The numerical analysis of the three-dimensional (3D) flow over a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 6321 airfoil to evaluate the mass flow rate by using a novel method Improved Blowing and Suction System (IBSS) to control the boundary layer is presented in this study. Analysis is performed based on 3D Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation with a K-omega SST solver. The aerodynamic performance of the NACA 6321 is analyzed at a Mach number of 0.10 with three different mass flow rates, namely, 0.08 kg/s, 0.10 kg/s, and 0.12 kg/s. From the study, it is seen that when the mass flow rate decreased, the aerodynamics performance also reduced, and the aerodynamic performance improved with the increase in mass flow rate. Results also show that a mass flow rate of 0.10 kg/s improved the stalling angle of attack (AoA) by 60% and coefficient of lift (CL) by 50%, enabling optimum efficiency of the aircraft wing in all aspects compared to the baseline airfoil model. The mass

Karuppiah, Balaji, Wessley, Jims John

Rear Fuselage Packer

TBMG-3759909/01/2020

Kaman UK Darwen, UK +44 1254 706000

CAD-Based Optimization of a Race Car Front Wing

2020-01-062404/14/2020

The aerodynamics of the front wing of modern race cars are critical to the performance of the vehicle. The Formula 1 line up represents the state of the art in this field as there are some very complex aerodynamic designs on display. It is strange, however, that there is no agreement on twist direction for the multiple wing sections of the front wing. This paper addresses this question by posing it as an optimization problem. The geometry of the wings has been simplified so that the twist of the upper sections could be studied in isolation. The whole assembly consisted of only two high lift surfaces. The forward wing remained fixed for the study, and twist of the secondary wing became the primary focus. Its geometry was generated by lofting a set of cross-sections at specified angles to create the surface. The resulting geometry was automatically meshed and then evaluated using CFD. This fully automated process was then used to find an ideal twist distribution of the secondary wing

Tolchinsky, Ilya, Carrigan, Travis, Dawson, Joshua

Simulation of Transient On-Road Conditions in a Closed Test Section Wind Tunnel Using a Wing System with Active Flaps

2020-01-068804/14/2020

Typical automotive research in wind tunnels is conducted under idealized, stationary, low turbulence flow conditions. This does not necessarily reflect the actual situation in traffic. Thus, there is a considerable interest to simulate the actual flow conditions. Because of this, a system for the simulation of the turbulence intensity I, the integral linear scale L and the transient angle of incidence β measured in full-scale tests in the inflow of a test vehicle was developed and installed in a closed-loop, closed test section wind tunnel. The system consists of four airfoils with movable flaps and is installed in the beginning of the test section. Time-series of the flow velocity vector are measured in the empty test section to analyze the system’s envelope in terms of the turbulence intensity and the integral length scales. It is shown that the length scales in spanwise and in driving (streamwise) direction can be varied from 0.15 m to 7.9 m and from 0.15 m to 2.5 m, respectively

Wilhelmi, Henning, Jessing, Christoph, Bell, James, Heine, Daniela, Wagner, Andreas, Wiedemann, Jochen, Wagner, Claus

Stall Mitigation and Lift Enhancement of NACA 0012 with Triangle-Shaped Surface Protrusion at a Reynolds Number of 10⁵

01-12-02-000711/21/2019

Abstract Transient numerical simulations are conducted over a NACA 0012 airfoil with triangular protrusions at a Reynolds number (Re) of 100000 using the γ-Reθ transition Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. Protrusions of heights 0.5%c, 1%c, and 2%c are placed at one of the three locations, viz, the leading edge (LE), 5%c on the suction surface, and 5%c on the pressure surface, while the angle of attack (AOA) is varied between 0° and 20°. Results obtained from the time-averaged solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equation indicate that the smaller protrusion placed at 5%c on the suction surface improves the post-stall lift coefficient by up to 59%, without altering the pre-stall characteristics. The improvement in time-averaged lift coefficients comes with enhanced flow unsteadiness due to vigorous vortex shedding. For a given protrusion height, the vortex shedding frequency decreases as the AOA is increased, while the amplitude of fluctuations in lift coefficient

Bodavula, Aslesha, Yadav, Rajesh, Guven, Ugur

New Airplane Wing Assembled from Tiny Identical Pieces

TBMG-3527710/01/2019

A radically new kind of airplane wing, assembled from hundreds of tiny identical pieces, can change shape to control the plane’s flight, and could provide a significant boost in aircraft production, flight, and maintenance efficiency. The new approach to wing construction could afford greater flexibility in the design and manufacturing of future aircraft.

