Engineering topics

Rudolph, Peter K. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Rudolph, Peter K. C..

3 records

NASA NTRS1998

Mechanical Design of High Lift Systems for High Aspect Ratio Swept Wings

The NASA Ames Research Center is working to develop a methodology for the optimization and design of the high lift system for future subsonic airliners with the involvement of two partners. Aerodynamic analysis methods for two dimensional and three dimensional wing performance with flaps and slats deployed are being developed through a grant with the aeronautical department of the University of California Davis, and a flap and slat mechanism design procedure is being developed through a contract with PKCR, Inc., of Seattle, WA. This report documents the work that has been completed in the contract with PKCR on mechanism design. Flap mechanism designs have been completed for seven (7) different mechanisms with a total of twelve (12) different layouts all for a common single slotted flap configuration. The seven mechanisms are as follows: Simple Hinge, Upside Down/Upright Four Bar Linkage (two layouts), Upside Down Four Bar Linkages (three versions), Airbus A330/340 Link/Track Mechanism, Airbus A320 Link/Track Mechanism (two layouts), Boeing Link/Track Mechanism (two layouts), and Boeing 767 Hinged Beam Four Bar Linkage. In addition, a single layout has been made to investigate the growth potential from a single slotted flap to a vane/main double slotted flap using the Boeing Link/Track Mechanism. All layouts show Fowler motion and gap progression of the flap from stowed to a fully deployed position, and evaluations based on spanwise continuity, fairing size and number, complexity, reliability and maintainability and weight as well as Fowler motion and gap progression are presented. For slat design, the options have been limited to mechanisms for a shallow leading edge slat. Three (3) different layouts are presented for maximum slat angles of 20 deg, 15 deg and 1O deg all mechanized with a rack and pinion drive similar to that on the Boeing 757 airplane. Based on the work of Ljungstroem in Sweden, this type of slat design appears to shift the lift curve so that higher lift is achieved with the deployed slat with no increase in angle of attack. The layouts demonstrate that these slat systems can be designed with no need for slave links, and an experimental test program is outlined to experimentally validate the lift characteristics of the shallow slat.

Rudolph, Peter K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Vortex leading edge flap assembly for supersonic airplanes

A leading edge flap (16) for supersonic transport airplanes is disclosed. In its stowed position, the leading edge flap forms the lower surface of the wing leading edge up to the horizontal center of the leading edge radius. For low speed operation, the vortex leading edge flap moves forward and rotates down. The upward curve of the flap leading edge triggers flow separation on the flap and rotational flow on the upper surface of the flap (vortex). The rounded shape of the upper fixed leading edge provides the conditions for a controlled reattachment of the flow on the upper wing surface and therefore a stable vortex. The vortex generates lift and a nose-up pitching moment. This improves maximum lift at low speed, reduces attitude for a given lift coefficient and improves lift to drag ratio. The mechanism (27) to move the vortex flap consists of two spanwise supports (24) with two diverging straight tracks (64 and 68) each and a screw drive mechanism (62) in the center of the flap panel (29). The flap motion is essentially normal to the airloads and therefore requires only low actuation forces.

Rudolph, Peter K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

High-Lift Systems on Commercial Subsonic Airliners

The early breed of slow commercial airliners did not require high-lift systems because their wing loadings were low and their speed ratios between cruise and low speed (takeoff and landing) were about 2:1. However, even in those days the benefit of high-lift devices was recognized. Simple trailing-edge flaps were in use, not so much to reduce landing speeds, but to provide better glide-slope control without sideslipping the airplane and to improve pilot vision over the nose by reducing attitude during low-speed flight. As commercial-airplane cruise speeds increased with the development of more powerful engines, wing loadings increased and a real need for high-lift devices emerged to keep takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits. The high-lift devices of that era were generally trailing-edge flaps. When jet engines matured sufficiently in military service and were introduced commercially, airplane speed capability had to be increased to best take advantage of jet engine characteristics. This speed increase was accomplished by introducing the wing sweep and by further increasing wing loading. Whereas increased wing loading called for higher lift coefficients at low speeds, wing sweep actually decreased wing lift at low speeds. Takeoff and landing speeds increased on early jet airplanes, and, as a consequence, runways worldwide had to be lengthened. There are economical limits to the length of runways; there are safety limits to takeoff and landing speeds; and there are speed limits for tires. So, in order to hold takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits, more powerful high-lift devices were required. Wing trailing-edge devices evolved from plain flaps to Fowler flaps with single, double, and even triple slots. Wing leading edges evolved from fixed leading edges to a simple Krueger flap, and from fixed, slotted leading edges to two- and three-position slats and variable-camber (VC) Krueger flaps. The complexity of high-lift systems probably peaked on the Boeing 747, which has a VC Krueger flap and triple-slotted, inboard and outboard trailing-edge flaps. Since then, the tendency in high-lift system development has been to achieve high levels of lift with simpler devices in order to reduce fleet acquisition and maintenance costs. The intent of this paper is to: (1) review available high-lift devices, their functions, and design criteria; (2) appraise high-lift systems presently in service on commercial air liners; (3) present personal study results on high-lift systems; (4) develop a weight and cost model for high-lift systems; and (5) discuss the development tendencies of future high-lift systems.

Rudolph, Peter K. C.↗