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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Comparison of Ice Shapes on Full-Chord and Truncated Swept Wing Models

A research program was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of icing tunnel hybrid model design. A hybrid design is where the full-scale leading edge of a wing section is maintained only to a certain percentage of the local chord, while the aft section of the model is redesigned into a shortened or truncated planform. Ice shape geometries on a full-chord length and hybrid versions of the swept CRM65 wing model were obtained in NASA Icing Research Tunnel and compared. For most test conditions, the overall size and shape of the ice shapes compared well. On the main part of the ice shape, the hybrid model had larger chordwise extent, resulting in wider ice shape. For the scallop ice shapes, the ice shape heights at attachment line location were identical. For conditions that produced rime shape, hybrid model ice shapes were larger overall, even at the attachment line location. The only location where there was more ice on the full chord model was on the lower surface, downstream of where the hybrid model no longer had full-scale leading edge. For the test conditions where ice mass measurements were acquired for both models, the full-chord models had 11-22% less ice mass than on the hybrid wing. These differences were larger and opposite of those predicted from LEWICE 3D ice prediction calculations. Further investigation is needed in order determine the cause of the differences between the full-chord and hybrid models.

Icing↗

NASA NTRS1922

Location of Center of Pressure of Airplane Wings

Data obtained in the Gottingen Aerodynamic Laboratory give considerable detail on the resulting air force moment exerted on various wing sections at different angles of attack. The Gottingen data can serve well to test the hydrodynamic theory, which (on the assumption of uniform motion and hence of infinitely wide wings) renders it possible to compute this moment as a function of the angle of attack. The Gottigen data can well serve to test the theory and it may be noted that experiment and computation compare favorably.

WINGS↗

NASA NTRS2009

Hybrid Wing Body Configuration System Studies

The objective of this study was to develop a hybrid wing body (HWB) sizing and analysis capability, apply that capability to estimate the fuel burn potential for an HWB concept, and identify associated technology requirements. An advanced tube with wings concept was also developed for comparison purposes. NASA s Flight Optimization System (FLOPS) conceptual aircraft sizing and synthesis software was modified to enable the sizing and analysis of HWB concepts. The noncircular pressurized centerbody of the HWB concept was modeled, and several options were created for defining the outboard wing sections. Weight and drag estimation routines were modified to accommodate the unique aspects of an HWB configuration. The resulting capability was then utilized to model a proprietary Boeing blended wing body (BWB) concept for comparison purposes. FLOPS predicted approximately a 15 percent greater drag, mainly caused by differences in compressibility drag estimation, and approximately a 5 percent greater takeoff gross weight, mainly caused by the additional fuel required, as compared with the Boeing data. Next, a 777-like reference vehicle was modeled in FLOPS and calibrated to published Boeing performance data; the same mission definition was used to size an HWB in FLOPS. Advanced airframe and propulsion technology assumptions were applied to the HWB to develop an estimate for potential fuel burn savings from such a concept. The same technology assumptions, where applicable, were then applied to an advanced tube-with-wings concept. The HWB concept had a 39 percent lower block fuel burn than the reference vehicle and a 12 percent lower block fuel burn than the advanced tube-with-wings configuration. However, this fuel burn advantage is partially derived from assuming the high-risk technology of embedded engines with boundary-layer-ingesting inlets. The HWB concept does have the potential for significantly reduced noise as a result of the shielding advantages that are inherent with an over-body engine installation.

Nickol, Craig L.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Additional Comparison of Ice Shapes on Full-Chord and Truncated Swept Wing Models from January 2022

A research program was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of icing tunnel hybrid model design. A hybrid design is where the full-scale leading edge of a wing section is maintained only to a certain percentage of the local chord, while the aft section of the model is redesigned into a shortened or truncated planform. An initial study was conducted in 2020 where the ice shape geometries on a full-chord length version of the swept CRM65 wing model were compared to those from the hybrid version of CRM65 that were obtained in NASA Icing Research Tunnel in 2015. The results were reported in a 2021 paper. For most test conditions, the overall size and shape of the ice shapes compared well. However, the ice shapes from the full-chord model were generally slightly smaller than those from the hybrid model. A follow-on test was conducted in 2022 and obtained ice shapes on both full-chord and hybrid wing models during the same test campaign to eliminate the differences in the tunnel configuration as a cause for the differences observed during the previous investigation. The ice shapes obtained on the full-chord model compared much better to those obtained on the hybrid model during the 2022 test, with nearly identical cross sections and ice mass values generally within 5%.

