Improving Aircraft Performance and Decreasing Operational Costs, Via Synthetic Jet Flow
Faculty Mentor Name
Wallace Morris II
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
The Computational Flow Control (CFC) Research Group is investigating mechanisms and applications of flow control techniques to increase the operational envelope of aircraft and reduce aircraft and fleet operational costs. The group is currently modelling flow control actuators, which have been experimentally and computationally demonstrated to re-attach boundary layer for post-stalled (separated) conditions and to reduce boundary layer thickness at attached flow conditions. The computational simulations include a model of synthetic jet actuators with a peak amplitude of one percent of the free stream velocity running in a DNS solver at moderately high Reynolds numbers. This reduction of boundary layer thickness leads to a reduction of drag for the aircraft, resulting in burning less fuel to fly the same distance or speed. The reduction of fuel burn translates directly into saving tens of millions of dollars annually for an average fleet with lower environmental impact. The CFC group is conducting a parametric study for trends and effectiveness of flow control techniques to guide both physical experiments and illuminate the underlying mechanisms. It is hypothesized that there exists a parameter space that will optimize the control of the boundary layers, which will enable an increase in the operational envelope and the reduction of drag with attendant operational costs.
Poster Presentation
IGNITE GRANT AWARD
Location
AC1-ATRIUM
Start Date
4-8-2016 1:00 PM
End Date
4-8-2016 3:00 PM
Improving Aircraft Performance and Decreasing Operational Costs, Via Synthetic Jet Flow
AC1-ATRIUM
The Computational Flow Control (CFC) Research Group is investigating mechanisms and applications of flow control techniques to increase the operational envelope of aircraft and reduce aircraft and fleet operational costs. The group is currently modelling flow control actuators, which have been experimentally and computationally demonstrated to re-attach boundary layer for post-stalled (separated) conditions and to reduce boundary layer thickness at attached flow conditions. The computational simulations include a model of synthetic jet actuators with a peak amplitude of one percent of the free stream velocity running in a DNS solver at moderately high Reynolds numbers. This reduction of boundary layer thickness leads to a reduction of drag for the aircraft, resulting in burning less fuel to fly the same distance or speed. The reduction of fuel burn translates directly into saving tens of millions of dollars annually for an average fleet with lower environmental impact. The CFC group is conducting a parametric study for trends and effectiveness of flow control techniques to guide both physical experiments and illuminate the underlying mechanisms. It is hypothesized that there exists a parameter space that will optimize the control of the boundary layers, which will enable an increase in the operational envelope and the reduction of drag with attendant operational costs.
Poster Presentation
IGNITE GRANT AWARD