Análise das características aerodinâmicas da asa DEPWIM numa configuração ótima com propulsão elétrica distribuída

Abstract

The present work aims to theoretically study, through a numerical technique, involving computational fluid dynamics, the influence of electrical propulsion distributed in the flow field around the sections of the semi-span of the DepWin wing, considering the propeller thrusters in pusher and tractor configurations. With the technique used, it was possible to analyze the aerodynamic changes caused by distributed electric propulsion in an optimal approach. Therefore, the study carried out was developed by solving the Navier-Stokes equations, considering the RANS approach, linked to different turbulence models. In addition, the actuator disk model was considered based on the blade element method to simulate the propulsion, following the principles of the k-ω SST turbulence model, via Gamma transition. In this way, it was possible to compare and validate the theoretical results of this study with the experimental results from wind tunnel tests, in the tractor configuration, as well as by the theoretical results from recently published studies. In this way, this work presents the unprecedented aerodynamic analyzes involving a hybrid pusher and tractor configuration, in relation to configurations that use the same DEP system. The comparisons carried out considered the variations of the lift and drag coefficients in relation to the angle of attack; in addition to the distribution of the pressure coefficient along the semi-span, being analyzed in several sections, especially in the regions most affected by the wing/propulsion and propulsion/wing interaction. The aforementioned scientific study showed that the coefficient data such as the curves of CL x α, CL x CD, CL/CD x CL and CL/CD x α of the semi-span in the hybrid configuration and with only the tractor, all two in the system DEP, considering the same boundary conditions, it was noticed that in the tractor configuration the lift coefficient was higher than in the hybrid configuration, for example.