Computational investigations for aerodynamic characteristic analysis of low reynolds number doublytandem wing configurations

As a configuration with high aerodynamic efficiency, a tandem wing is an innovative kind of aerodynamic configuration for flight vehicles with inflatable aerodynamic structures such as stratosphere airships or inflatable wings at low Reynolds number flow regimes. However, its aerodynamic characteristics are limited understanding because of complicated interferences of the two wings. Therefore, based on conducted wind tunnel experiments, computational simulations have been carried out. Then the effects of airfoil thickness, surface wavelet and hindwing deflection angle on general aerodynamic characteristics were compared and presented quantitatively. The computational results demonstrate that at the computational range of attack angle, tandem wing configuration could delay, or even suppress the trailing edge separation and then increase the aerodynamic efficiency significantly, thus it is concluded that the aerodynamic configuration is attractive and promising for UAVs or airships with flexible structures in the near future.