C919 Trailing Edge Assembly Interchangeable Tooling

2019-01-188009/16/2019

Traditional Trailing Edge (TE) assembly that utilise fixtures for accurate positioning of aircraft (a/c) parts do not allow for removal of specific tooling from the fixtures to travel with the TE, post assembly. Instead, the tooling that positions all the primary a/c assembly datums generally utilise precision pins of various sizes that index and clamp the a/c ribs. Often it is difficult to remove the pins post assembly before the spar can be taken out of the fixture. Use of hammers is common place to hit pins out of holes which is less than ideal considering the a/c parts can be fragile and the tooling is precision set. Also, the Main Assembly Fixture (MAJ) that will receive the TE will inevitably need to relocate some if not all the primary a/c ribs and therefore will most likely be subject to some amount of persuasion. Electroimpact have for many years used cup cone locators that allows static tooling to be temporarily ‘loosened’ and therefore made more compliant for pin insertion

Dineley, James

3D Optical Scanner

TBMG-3511609/01/2019

NVision, Inc. Southlake, TX 817-416-8006

Numerical Analysis of Asymmetric Canard-Wing System in Detroit Flying Cars

2019-01-136103/19/2019

A numerical simulation system of airflow around the Detroit Flying Cars-Wild Dream 1 (WD-1) is introduced. It involves the application of FVM, the mesh-independence system, boundary conditions and the verification of the simulation conditions to NACA airfoil data and the discussion of technological treatments corresponding to the evaluation of asymmetric wings. The present work is investigating the aerodynamic behavior of an asymmetric canard-wing system used on the Detroit Flying Cars-WD 1 model. The work involves the application of Finite Volume Method (FVM), the mesh-independence system, boundary conditions and the verification of simulation conditions to NACA airfoil data using OpenFOAM software. The Reynolds number based on free stream velocity and root chord is 5X106. Based on the Coefficient of Lift and Coefficient of Drag obtained from the analysis, the effect of canards on the wings, the distance between the canard trailing edge and the leading edge of the wings and the

Kocherla, Isaac Shanth, Yu, ChenXing

Design of a Wing for Formula One Category Airplanes

2019-01-133703/19/2019

This paper describes the design of an International Formula One (IF1) racing airplane wing. The first step consists in the simulation of the airplane flying on the race track to obtain details about the condition in which the wing needs to be designed and optimized. The paper describes the details and formulation used to perform this simulation using parametric flight paths and a point model dynamic model. A scheme analytically obtains the control laws for the simulation with Frenet-Serret frames over the parametric flight path. Two different airplanes, with different power levels, are simulated on a typical IF1 race track to determine the range of lift coefficient in which the wing must be designed. Based on this lift coefficient range, a set of four new airfoils are designed based on the NLF0414-F airfoil. Their usage over the wing span is determined, using nonlinear lifting line method to assure that during races the wing operates inside the laminar drag bucket. Finally, this paper

Andrade de Oliveira, Paulo Henriques Iscold

Wing Shape Design Reduces Vortex and Wake

TBMG-3311610/01/2018

It's common to see line-shaped clouds in the sky, known as contrails, trailing behind the engines of a jet airplane. What's not always visible is a vortex coming off of the tip of each wing — like two tiny horizontal tornadoes — leaving a turbulent wake behind the vehicle. The wake poses a destabilizing flight hazard, particularly for smaller aircraft that share the same flight path.

Passive Flow Control on a Ground-Effect Diffuser Using an Inverted Wing

06-11-04-002308/13/2018

In this experimental and computational study a novel application of aerodynamic principles in altering the pressure recovery behavior of an automotive-type ground-effect diffuser was investigated as a means of enhancing downforce. The proposed way of augmenting diffuser downforce production is to induce in its pressure recovery action a second pressure drop and an accompanying pressure rise region close to the diffuser exit. To investigate this concept with a diffuser-equipped bluff body, an inverted wing was situated within the diffuser flow channel, close to the diffuser exit. The wing’s suction surface acts as a passive flow control device by increasing streamwise flow velocity and reducing static pressure near the diffuser exit. Therefore, a second-stage pressure recovery develops along the diffuser’s overall pressure recovery curve as the flow travels from the diffuser’s low pressure, high velocity inlet to its high pressure, low velocity exit. Consequently, downforce production

Ehirim, Obinna, Knowles, Kevin, Saddington,, Alistair, Finnis, Mark

Variable-Camber Compliant Wing

TBMG-3247008/01/2018

In the early years of manned flight, wing warping was used for lateral control of an aircraft. This technique consisted of a system of pulleys and cables used to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions. Because most wing warping designs involved flexing of structural members, they were difficult to control, and the risk of structural failure was high. As aircraft further developed, wing warping was replaced by multiple, independent, rigid flight control surfaces — such as ailerons, leading edge slats, and flaps — and while this approach is still in use, it is not without problems.

