Quasi-three-dimensional high-lift wing design approach considering three-dimensional effects of slipstream for distributed electric propulsion aircraft

Tianshi CAO, Junqiang BAI, Yasong QIU, Kai HAN, Shaodong FENG, Shilong YU

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The efficient utilization of propeller slipstream energy is important for improving the ultra-short takeoff and landing capability of Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) aircraft. This paper presents a quasi-three-dimensional (2.5D) high-lift wing design approach considering the three-dimensional (3D) effects of slipstream for DEP aircraft, aiming at maximizing the comprehensive lift enhancement benefit of the airframe-propulsion coupling unit. A high-precision and efficient momentum source method is adopted to simulate the slipstream effects, and the distributed propellers are replaced by a rectangular actuator disk to reduce the difficulty of grid generation and improve the grid quality. A detailed comparison of the 2.5D and 3D configurations based on the X-57 Mod Ⅳ is performed in terms of flow characteristics and computational cost to demonstrate the rationality of the above design approach. The optimization results of the high-lift wing of the X-57 Mod Ⅳ show that the aerodynamic performance of the landing configuration is significantly improved, for instance, the lift coefficient increases by 0.094 at the angle of attack of 7°, and 0.097 at the angle of attack of 14°. This novel approach achieves efficient and effective design of high-lift wings under the influence of distributed slipstream, which has the potential to improve the design level of DEP aircraft.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)300-316
Number of pages17
JournalChinese Journal of Aeronautics
Volume37
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2024

Keywords

  • Distributed electric propulsion aircraft
  • High-lift wing design
  • Quasi-three-dimensional optimization
  • Three-dimensional effects of slipstream
  • Ultra-short takeoff and landing

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