Aerodynamic Interference Significance Analysis of Two-Dimensional Front Wing and Rear Wing Airfoils with Stagger and Gap Variations
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 6
Abstract
Unconventional aircraft configurations, such as biplane, joined-wing, tandem-wing, and box-wing configurations, have considerable application potential due to aerodynamic interference between the front wing and rear wing airfoils. Here, the aerodynamic interference of a two-dimensional front wing and rear wing airfoil system with different relative positions was simulated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, and the significance of the correlations between the aerodynamic coefficients and stagger or gap variations was investigated by ANOVA. The results indicate that the front wing and rear wing aerodynamic coefficients are distributed unilaterally with stagger and gap variations at a small angle of attack, although regional differentiation behavior was observed for an angle of attack exceeding 4°. The fake stall phenomenon, which is caused mainly by a decrease in the front wing upper surface suction force, is proposed and discussed. The significance level analysis results highlight that (1) the rear wing lift coefficient is the most sensitive to stagger and gap variations among the four lift and drag coefficients, and (2) the front wing lift coefficient is hardly affected by the stagger variation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Qinming Chen and Associate Professor Qiulin Qu for valuable advice in the CFD simulation and statistical analysis during the research. The authors also thank American Journal Experts (AJE) and Dr. Yuesen Yang for English language editing.
References
Ahmad, S., E. Roohi, M. Kahroma, and S. Stefanov. 2014. “Investigation of aerodynamic characteristics of rarefied flow around NACA 0012 airfoil using DSMC and NS solvers.” Eur. J. Mech. B/Fluids 48 (Nov): 59–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2014.04.008.
AlMutairi, J., E. ElJack, and I. AlQadi. 2017. “Dynamics of laminar separation bubble over NACA-0012 airfoil near stall conditions.” Aerosp. Sci. Technol. 68 (Sep): 193–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2017.05.015.
Bagwill, T., and B. Selberg. 1996. “Aerodynamic investigation of joined wing configurations for transport aircraft.” In Proc., 14th Applied Aerodynamics Conf. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Bagwill, T., and B. Selberg. 1997. “Aerodynamic investigation of twist and cant angles for joined wing transport aircraft.” In Proc., 35th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Broering, T. M., and Y. Lian. 2015. “Numerical study of tandem flapping wing aerodynamics in both two and three dimensions.” Comput. Fluids 115 (Jul): 124–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2015.04.003.
Cardoso, J., A. Suleman, and J. E. Cooper. 2013. “Performance evaluation of a morphing joined wing aircraft configuration.” In Proc., 54th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conf. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Cavallaro, R., and L. Demasi. 2016. “Challenges, ideas, and innovations of joined-wing configurations: A concept from the past, an opportunity for the future.” Prog. Aerosp. Sci. 87 (Nov): 1–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2016.07.002.
Corneille, J., and M. E. Franke. 2000. “Wind tunnel tests of a joined-wing missile model.” In Proc., 38th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Counsil, J. N., and K. G. Boulama. 2013. “Low-Reynolds-number aerodynamic performances of the NACA 0012 and Selig–Donovan 7003 airfoils.” J. Aircr. 50 (1): 204–216. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C031856.
Dehpanaha, P., and A. Nejat. 2015. “The aerodynamic design evaluation of a blended-wing-body configuration.” Aerosp. Sci. Technol. 43 (Jun): 96–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2015.02.015.
Demasi, L., G. Monegato, E. Rizzo, R. Cavallaro, and A. Dipace. 2016. “Minimum induced drag theorems for joined wings, closed systems, and generic biwings: Applications.” J. Optim. Theory Appl. 169 (1): 236–261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10957-015-0850-5.
Gagnon, H., and D. W. Zingg. 2016. “Aerodynamic optimization trade study of a box-wing aircraft configuration.” J. Aircr. 53 (4): 971–981. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C033592.
Genco, N., and A. Altman. 2009. “Parametric study of the performance of a biplane joined at the tips.” In Proc., 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including The New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Gur, O., J. A. Schetz, and W. H. Mason. 2011. “Aerodynamic considerations in the design of truss braced wing aircraft.” J. Aircr. 48 (3): 919–939. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C031171.
Immonen, E. 2017. “2D shape optimization under proximity constraints by CFD and response surface methodology.” Appl. Math. Model. 41 (Jan): 508–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2016.09.009.
Ji, S., B. Zhang, J. Li, and G. Wang. 2017. “Numerical study for active flow control using dielectric barrier discharge actuators.” J. Aerosp. Eng. 30 (5): 04017050. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AS.1943-5525.0000764.
