Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic Characteristics of Wings with Conformal Control Surfaces for Morphing Aircraft

TLDR

The study determines roll performance of a rectangular wing across different control surface chord‑to‑wing chord ratios. Investigations employ the Sohngen inversion formula with the thin‑airfoil integral equation and vortex lattice technique to compute aerodynamic pressure distributions, lift, and pitching moment for lifting surfaces with conventional and conformal trailing‑edge control surfaces over various chord ratios. Conformal control surfaces increase lift, pitching moment, and maximum roll rate while reducing reversal dynamic pressure compared to conventional surfaces, and predicted pressures and roll moments agree with wind‑tunnel data, providing insights for wing design.

Abstract

Investigations are conducted on lifting surfaces with conventional and conformal trailing-edge control surfaces. The Sohngen inversion formula is used with the thin-airfoil integral equation to determine the aerodynamic pressure for various control surface chord-to-airfoil chord ratios. Comparisons to a conventional control surface show increases in lift and pitching moment of the airfoil with a conformal control surface. Aerodynamic pressure distributions acting on a wing with control surfaces are determined with the vortex lattice technique. Predicted aerodynamic pressures and roll moments are compared to available wind-tunnel data and provide a more general understanding of theaerodynamicbehavior observed there. Roll performance of a rectangular wing is determined for various control surface chord-to-wing chord ratios. It is found that the maximum roll rate is greater for a wing with a conformal control surface, but has a lower reversal dynamic pressure than the wing with a conventional control surface. The aerodynamic and aeroelastic results obtained from this investigation provide some insight for wings designed with conformal control surfaces.