Icing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Additional Comparison of Ice Shapes on Full-Chord and Truncated Swept Wing Models from January 2022

A research program was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of icing tunnel hybrid model design. A hybrid design is where the full-scale leading edge of a wing section is maintained only to a certain percentage of the local chord, while the aft section of the model is redesigned into a shortened or truncated planform. An initial study was conducted in 2020 where the ice shape geometries on a full-chord length version of the swept CRM65 wing model were compared to those from the hybrid version of CRM65 that were obtained in the NASA Icing Research Tunnel in 2015. The results were reported in a 2021 paper. For most test conditions, the overall size and shape of the ice shapes compared well. However, the ice shapes from the full-chord model were generally slightly smaller than those from the hybrid model. A follow-on test was conducted in 2022 and obtained ice shapes on both full-chord and hybrid wing models during the same test campaign to eliminate the differences in the tunnel spray nozzle configuration and calibration as a cause for the differences observed during the previous investigation. The ice shapes obtained on the full-chord model compared much better to those obtained on the hybrid model during the 2022 test, with nearly identical cross sections and ice mass values generally within 5%.

Icing↗

NASA NTRS1986

A fundamental study of drag and an assessment of conventional drag-due-to-lift reduction devices

The integral conservation laws of fluid mechanics are used to assess the drag efficiency of lifting wings, both CTOL and various out-of-plane configurations. The drag-due-to-lift is separated into two major components: (1) the induced drag-due-to-lift that depends on aspect ratio but is relatively independent of Reynolds number; (2) the form drag-due-to-lift that is independent of aspect ratio but dependent on the details of the wing section design, planform and Reynolds number. For each lifting configuration there is an optimal load distribution that yields the minimum value of drag-due-to-lift. For well designed high aspect ratio CTOL wings the two drag components are independent. With modern design technology CTOL wings can be (and usually are) designed with a drag-due-to-lift efficiency close to unity. Wing tip-devices (winglets, feathers, sails, etc.) can improve drag-due-to-lift efficiency by 10 to 15% if they are designed as an integral part of the wing. As add-on devices they can be detrimental. It is estimated that 25% improvements of wing drag-due-to-lift efficiency can be obtained with joined tip configurations and vertically separated lifting elements without considering additional benefits that might be realized by improved structural efficiency. It is strongly recommended that an integrated aerodynamic/structural approach be taken in the design of (or research on) future out-of-plane configurations.

Yates, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Viscous-flow analysis of a subsonic transport aircraft high-lift system and correlation with flight data

High-lift system aerodynamics has been gaining attention in recent years. In an effort to improve aircraft performance, comprehensive studies of multi-element airfoil systems are being undertaken in wind-tunnel and flight experiments. Recent developments in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offer a relatively inexpensive alternative for studying complex viscous flows by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations. Current limitations in computer resources restrict practical high-lift N-S computations to two dimensions, but CFD predictions can yield tremendous insight into flow structure, interactions between airfoil elements, and effects of changes in airfoil geometry or free-stream conditions. These codes are very accurate when compared to strictly 2D data provided by wind-tunnel testing, as will be shown here. Yet, additional challenges must be faced in the analysis of a production aircraft wing section, such as that of the NASA Langley Transport Systems Research Vehicle (TSRV). A primary issue is the sweep theory used to correlate 2D predictions with 3D flight results, accounting for sweep, taper, and finite wing effects. Other computational issues addressed here include the effects of surface roughness of the geometry, cove shape modeling, grid topology, and transition specification. The sensitivity of the flow to changing free-stream conditions is investigated. In addition, the effects of Gurney flaps on the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil system are predicted.

Potter, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Subsonic Maneuvering Effectiveness of High Performance Aircraft Which Employ Quasi-Static Shape Change Devices

This paper represents an initial study on the use of quasi-static shape change devices in aircraft maneuvering. The macroscopic effects and requirements for these devices in flight control are the focus of this study. Groups of devices are postulated to replace the conventional leading-edge flap (LEF) and the all-moving wing tip (AMT) on the tailless LMTAS-ICE (Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems - Innovative Control Effectors) configuration. The maximum quasi-static shape changes are 13.8% and 7.7% of the wing section thickness for the LEF and AMT replacement devices, respectively. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) panel code is used to determine the control effectiveness of groups of these devices. A preliminary design of a wings-leveler autopilot is presented. Initial evaluation at 0.6 Mach at 15,000 ft. altitude is made through batch simulation. Results show small disturbance stability is achieved, however, an increase in maximum distortion is needed to statically offset five degrees of sideslip. This only applies to the specific device groups studied, encouraging future research on optimal device placement.