MOMENTUM: APRIL 2018

18MOMP0404/02/2018

The road to victory is not a straight line Through highs and lows and curves in the road, Milwaukee School of Engineering's Formula SAE Hybrid team kept its focus and ended up with a championship. Winging it BYU-Idaho students develop innovative wing-to-fuselage connection for SAE Aero Design competition. The SpiRIT of Baja BYU-Idaho students develop innovative wing-to-fuselage connection for SAE Aero Design competition. Kettering Baja SAE hoists the SAE Collegiate Cup Seven SAE Collegiate Design Series teams competed in an annual presentation contest hosted by the SAE Mid-Michigan Section.

Combination of Experimental and Computational Approaches to A320 Wing Assembly

2017-01-208509/19/2017

The paper is devoted to the simulation of A320 wing assembly on the base of numerical experiments carried out with the help of ASRP software. The main goal is to find fasteners’ configuration with minimal number of fastening elements that provides closing of admissible initial gaps. However, for considered junction type initial gap field is not known a priori though it should be provided as input data for computations. In order to resolve this problem the methodology of random initial gap generation based on available results of gap measurements is developed along with algorithms for optimization of fasteners' configuration on generated initial gaps. Presented paper illustrates how this methodology allows optimizing assembly process for A320 wing.

Lupuleac, Sergey, Zaitseva, Nadezhda, Petukhova, Margarita, Shinder, Julia, Berezin, Sergey, Khashba, Valeriia, Bonhomme, Elodie

Time-Varying Loads of Co-Axial Rotor Blade Crossings

2017-01-202409/19/2017

The blade crossing event of a coaxial counter-rotating rotor is a potential source of noise and impulsive blade loads. Blade crossings occur many times during each rotor revolution. In previous research by the authors, this phenomenon was analyzed by simulating two airfoils passing each other at specified speeds and vertical separation distances, using the compressible Navier-Stokes solver OVERFLOW. The simulations explored mutual aerodynamic interactions associated with thickness, circulation, and compressibility effects. Results revealed the complex nature of the aerodynamic impulses generated by upper/lower airfoil interactions. In this paper, the coaxial rotor system is simulated using two trains of airfoils, vertically offset, and traveling in opposite directions. The simulation represents multiple blade crossings in a rotor revolution by specifying horizontal distances between each airfoil in the train based on the circumferential distance between blade tips. The shed vorticity

Komerath, Narayanan, Schatzman, Natasha L., Romander, Ethan A.

Blended Cutout Flap for the Reduction of Jet-Flap Interaction Noise

TBMG-2651703/01/2017

This technology is a new type of design for the wing flap, aileron, or flaperon located directly behind the engine nozzle on jet aircraft. Using a concave-down curved shape for the trailing edge instead of a conventional right angle, the cross section of the flap, aileron, or flaperon directly in the jet exhaust stream is reduced, thus reducing noise.

Automatic Temporary Fastener Installation System for Wingbox Assembly

2016-01-208509/27/2016

The automation cycle time of wing assembly can be shortened by the automated installation of single-sided temporary fasteners to provide temporary part clamping and doweling during panel drilling. Feeding these fasteners poses problems due to their complexity in design and overall heavy weight. In the past, Electroimpact has remotely fed these fasteners by blowing them through pneumatic tubing. This technique has resulted in occasional damage to fasteners during delivery and a complex feed system that requires frequent maintenance. Due to these issues, Electroimpact has developed a new fully automated single-sided temporary fastening system for installation of the LISI Clampberry fasteners in wing panels for the C919 wing factory in Yanliang, China. The feed system stores fasteners in gravity-fed cartridges on the end effector near the point of installation. The cartridge placement at the end effector eliminates the need for pneumatic feed tubes in addition to limiting input sensors to

