A Design and Analysis Approach for Drag Reduction on Aircraft with Adaptive Lifting Surfaces
A Design and Analysis Approach for Drag Reduction on Aircraft with Adaptive Lifting Surfaces

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Adaptive lifting surfaces, which can be tailored for different flight conditions, have been shown to be beneficial for drag reduction when compared with conventional non-adaptive surfaces. Applying multiple trailing-edge flaps along the wing span allows for the redistribution of lift to suit different flight conditions. The current approach uses the trailing-edge flap distribution to reduce both induced- and profile- components of drag with a trim constraint. Induced drag is reduced by optimally redistributing the lift between the lifting surfaces and along the span of each surface. Profile drag is reduced through the use of natural laminar flow airfoils, which maintain distinct low-drag-ranges (drag buckets) surrounding design lift values. The low-drag-ranges can be extended to include off-design values through small flap deflections, similar to cruise flaps. Trim is constrained for a given static margin by considering longitudinal pitching moment contributions from changes in airfoil section due to individual flap deflections, and from the redistribution of fore-and-aft lift due to combination of flap deflections. The approach uses the concept of basic and additional lift to linearlize the problem, which allows for standard constrained-minimization theory to be employed for determining optimal flap-angle solutions. The resulting expressions for optimal flap-angle solutions are presented as simple matrix equations. This work presents a design and analysis approach which is used to produce flap-angle solutions that independently reduce induced, profile, and total drag. Total drag is defined to be the sum of the induced- and profile-components of drag. The general drag reduction approach is adapted for each specific situation to develop specific drag reduction schemes that are applied to single- and multiple-surface configurations. Successful results show that, for the application of the induced drag reduction schemes on a tailless aircraft, near-elliptical lift dist.

Aircraft Drag Reduction Through Extended Formation Flight
Aircraft Drag Reduction Through Extended Formation Flight

Author: Simeon Andrew Ning

Publisher: Stanford University

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 146

ISBN-13:

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Formation flight has the potential to significantly reduce the fuel consumption of long range flights, even with existing aircraft. This research explores a safer approach to formation flying of transport aircraft, which we term extended formation flight. Extended formations take advantage of the persistence of cruise wakes and extend the streamwise separation between the aircraft by at least five wingspans. Classical aerodynamic theory suggests that the total induced drag of the formation should not change as the streamwise separation is increased, but the large separation distances of extended formation flight violate the simple assumptions of these theorems. At large distances, considerations such as wake rollup, atmospheric effects on circulation decay, and vortex motion become important to consider. We first examine the wake rollup process in the context of extended formations and develop an appropriate physics-based model. Using this model, this dissertation addresses three aspects of formation flight: longitudinally extended formations, compressibility effects, and formations of heterogeneous aircraft. Uncertainty analysis is used to investigate the induced drag savings of extended formations in the presence of variation in atmospheric properties, limitations of positioning accuracy, and uncertainty in model parameters. Next, the methodology is integrated with an Euler solver to assess the impact of compressibility while flying in formation. Finally, we examine the important considerations for optimally arranging formations of non-identical aircraft.

Aerodynamic Drag Reduction Technologies
Aerodynamic Drag Reduction Technologies

Author: Peter Thiede

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-06-29

Total Pages: 382

ISBN-13: 3540453598

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------------------------------------------------------------ This volume contains the Proceedings of the CEAS/DragNet European Drag Reduction Conference held on 19-21 June 2000 in Potsdam, Germany. This conference, succeeding the European Fora on Laminar Flow Technology 1992 and 1996, was initiated by the European Drag Reduction Network (DragNet) and organised by DGLR under the auspice of CEAS. The conference addressed the recent advances in all areas of drag reduction research, development, validation and demonstration including laminar flow technology, adaptive wing concepts, turbulent and induced drag reduction, separation control and supersonic flow aspects. This volume which comprises more than 40 conference papers is of particular interest to engineers, scientists and students working in the aeronautics industry, research establishments or academia.

Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics
Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-10-27

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 0309101581

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The U.S. air transportation system is very important for our economic well-being and national security. The nation is also the global leader in civil and military aeronautics, a position that needs to be maintained to help assure a strong future for the domestic and international air transportation system. Strong action is needed, however, to ensure that leadership role continues. To that end, the Congress and NASA requested the NRC to undertake a decadal survey of civil aeronautics research and technology (R&T) priorities that would help NASA fulfill its responsibility to preserve U.S. leadership in aeronautics technology. This report presents a set of strategic objectives for the next decade of R&T. It provides a set of high-priority R&T challengesâ€"-characterized by five common themesâ€"-for both NASA and non-NASA researchers, and an analysis of key barriers that must be overcome to reach the strategic objectives. The report also notes the importance of synergies between civil aeronautics R&T objectives and those of national security.