A system and method for optimizing winglet airfoil geometries in the presence of interference conditions at cruise Mach speeds. The method includes performing a first analysis on the airfoil at a first Mach speed and a second Mach speed greater than the first Mach speed. The analyses provide resultant values that can include any one or more of a coefficient of lift (CL), a coefficient of drag (CD), and a coefficient of pressure (CP). A desired pressure distribution curve on the airfoil can be specified based on the resultant values. An inverse analysis can then be performed to derive a modified airfoil geometry that corresponds to the desired pressure distribution. The modified airfoil geometry can be incorporated into a blended winglet and analyzed by way of running a CFD++ code to verify improved airfoil performance in a full airplane geometry.
Winglet airfoils
2022-10-04
Patent
Electronic Resource
English