Montgomery, Raymond C.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Effect of configuration variation on externally blown flap noise

The sensitivity of flap interaction noise to variations in engine-under-the-wing externally blown flap geometry was investigated with a large cold-flow model. Both 2- and 3-flap wing sections (7-ft chord) with trailing flap angles up to 60 deg were employed. Exhaust nozzles included coaxial, plug, and 8- and 13-inch diameter conical configurations. These nozzles were tested at two positions below the wing. The effects of these geometry variations on noise level, directivity, and spectral shape are summarized in terms of exhaust flow parameters evaluated at the nozzle exit and at the flap impingement station. The results are also compared with limited flap noise data available from tests using real engines.

Dorsch, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Effect of configuration variation on externally blown flap noise

The sensitivity of flap interaction noise to variations in engine-under-the-wing externally blown flap geometry was investigated with a large cold-flow model. Both two- and three-flap wing sections (7-ft chord) with trailing flap angles up to 60 deg were employed. Exhaust nozzles included coaxial, plug, and 8- and 13-in.-diam conical configurations. These nozzles were tested at two positions below the wing (19-1/4 and 29-1/4 in.). The effects of these geometry variations on noise level, directivity, and spectral shape are summarized in terms of exhaust flow parameters evaluated at the nozzle exit and at the flap impingement station. The results are also compared with limited flap noise data available from tests using real engines.

Dorsch, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Theoretical correction for the lift of elliptic wings

In the wing section theory the magnitude of the circulation, and hence of the lift, is determined by the velocity that would be induced near the trailing edge of the section in a non-lifting potential flow. In three dimensional flow the problem is complicated by the presence of the wake and no simple basic solution has been found. Treatment of the problem of a wing of finite span is reported on the basis of the two dimensional theory, corrected for the effect of the wake.

Jones, R. T.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Ground/Flight Correlation of Aerodynamic Loads with Structural Response

Ground and flight tests provide a basis and methodology for in-flight characterization of the aerodynamic and structural performance through the monitoring of the fluid-structure interaction. The NF-15B flight tests of the Intelligent Flight Control System program provided a unique opportunity to test the correlation of aerodynamic loads with points of flow attaching and detaching from the surface, which are also known as flow bifurcation points, as observed in a previous wind tunnel test performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colorado). Moreover, flight tests, along with the subsequent unsteady aerodynamic tests in the NASA Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT), provide a basis using surface flow sensors as means of assessing the aeroelastic performance of flight vehicles. For the flight tests, the NF-15B tail was instrumented with hot-film sensors and strain gages for measuring root-bending strains. This data were gathered via selected sideslip maneuvers performed at level flight and subsonic speeds. The aerodynamic loads generated by the sideslip maneuver resulted in a structural response, which were then compared with the hot-film sensor signals. The hot-film sensor signals near the stagnation region were found to be highly correlated with the root-bending strains. For the TDT tests, a flexible wing section developed under the U.S. Air Force Research Lab SensorCraft program was instrumented with strain gages, accelerometers, and hot-film sensors at two span stations. The TDT tests confirmed the correlation between flow bifurcation points and the wing structural response to tunnel-generated gusts. Furthermore, as the wings structural modes were excited by the gusts, a gradual phase change between the flow bifurcation point and the structural mode occurred during a resonant condition.

Mangalam, Arun S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Influence of forebody cross-sectional shape on wing vortex burst location

A water tunnel study examining the influence of forebody cross section on the position of the wing vortex burst was carried out in the NASA Ames-Dryden water tunnel for a 55-deg cropped delta-wing model. Two of three cross sections investigated were chine-shaped, where the included angle of the chine was either 7.5-deg, representing a rather small side-edge angle, or 90 deg, representing a more moderate design. The third cross section was circular and served as a baseline for comparison. It is found that the 7.5 deg chine cross section generated the strongest forebody vortices of the three configurations and that these strong forebody vortices interacted with the main wing vortices in such a manner as to dramatically delay wing vortex burst position at zero sideslip. If the configuration is sideslipped, large asymmetries in wing vortex burst location may result.

