Date of Award

Fall 12-2016

Access Type

Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Department

Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Snorri Gudmundsson

First Committee Member

William Engblom

Second Committee Member

Vladimir V. Golubev

Abstract

This report presents new numerically-derived correlations to estimate the aerodynamic properties of a three-dimensional wing that features a partial to full span fixed slot. Fixed slots have been thoroughly studied in the past with regards to their operation and the relation between slot geometry and wing performance. There have also been many studies on the advantages and disadvantages of tip-slotted wings and the comparison between these and full-slotted wings. Up to this point however, a study on the effects of slot span on wing performance has not been performed. Effect of slot span on wing performance is evaluated in an attempt to obtain a relation between the slot span and the wing aerodynamic coefficients. The study is performed by the use of detailed ANSYS – Fluent models which include laminar-to-turbulent transitional flow effects. Convenient mathematical formulations are developed for use in aircraft conceptual design. First, a two-dimensional CFD comparison between different viscous models is performed in order to define the most accurate model at the Reynolds number of interest. Second, a three-dimensional study is performed over a plain and a full slotted wing to validate the model against experimental data. Finally, a three-dimensional CFD study of partially-slotted wings with different slot spans is developed in order to develop direct relations between the slot span with the changes in the lift, drag, and pitching moment coefficient.

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