Aerodynamic shape optimization for an airplane cruising at a near-sonic regime is discussed based on computational fluid dynamics. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's scaled experimental supersonic airplane model, NEXST-1, was employed as the baseline model of the optimization. NEXST-1 was accepted as a candidate for a near-sonic airplane because of the existence of a 'drag bucket' at a near-sonic regime, as shown by the past research of the present authors. In the present optimization, the section airfoil shape and the planform shape were optimized independently of each other in the near-sonic regime of Mach number 0.98. For the optimization, a genetic algorithm was used with unstructured mesh Euler simulations. The results of the optimizations showed considerable improvement in the lift-to-drag ratio in the near-sonic regime. The optimization of the section airfoil shape and that of the planform shape yielded to the reduction of wave drag and induced drag, respectively.
Drag reduction of a near-sonic airplane by using computational fluid dynamics
Reduzierung des Widerstandes eines Transschallflugzeugs mittels numerischer Strömungssimulation
AIAA Journal ; 43 , 9 ; 1870-1877
2005
8 Seiten, 14 Bilder, 3 Tabellen, 18 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
Druckverteilung , Entropie , Euler-Gleichung , Flügelprofil , Flugzeug , genetischer Algorithmus , geometrische Form , Gitternetz , Luftwiderstand , mechanischer Wellenwiderstand , numerische Strömungssimulation , Optimierungsalgorithmus , Stoßwelle , Tragflügelumströmung , transsonische Strömung , Verminderung , Widerstandsbeiwert