Hall, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1921

The law relating to air currents

In the subdivided wing section profile, the diagram of the current is entirely changed and the harmful formation of eddies is avoided through premature deflection. Pressure equalization does not occur between the upper and under sides. This report presents a discussion of the various laws relating to wing design with the conclusion being that lift increases with more acute angles of attack.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1923

General biplane theory

This report deals with the air forces on biplane cellule. The first part of the report deals with the two-dimensional problem neglecting viscosity. The variation of the section, chord, gap, stagger, and decalage are investigated, a great number of examples are calculated, and all numerical results are given in tables. For the biplane without stagger it is found that the loss of lift in consequence of the mutual influence of the two wing sections is only half as much if the lift is produced by the curvature of the section as it is when the lift is produced by the inclination of the chord to the direction of motion. The second part deals with the influence of the lateral dimensions. It is found that the loss of lift due to induction is almost unchanged, whether the biplane is staggered or not. In the third part conclusions from previous investigations are drawn, viscosity and experimental experience are brought in, and the method is simplified for practical application. Simple formulas give the drag, lift, and moment. In order to make use of the simple formulas more convenient, tables for the dynamical pressure, induced drag, and angle of attack are added so that practically no computation is needed for the application of the results.

Munk, Max M↗

NASA NTRS1979

The Transonic Multifoil Augmentor Wing

The paper describes the development of a thick (t/c = 0.18) transonic, multifoil, blown augmentor-wing section and discusses the results of a series of wind-tunnel tests on the configuration. The results show that the blown multifoil section enjoys two advantages over a conventional unblown single-foil supercritical section or the same overall thickness-chord ratio: 1) "effective" drag reduced by blowing, and 2) increased drag rise Mach number (M(sub D) = 0.75); they also demonstrate that augmentor blowing improves the buffet boundaries of the section. Thus, overall, it has been shown that the augmentor flap configuration is capable of extending the speed range of a jet transport aircraft to the very low approach speeds required by STOL aircraft [as demonstrated by the NASA/DITC (Canadian Department of Industry Trade and Commerce) augmentor-wing STOL research aircraft] and also to the high subsonic speed required for cruise, where it is shown to be competitive with the plain supercritical airfoil.

Smith, Ronald C.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Preliminary noise tests of the engine-over-the-wing concept. i: 30 deg - 60 deg flap position

The results of preliminary acoustic tests of the engine over the wing concept are summarized. The tests were conducted with a small wing section model (32 cm chord) having two flaps set at the landing position, which is 30 and 60 deg respectively. The engine exhaust was simulated by an air jet from a convergent nozzle having a nominal diameter of 5.1 centimeters. Factors investigated for their effect on noise include nozzle location, wing shielding, flap leakage, nozzle shape, exhaust deflectors, and internally generated exhaust noise.

Reshotko, M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Methodology for simulation of unsteady flows to determine the time-dependent interference between stationary and moving boundaries

A new methodology is developed to simulate unsteady flows about prescribed and aerodynamically determined moving boundary problems. The method couples the fluid dynamics and rigid-body dynamics equations to capture the time-dependent interference between stationary and moving boundaries. The unsteady, compressible, inviscid (Euler) equations are solved on dynamic, unstructured grids by an explicit, finite-volume, upwind method. For efficiency, the grid adaptation is performed within a window around the moving object. The Eulerian equations of the rigid-body dynamics are solved by a Runge-Kutta method in a non-inertial frame of reference. The two-dimensional flow solver is validated by computing the flow past a sinusoidally-pitching airfoil and comparing these results with the experimental data. The overall methodology is used for two two-dimensional examples: the flow past an airfoil which is performing a three-degrees-of-freedom motion in a transonic freestream, and the free-fall of a store after separation from a wing-section. Then the unstructured mesh methodology is extended to three-dimensions to simulate unsteady flow past bodies in relative motion, where the trajectory is determined from the instantaneous aerodynamics. The flow solver and the adaptation scheme in three dimensions are validated by simulating the transonic, unsteady flow around a wing undergoing a forced, periodic, pitching motion, and comparing the results with the experimental data. To validate the trajectory code, the six-degrees-of-freedom motion of a store separating from a wing was computed using the experimentally determined force and moment fields, then comparing with an independently generated trajectory. Finally, the overall methodology was demonstrated by simulating the unsteady flowfield and the trajectory of a store dropped from a wing. The methodology, its computational cost notwithstanding, has proven to be accurate, automated, easy for dynamic gridding, and relatively efficient for the required man-hours.

Singh, Kamakhya Prasad↗