Numerical Investigation of Vortex Breakdown of a Compound Delta Wing at High Angles of Attack
Disciplines
Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Delta wings are the leading wing geometry in modern aerospace engineering, being present in today’s most advanced planes such as NASA and Lockheed Martin’s recently unveiled X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. The wings offer exceptional performance and maneuverability at supersonic speeds. As delta wings stand at the forefront of engineering, much research and computations have gone into their construction and performance. Many studies today, including this investigation, use computer simulation to imitate the flow around wing geometry to observe the conditions and quantify the results by solving the complicated sets of Navier-Stokes equations. This investigation uses Ansys Fluent to study wing geometry at supersonic and sub-sonic speeds. Though there are multiple types of delta wings, this investigation specifically examines compound delta wings. These wings take on a similar triangular shape to other delta wings but contain a secondary sweep angle to their wing. The investigation sought to observe how the geometry of the leading edge affected vortex breakdown and general flow conditions as the angle of attack grew (specifically focusing on high angles of attack: ranging from 0 to 20 degrees). The investigation used multiple different 3D modeled wings developed in the program SolidWorks. The leading edge of these models took different forms involving the length of the leading edge, the primary sweep angle (ranging from 170 to 250 degrees) and the secondary sweep angle. Research found that the shape of the leading edge greatly affects the performance of a compound delta wing at high angles of attack.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Engineering Technology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Gaurav Sharma
Numerical Investigation of Vortex Breakdown of a Compound Delta Wing at High Angles of Attack
Delta wings are the leading wing geometry in modern aerospace engineering, being present in today’s most advanced planes such as NASA and Lockheed Martin’s recently unveiled X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. The wings offer exceptional performance and maneuverability at supersonic speeds. As delta wings stand at the forefront of engineering, much research and computations have gone into their construction and performance. Many studies today, including this investigation, use computer simulation to imitate the flow around wing geometry to observe the conditions and quantify the results by solving the complicated sets of Navier-Stokes equations. This investigation uses Ansys Fluent to study wing geometry at supersonic and sub-sonic speeds. Though there are multiple types of delta wings, this investigation specifically examines compound delta wings. These wings take on a similar triangular shape to other delta wings but contain a secondary sweep angle to their wing. The investigation sought to observe how the geometry of the leading edge affected vortex breakdown and general flow conditions as the angle of attack grew (specifically focusing on high angles of attack: ranging from 0 to 20 degrees). The investigation used multiple different 3D modeled wings developed in the program SolidWorks. The leading edge of these models took different forms involving the length of the leading edge, the primary sweep angle (ranging from 170 to 250 degrees) and the secondary sweep angle. Research found that the shape of the leading edge greatly affects the performance of a compound delta wing at high angles of attack.