Optimization of Airfoils along High-Aspect-Ratio Wing of Long-Endurance Aircraft in Trimmed Flight
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper provides a new, relatively fast procedure of high-aspect-ratio wing design for endurance maximization. It is based on genetic algorithm and allows optimizing a set of airfoils along the wingspan without time-expensive computations. In this method, the airfoils are optimized in a segregated manner using lift coefficient distribution along the wingspan. The trim drag is taken into account by means of a special algorithm. The design method is implemented in the computer program NeoOptimizer, specially developed for aerodynamic optimization tasks. The program uses XFOIL code to evaluate aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoils. It is especially applicable to low-Reynolds-number regimes. A test case of the high-aspect-ratio wing was considered. Two airfoils for this wing were designed to minimize drag at the maximum flight duration regime.
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Nov 2, 2018
Accepted: May 29, 2019
Published online: Aug 13, 2019
Published in print: Nov 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Jan 13, 2020
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