Diagnostic Investigation of Aircraft Performance at Different Winglet Cant Angles

Year: 2014 Volume: 8 Issue: 12 2044 - 2053 Pages

• Authors:
• Dinesh M.
• Kenny Mark V.
• Dharni Vasudhevan Venkatesan
• Santhosh Kumar B.
• Sree Radesh R.
• V. R. Sanal Kumar

Abstract: Comprehensive numerical studies have been carried out to examine the best aerodynamic performance of subsonic aircraft at different winglet cant angles using a validated 3D k-ω SST model. In the parametric analytical studies NACA series of airfoils are selected. Basic design of the winglet is selected from the literature and flow features of the entire wing including the winglet tip effects have been examined with different cant angles varying from 150 to 600 at different angles of attack up to 140. We have observed, among the cases considered in this study that a case, with 150 cant angle the aerodynamics performance of the subsonic aircraft during takeoff was found better up to an angle of attack of 2.80 and further its performance got diminished at higher angles of attack. Analyses further revealed that increasing the winglet cant angle from 150 to 600 at higher angles of attack could negate the performance deterioration and additionally it could enhance the peak CL/CD on the order of 3.5%. The investigated concept of variable-cant-angle winglets appears to be a promising alternative for improving the aerodynamic efficiency of aircraft.

• Keywords:
• Aerodynamic efficiency
• Cant-angle
• Drag reduction
• Flexible Winglets.

Studies on Race Car Aerodynamics at Wing in Ground Effect

Year: 2014 Volume: 8 Issue: 7 1218 - 1223 Pages

• Authors:
• Dharni Vasudhevan Venkatesan
• Shanjay K E
• Sujith Kumar H
• Abhilash N A
• Aswin Ram D
• V.R.Sanal Kumar

Abstract: Numerical studies on race car aerodynamics at wing in ground effect have been carried out using a steady 3d, double precision, pressure-based, and standard k-epsilon turbulence model. Through various parametric analytical studies we have observed that at a particular speed and ground clearance of the wings a favorable negative lift was found high at a particular angle of attack for all the physical models considered in this paper. The fact is that if the ground clearance height to chord length (h/c) is too small, the developing boundary layers from either side (the ground and the lower surface of the wing) can interact, leading to an altered variation of the aerodynamic characteristics at wing in ground effect. Therefore a suitable ground clearance must be predicted throughout the racing for a better performance of the race car, which obviously depends upon the coupled effects of the topography, wing orientation with respect to the ground, the incoming flow features and/or the race car speed. We have concluded that for the design of high performance and high speed race cars the adjustable wings capable to alter the ground clearance and the angles of attack is the best design option for any race car for racing safely with variable speeds.

• Keywords:
• External aerodynamics
• External Flow Choking
• Race car aerodynamics
• Wing in Ground Effect.