Wei, Zheng, Pritz, Kyle, Etzel, Brent

Self-Latching Piezocomposite Actuator

TBMG-2517908/01/2016

NASA’s Langley Research Center has developed a self-latching piezocomposite actuator. The self-latching nature of this invention allows for piezo actuators that do not require constant power draw. Among other applications, the invention is well suited for use in aerodynamic control surfaces and engine inlets. The technology is a self-latching piezoelectric actuator with power-off, set-and-hold capability. Integrated into an aerodynamic control surface or engine inlet, the self-latching piezocomposite actuator may function as a trim tab, variable camber airfoil, vortex generator, or winglet with adjustable shapes. Deflections could be made in-flight, and set and maintained (latched) without a constant power draw. Current piezo actuators require constant power to control and manage their electric fields. The control device leverages the shape memory behavior (specifically, the remnant stress-strain behavior) to create a morphing actuator that changes and holds the new shape with no

Reconfigurable Assembly System Design Methodology: A Wing Assembly Case Study

2015-01-259409/15/2015

Current assembly systems that deal with large, complex structures present a number of challenges with regard to improving operational performance. Specifically, aerospace assembly systems comprise a vast array of interrelated elements interacting in a myriad of ways, resulting in a deeply complex process that requires a multi-disciplined team of engineers. The current approach to ramp-up production rate involves building additional main assembly fixtures which require large investment and lead times up to 24 months. Within Airbus Operations Ltd there is a requirement to improve the capacity and flexibility of assembly systems, thereby reducing non-recurring costs and time-to-market. Recent trends to improve manufacturing agility advocate Reconfigurable Assembly Systems (RAS) as a viable solution. Yet, adding reconfigurability to assembly systems further increases both the operational and design complexity. Despite the increase in complexity for reconfigurable assembly, few formal

Jefferson, Thomas G., Benardos, Panorios, Ratchev, Svetan

Integrated Ball-Screw Based Upset Process for Index Head Rivets Used in Wing Panel Assembly

2015-01-249109/15/2015

A new high speed forming process for fatigue rated index head rivets used in wing panel assembly using ball-screw based servo squeeze actuation has been developed. The new process is achieved using a combination of force and position control and is capable of forming to 40,000 lbs at rates of up to 200,000 lbs/second whilst holding the part location to within +/− 10 thousandths of an inch. Multi-axis riveting machines often have positioning axes that are also used for fastener upset. It is often the case that while a CNC is used for positioning control, another secondary controller is used to perform the fastener upset. In the new process, it has been possible to combine the control of the upset process with the machine CNC, thus eliminating any separate controllers. The fastener upset force profile is controlled throughout the forming of the rivet by using a closed loop force control system that has a load cell mounted directly behind the stringer side forming tool. Panel assembly

Haworth, Paul, Peterson, Donald, Hayes, Curtis

Flow Simulation and Theoretical Investigation on Aerodynamics of NACA-2415 Aerofoil at Low Reynolds Number

2015-01-257609/15/2015

The Aerofoil theory along with its design has integrated itself into the vast areas of applications ranging from Automobile, Aeronautical, Wind Turbine, Micro-Vehicles, UAVs applications. In this paper, knowing the intricacy of the airfoil's applications, A MATLAB Code for NACA-2415 Airfoil is developed and a Model with dimensions c=180mm, w=126mm, tmax=27mm is generated. The model is then subjected to Flow Simulation with various input parameters: Reynolds Numbers taken are- (REN-1) 105 and (REN-2) 2×105 [Laminar External Flow], Angles of attack taken are-0°, 4°, 8°, 12°. The pressure and velocity distribution along the airfoil sketch curve are graphed qualitatively, emphasizing on the flow separation leading to the transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The various aerodynamics characteristic curves for coefficient of pressure, coefficient of lift and coefficient of drag are plotted against different angle of attacks for REN-1 and REN-2. The results were found in good harmony

Kumar, Vasu, Tomar, Vishvendra, Kumar, Naveen, Jain, Samarth

SPH Simulation of Rivulet Dynamics on Surfaces with Various Wettabilities

2015-01-900509/01/2015

Rivulet dynamics is involved in different scientific problems and industrial applications from production of microchips, to rain flow on structural systems such as wind turbine blades and aircraft wings. In the latter case for example, rivulet flow leads to accumulation of ice on airfoil surface that may affect the aircraft performance. Hence, understanding the dynamics of rivulets is important in solving various scientific problems. In this paper the results of a numerical simulation based on smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) method will be reported on dynamics of rivulets under the effect of various air shear speeds and different surface morphologies. The simulation results will be compared and validated with experiments to shed more lights in understanding the mechanism of shear driven rivulet flow on solid substrates.

