of Thailand in 2022. Analysis of the COI sequences (n = 182) indicated high haplotype diversity (0.882) and low nucleotide diversity (0.006), with 72 haplotypes identified. The haplotype network demonstrated no profound splits among the geographic populations. Neutral tests, including Tajima's D and Fu's Fs, displayed negative values, with a significant result observed for Fu's Fs (−33.048, p < 0.05). The mismatch distribution analysis indicated that the population does not statistically deviate from a model of sudden population expansion (SSD = 0.010, p > 0.05; Rg = 0.022, p > 0.05). The estimations suggest that the Cx. gelidus population in Thailand began its expansion approximately between 459,243 and 707,011 years ago. The Mantel test showed no significant relationship between genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.048, p > 0.05). Significant phenotypic differences (based on wing shape) were observed among most populations. Additionally, in this study, we found no significant relationships between phenotypic and genetic distances (r = 0.250, p > 0.05). Understanding the genetic and morphological dynamics of Cx. gelidus is vital for developing targeted surveillance and vector control measures. This knowledge will also help to predict how future environmental changes might affect these populations, thereby informing long-term vector management strategies.

A numerical research on the hydrodynamic performance of marine propellers with bionic coupled blade sections

ABSTRACT The propulsive efficiency and cavitation performance of marine propellers directly affect the operating costs and radiated noise of ships, warranting further research on the hydrodynamic performance. The blade sections' profile of the MAU 5-80 propeller has been modified to incorporate avian wing geometry and spacing ridge structures have been introduced between the leading edge and the thickest point. The numerical results indicate that the spacing ridge structures marginally impact the efficiency enhancement of the bionic blade sections with avian wing geometry, particularly under low advance speeds and heavy load conditions. However, the chordwise coordinate value at the thickest point of the bionic blade sections significantly influences the cavitation containment capability of the ridge structures. Compared with the original propeller, the redesigned propeller with bionic coupled blade sections shows a 2.37% improvement in open water efficiency at J = 0.2 and a 20.12% reduction in cavitation volume at J = 0.48.

Component-based wing structure reconfiguration and analysis on the fly

To facilitate the structural design of an aircraft wing, we propose a simulation technique that can not only readily reshape a wing structure, but also rapidly yet accurately analyze its responses. For swift wing reconfiguration, we express a wing geometry with respect to shape parameters, such as a taper ratio, a half wingspan, and a sweep angle, by geometric parameterization. For rapid yet accurate analysis, we simulate a large-sized wing structure using small-sized common components whose solution spaces are shrunken by port-reduced static condensation reduced basis element (PR-SCRBE) approximation. As a result, we can easily modify both the shape and topology of a wing structure in the context of repetitive analysis. For demonstration, we construct six exemplary wing structures by assembling deformed duplicates of five common wing components. With the six wing structures, we examine the accuracy and efficiency of linear elastostatic PR-SCRBE analyses in predicting displacements and stresses compared with the corresponding finite element (FE) analyses. Regarding accuracy, the six PR-SCRBE analyses yield displacements and stresses with average relative errors of less than 0.01% and 2.79%, respectively. As for efficiency, the six PR-SCRBE analyses evaluate displacements and stresses with average speedups of 12.58 and 11.56, respectively. In conclusion, the proposed approach for wing reconfiguration and analysis may produce rapid yet accurate structural predictions, thereby considerably assisting the structural design of an aircraft wing.

Towards silent and efficient flight by combining bioinspired owl feather serrations with cicada wing geometry

As natural predators, owls fly with astonishing stealth due to the serrated feather morphology that produces advantageous flow characteristics. Traditionally, these serrations are tailored for airfoil edges with simple two-dimensional patterns, limiting their effect on noise reduction while negotiating tradeoffs in aerodynamic performance. Conversely, the intricately structured wings of cicadas have evolved for effective flapping, presenting a potential blueprint for alleviating these aerodynamic limitations. In this study, we formulate a synergistic design strategy that harmonizes noise suppression with aerodynamic efficiency by integrating the geometrical attributes of owl feathers and cicada forewings, culminating in a three-dimensional sinusoidal serration propeller topology that facilitates both silent and efficient flight. Experimental results show that our design yields a reduction in overall sound pressure levels by up to 5.5 dB and an increase in propulsive efficiency by over 20% compared to the current industry benchmark. Computational fluid dynamics simulations validate the efficacy of the bioinspired design in augmenting surface vorticity and suppressing noise generation across various flow regimes. This topology can advance the multifunctionality of aerodynamic surfaces for the development of quieter and more energy-saving aerial vehicles.