Kang, H., A. Bichal, and A. Altman. 2008. “Aerodynamic effects of end plates on biplane wings.” In Proc., 46th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Kang, H., N. Genco, and A. Altman. 2009a. “Gap and stagger effects on biplanes with end plates: Part I.” In Proc., 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Kang, H., N. Genco, and A. Altman. 2009b. “Gap and stagger effects on biplanes with end plates: Part II.” In Proc., 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Kang, H., N. Genco, and A. Altman. 2013. “Empirically derived biplane lift as a function of gap and stagger.” J. Aircr. 50 (1): 292–298. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C031111.
Kapsalis, P. S., S. Voutsinas, and N. S. Vlachos. 2016. “Comparing the effect of three transition models on the CFD predictions of a NACA 0012 airfoil aerodynamics.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 157 (Oct): 158–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2016.07.007.
Kumar, A., and H. Hu. 2011. “An experimental investigation on the wake flow characteristics of tandem flapping wings.” In Proc., 6th AIAA Theoretical Fluid Mechanics Conf. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Kusunose, K., K. Matsushima, and D. Maruyama. 2011. “Supersonic biplane—A review.” Prog. Aerosp. Sci. 47 (1): 53–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2010.09.003.
Le, N., S. Ahmad, and E. Roohi. 2015. “Rarefied gas flow simulations of NACA 0012 airfoil and sharp 25–55-deg biconic subject to high order nonequilibrium boundary conditions in CFD.” Aerosp. Sci. Technol. 41 (Feb): 274–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2014.12.019.
Lian, Y., T. Broering, K. Hord, and R. Prater. 2014. “The characterization of tandem and corrugated wings.” Prog. Aerosp. Sci. 65 (Feb): 41–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2013.08.001.
Lim, K. B., and W. B. Tay. 2010. “Numerical analysis of the s1020 airfoils in tandem under different flapping configurations.” Acta Mech. Sin. 26 (2): 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-009-0302-2.
McDevitt, J. B., and A. F. Okuno. 1985. Static and dynamic pressure measurements on a NACA 0012 airfoil in the Ames High Reynolds Number Facility. Moffett Field, CA: NASA Ames Research Center.
Nangia, R. K., M. E. Palmer, and C. P. Tilmann. 2005. “Planform variation effects in unconventional high aspect ratio joined-wing aircraft incorporating laminar flow.” In Proc., 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Oligney, B., M. Frash, and T. R. Yechout. 2008. “Aerodynamic evaluation and optimization of the Houck joined wing aircraft.” In Proc., 46th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Patidar, V. K., R. Yadav, and S. Joshi. 2016. “Numerical investigation of the effect of stagger on the aerodynamic characteristics of a Busemann biplane.” Aerosp. Sci. Technol. 55 (2016): 252–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2016.06.007.
Prandtl, L. 1924. Induced drag of multiplanes. Washington, DC: National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
Rasuo, B. 2006. “An experimental and theoretical study of transonic flow about the NACA 0012 airfoil.” In Proc., 24th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conf. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Rasuo, B. 2011. “The influence of Reynolds and Mach numbers on two-dimensional wind-tunnel testing: An experience.” Aeronaut. J. 115 (1166): 249–254. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0001924000005704.
Rasuo, B. 2012. “Scaling between wind tunnels-results accuracy in two-dimensional testing.” Trans. Jpn. Soc. Aeronaut. Space Sci. 55 (2): 109–115. https://doi.org/10.2322/tjsass.55.109.
Ross, S. M. 2017. “Introductory of variance.” In Chap. 11 in Analysis of variance, 489–518. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804317-2.00011-4.
Schirra, J., W. Bissonnette, and G. Bramesfeld. 2018. “Wake-model effects on induced drag prediction of staggered boxwings.” Aerospace 5 (1): 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace5010014.
Smith, S. C., and S. E. Cliff. 1987. “The design of a joined-wing flight demonstrator aircraft.” In Proc., Aircraft Design, Systems and Operations Meeting. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Spalart, P., and S. Allmaras. 1992. “One-equation turbulent model for aerodynamic flows.” In Proc., 30th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Teo, Z. W., T. H. New, B. Nagel, and V. Gollnick. 2016. “An experimental and numerical study on a small-scale joined-wing aircraft.” In Proc., 54th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Wolkovitch, J. 1986. “The joined wing—An overview.” J. Aircr. 23 (3): 161–178. https://doi.org/10.2514/3.45285.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 12, 2018
Accepted: Jun 5, 2019
Published online: Sep 9, 2019
Published in print: Nov 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Feb 9, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.