Moghtadernejad, Sara, Jadidi, Mehdi, Dolatabadi, Ali, Esmail, Nabil

Computation of Wing Deflection and Slope from Measured Strain

TBMG-21262

01/01/2015

A lightweight, robust fiber-optic system is the technology behind a new method to compute wing deflection and slope from measured strain of an aircraft. This state-of-the-art sensor system is small, easy to install, and fast, and offers the first-ever means of obtaining real-time strain measurements that can accurately determine wing deflection and slope during flight. Such measurements are particularly useful for real-time virtual displays of wing motion, aircraft structural integrity monitoring, active drag reduction, active flexible motion control, and active loads alleviation.

Roll and Pitch Produced During an Uneven Wing Deployment of a Hybrid Projectile

2014-01-211209/16/2014

Uneven wing deployment of a Hybrid Projectile (HP), an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that is ballistically launched and then transforms, was investigated to determine the amount of roll and pitch produced during wing deployment. During testing of an HP prototype, it was noticed that sometimes the projectile began to slightly roll after the wings were deployed shortly after apogee. In this study, an analytical investigation was done to determine how the projectile body dynamics would be affected by the wings being deployed improperly. Improper and uneven wing deployment situations were investigated throughout the course of this study. The first analyzed was a single wing delaying to open. The second was if only one wing was to lock into a positive angle of incidence. The roll characteristics when both wings were deployed but only one was locked into an angle of incidence resulted in a steady state roll rate of 4.5 degrees per second. It is imperative to ensure that an HP wing deployment

Wilhelm, Jay, Close, Joseph

Flex Track One Sided One Up Assembly

2014-01-227409/16/2014

The Boeing Company is striving to improve quality and reduce defects and injuries through the implementation of lightweight “Right Sized” automated drill and fasten equipment. This has lead to the factory adopting Boeing developed and supplier built flex track drill and countersink machines for drilling fuselage circumferential joins, wing panel to spar and wing splice stringers. The natural evolution of this technology is the addition of fastener installation to enable One Up Assembly. The critical component of One Up Assembly is keeping the joint squeezed tightly together to prevent burrs and debris at the interface. Traditionally this is done by two-sided machines providing concentric clamp up around the hole while it is being drilled. It was proposed that for stiff structure, the joint could be held together by beginning adjacent to a tack fastener, and assemble the joint sequentially using the adjacent hole clamp up from the previous hole to keep the joint clamped up. This process

HansonSmith, Riley, Merkley, Alan

Applying Design for Assembly Principles in Computer Aided Design to Make Small Changes that Improve the Efficiency of Manual Aircraft Systems Installations

2014-01-226609/16/2014

The installation of essential systems into aircraft wings involves numerous labour-intensive processes. Many human operators are required to perform complex manual tasks over long periods of time in very challenging physical positions due to the limited access and confined space. This level of human activity in poor ergonomic conditions directly impacts on speed and quality of production but also, in the longer term, can cause costly human resource problems from operators' cumulative development of musculoskeletal injuries. These problems are exacerbated in areas of the wing which house multiple systems components because the volume of manual work and number of operators is higher but the available space is reduced. To improve the efficiency of manual work processes which cannot yet be automated we therefore need to consider how we might redesign systems installations in the enclosed wing environment to better enable operator access and reduce production time. This paper describes a

Lockett, Helen, Fletcher, Sarah, Luquet, Nicolas

Ultra-Wideband, Dual-Polarized, Beam- Steering P-Band Array Antenna

TBMG-18884

01/01/2014

A dual-polarized, wide-bandwidth (200 MHz for one polarization, 100 MHz for the orthogonal polarization) antenna array at P-band was designed to be driven by NASA’s EcoSAR digital beam former. EcoSAR requires two wide P-band antenna arrays mounted on the wings of an aircraft, each capable of steering its main beam up to 35° off-boresight, allowing the twin radar beams to be steered at angles to the flight path. The science requirements are mainly for dual-polarization capability and a wide bandwidth of operation of up to 200 MHz if possible, but at least 100 MHz with high polarization port isolation and low cross-polarization. The novel design geometry can be scaled with minor modifications up to about four times higher or down to about half the current design frequencies for any application requiring a dual-polarized, wide-bandwidth steerable antenna array.