Experimental Study and Analysis of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Gliders with Different Wing Geometries

At present, airplanes are widely used in people's daily lives, and research on this means of transportation is of great importance. Currently, academic research still lacks the influence of different aircraft wing shapes and areas on aircraft flight conditions. This article analyzes the basic principles of glider flight and explores the aerodynamic principles of gliders through paper plane simulation. Firstly, this paper introduces the development history of gliders. Secondly, the mechanical analysis of the aircraft is carried out. The factors that affect the flight performance of the aircraft are analyzed by paper airplane simulation experiments. The experimental results are analyzed, and the future development direction is forecasted. From the final research results, there is a close relationship between the aspect ratio and the glide angle of the plane. In the experiment, lower induced drag allows the aircraft to move further horizontally while descending resulting in a smaller glide angle. This study reveals the relationship between aspect ratio and glide angle, which provides intellectual support for the development of the aircraft manufacturing industry.

Neural-Network-Based Model for Trailing-Edge Flap Loads in Preliminary Aircraft Design

Accurately predicting the forces and moments acting on trailing-edge devices under different flight conditions is a critical aspect in the design of the kinematics and actuation for high-lift or variable-camber applications. However, accurate modeling without elaborated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses in the subsonic and transonic regimes needs a sophisticated model. Thus, the objective of this paper is to create such a model that accurately predicts the forces and moments acting on flaps during different flight conditions while remaining applicable to the preliminary aircraft design. The target values in this model are the three-dimensional (3D) forces and moments on the flap, which were obtained through 3D CFD simulations. The chosen input values required for the model include two-dimensional airfoil data, and wing geometry data for three different aircraft types: short-, medium-, and long-range, including a high-aspect-ratio configuration. Among several potential approaches, a neural network was deemed to be the most promising for predicting the target values. The neural network was used as a regression tool to accelerate the model development process in the preliminary aircraft design. Consequently, multiple studies were conducted on how the setup of the neural network, including the number of neurons, activation functions, and initialization, influences the results. The results reveal that the developed neural network accurately predicts the flap forces and moments with a mean deviation of under 2% for the vertical force Fz and the lateral force Fx and under 4% for the moment My.

USTButterfly: A Servo-Driven Biomimetic Robotic Butterfly

Different from birds, bats, flies, and other flying creatures that generate propulsions by flapping a pair of wings, butterflies with two pairs of wings have their peculiar flight aerodynamics. In this paper, a servo-driven biomimetic robotic butterfly, named USTButterfly, is designed to study the flight mechanism of biological butterflies. First, instead of using a single actuator to drive two pairs of wings, two servos are introduced to independently drive the left and right wings, thereby realizing tailless control of the robotic butterfly. Next, a bionic airfoil is designed inspired by the wing structure of the Glasswing butterfly. Wing geometry analysis indicates that USTButterfly well matches the morphological characteristics of biological butterflies. Finally, a multi-camera motion capture system is used to measure the flight characteristics of the robotic butterfly, and the results demonstrate that despite a larger Reynolds number, USTButterfly shares a similar coupled wing-bsody interaction with biological butterflies in the climbing flight. USTButterfly opens up a new way to study the flight specializations of biological butterflies, and offers a potential alternative paradigm for existing unmanned aerial vehicles.

ANALISIS CFD PADA SAYAP MINI GLIDER DENGAN PENAMPANG LOW REYNOLD NUMBER AIRFOIL DAN FOLDED FLAT PLATE AIRFOIL

The purpose of this research is to make a very small unmanned aircraft as a teaching aid in aerospace engineering workshops, because of its very small size, this type of unmanned aircraft is abbreviated as Micro Air Vehicle, this MAV is only operated at low Reynolds numbers. MAV development research for smaller sizes continues to be carried out such as the Micro Glider. In this study, the author uses the Computational Fluid Dynamic method and the software used ANSYS Fluent and compares the existing DATCOM data, the author simulates the 4 types of airfoils into a wing object. The results of this study can be seen that based on the average deviation diff value that has been obtained in a population to determine the error from the comparison of the reference airfoil lift coefficient and its FFP by comparing the two methods, namely the IISHI airfoil reference geometry is 6.22% while the FFP is is 11.25% and the SD 7037 airfoil reference geometry is 3.71% while the FFP is 2.11%. Then for the comparison of the maximum lift to drag ratio values, it is obtained that the airfoil reference geometry (SD 7037) has a value of = 9.96 while the airfoil reference geometry (IISHI) has a value of = 8.81. In the Folded Flat Plate airfoil geometry (SD 7037) it has a value of = 7.61 while the Folded Flat Plate airfoil (IISHI) has a value of = 7.37. Then for the visualization of fluid flow can be obtained, namely the results of visualization of fluid flow in several parts of the angle of view / plane of the wing geometry when the AoA is high, namely the root plane to the half wing plane. early, while the geometry of SD 7037 (airfoil reference) is not easy to occur early turbulence flow. Second, that in general the fluid flow pattern seen in the FFP airfoil geometry (FFP IISHI) has the most dominant turbulence flow pattern (very much/large) while the FFP airfoil geometry (FFP SD 7037) has very little/small turbulence flow pattern..

Impacts of Tapered Wingtip on Lateral-Directional Stability Coefficients of a Morphing Fixed-wing UAV

Recent developments in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies have shown the possibility of morphing applications to provide improvement in various performance metrics in the desired manner. In rotary-wing UAVs, applications mainly focused on propeller blades and rotor arms, while efforts on fixed-wing UAVs mainly concentrated on the main wing and tail geometries. Although every morphing design has its own advantages and disadvantages, all of the applications have similar common purposes to have improved aerodynamics, flight performance, control responses, or a combination of such objectives. In that context, new morphing design attempts require a precise investigation of their pros and cons. Thus, in this study, a new morphing scenario of tapering morphing wingtip is applied to ZANKA-I fixed-wing UAV and investigated in terms of lateral-directional stability considerations. The lateral dynamic model of the aircraft is constituted and necessary aerodynamic, geometric, and inertial assessments are numerically and analytically performed. The lateral-directional stability coefficients are discussed and an improvement in lateral stability is obtained, while directional stability is found to be affected negatively by the morphing application.

Effect of Hindwings on the Aerodynamics and Passive Dynamic Stability of a Hovering Hawkmoth.

Insects are able to fly stably in the complex environment of the various gusts that occur in nature. In addition, many insects suffer wing damage in their lives, but many species of insects are capable of flying without their hindwings. Here, we evaluated the effect of hindwings on aerodynamics using a Navier-Stokes-based numerical model, and then the passive dynamic stability was evaluated by coupling the equation of motion in three degrees of freedom with the aerodynamic forces estimated by the CFD solver under large and small perturbation conditions. In terms of aerodynamic effects, the presence of the hindwings slightly reduces the efficiency for lift generation but enhances the partial LEV circulation and increases the downwash around the wing root. In terms of thrust, increasing the wing area around the hindwing region increases the thrust, and the relationship is almost proportional at the cycle-averaged value. The passive dynamic stability was not clearly affected by the presence of the hindwings, but the stability was slightly improved depending on the perturbation direction. These results may be useful for the integrated design of wing geometry and flight control systems in the development of flapping-winged micro air vehicles.

Numerical Investigation on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Wing for Various Flow and Geometrical Parameters

The wing is a critical component of an aircraft, responsible for generating the lift force necessary for flight. The aerodynamic behavior of a wing is complex and is influenced by factors such as air speed, angle of attack, wing shape, twist angle, and turbulence. This research investigates the performance of NACA 4412 and NACA 4418 airfoils using 2D CFD, covering a range of angle-of-attack values from -5 to 20 degrees. The superior performing airfoil, NACA 4412, was selected for wing geometry which outperforms NACA 4418 in terms of lower drag and higher lift coefficient at both low and high Reynolds numbers. Then 3D CFD analysis was employed to study how wings perform at different Reynolds numbers and the optimal twist angle for the wing was determined, focusing on a steady-state analysis. The Reynolds number range which corresponds to the flow velocity range, is used in this numerical study for 3D wings. The result shows that as the Reynolds number increases, the wing’s lift coefficient proportionally rises, owing to higher flow velocities. However, this increase in Reynolds number also results in a higher drag coefficient due to a rise in turbulence. The investigation reveals the existence of an optimum twist angle for the wing, which maximizes the lift-to-drag coefficient ratio, thus enhancing overall aerodynamic performance.