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1
Communier, David, Ruxandra Mihaela Botez, and Tony Wong. "Design and Validation of a New Morphing Camber System by Testing in the Price—Païdoussis Subsonic Wind Tunnel." Aerospace 7, no. 3 (2020): 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7030023.
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This paper presents the design and wind tunnel testing of a morphing camber system and an estimation of performances on an unmanned aerial vehicle. The morphing camber system is a combination of two subsystems: the morphing trailing edge and the morphing leading edge. Results of the present study show that the aerodynamics effects of the two subsystems are combined, without interfering with each other on the wing. The morphing camber system acts only on the lift coefficient at a 0° angle of attack when morphing the trailing edge, and only on the stall angle when morphing the leading edge. The behavior of the aerodynamics performances from the MTE and the MLE should allow individual control of the morphing camber trailing and leading edges. The estimation of the performances of the morphing camber on an unmanned aerial vehicle indicates that the morphing of the camber allows a drag reduction. This result is due to the smaller angle of attack needed for an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with the morphing camber system than an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with classical aileron. In the case study, the morphing camber system was found to allow a reduction of the drag when the lift coefficient was higher than 0.48.
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Bashir, Musavir, Mir Hossein Negahban, Ruxandra Mihaela Botez, and Tony Wong. "Numerical Simulation of the Transient Flow around the Combined Morphing Leading-Edge and Trailing-Edge Airfoil." Biomimetics 9, no. 2 (2024): 109. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9020109.
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An integrated approach to active flow control is proposed by finding both the drooping leading edge and the morphing trailing edge for flow management. This strategy aims to manage flow separation control by utilizing the synergistic effects of both control mechanisms, which we call the combined morphing leading edge and trailing edge (CoMpLETE) technique. This design is inspired by a bionic porpoise nose and the flap movements of the cetacean species. The motion of this mechanism achieves a continuous, wave-like, variable airfoil camber. The dynamic motion of the airfoil’s upper and lower surface coordinates in response to unsteady conditions is achieved by combining the thickness-to-chord (t/c) distribution with the time-dependent camber line equation. A parameterization model was constructed to mimic the motion around the morphing airfoil at various deflection amplitudes at the stall angle of attack and morphing actuation start times. The mean properties and qualitative trends of the flow phenomena are captured by the transition SST (shear stress transport) model. The effectiveness of the dynamically morphing airfoil as a flow control approach is evaluated by obtaining flow field data, such as velocity streamlines, vorticity contours, and aerodynamic forces. Different cases are investigated for the CoMpLETE morphing airfoil, which evaluates the airfoil’s parameters, such as its morphing location, deflection amplitude, and morphing starting time. The morphing airfoil’s performance is analyzed to provide further insights into the dynamic lift and drag force variations at pre-defined deflection frequencies of 0.5 Hz, 1 Hz, and 2 Hz. The findings demonstrate that adjusting the airfoil camber reduces streamwise adverse pressure gradients, thus preventing significant flow separation. Although the trailing-edge deflection and its location along the chord influence the generation and separation of the leading-edge vortex (LEV), these results show that the combined effect of the morphing leading edge and trailing edge has the potential to mitigate flow separation. The morphing airfoil successfully contributes to the flow reattachment and significantly increases the maximum lift coefficient (cl,max)). This work also broadens its focus to investigate the aerodynamic effects of a dynamically morphing leading and trailing edge, which seamlessly transitions along the side edges. The aerodynamic performance analysis is investigated across varying morphing frequencies, amplitudes, and actuation times.
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Zhang, Yaqing, Wenjie Ge, Ziang Zhang, Xiaojuan Mo, and Yonghong Zhang. "Design of compliant mechanism-based variable camber morphing wing with nonlinear large deformation." International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems 16, no. 6 (2019): 172988141988674. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1729881419886740.
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The morphing wing with large deformation can benefit its flight performance a lot in different conditions. In this study, a variable camber morphing wing with compliant leading and trailing edges is designed by large-displacement compliant mechanisms. The compliant mechanisms are carried out by a hyperelastic structure topology optimization, based on a nonlinear meshless method. A laminated leading-edge skin is designed to fit the curvature changing phenomenon of the leading edge during deformation. A morphing wing demonstrator was manufactured to testify its deformation capability. Comparing to other variable camber morphing wings, the proposal can realize larger deflection of leading and trailing edges. The designed morphing wing shows great improvement in aerodynamic performance and enough strength to resist aerodynamic and structural loadings.
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Zhang, Zhenkai, Alessandro De Gaspari, Sergio Ricci, Chen Song, and Chao Yang. "Gradient-Based Aerodynamic Optimization of an Airfoil with Morphing Leading and Trailing Edges." Applied Sciences 11, no. 4 (2021): 1929. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11041929.
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This article presents a gradient-based aerodynamic optimization framework and investigates optimum deformations for a transonic airfoil equipped with morphing leading and trailing edges. Specifically, the proposed optimization framework integrates an innovative morphing shape parameterization with a high fidelity Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamic solver, a hybrid mesh deformation algorithm, and an efficient gradient evaluation method based on continuous adjoint implementation. To achieve a feasible morphing shape, some structural properties of skin and wing-box constraints were introduced into the morphing shape parameterization, which offers skin length control and enables wing-box shape invariance. In this study, the optimum leading and trailing edge deformations with minimization of drag at this cruise stage were searched for using the adjoint-based optimization with a nested feasible morphing procedure, subject to the wing-box, skin length, and airfoil volume constraints. The numerical studies verified the effectiveness of the optimization strategy, and demonstrated the significant aerodynamic performance improvement achieved by using the morphing devices. A lambda shock pattern was observed for the optimized morphing leading edge. That result further indicates the importance of leading edge radius control.
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Mao, Sen, Changchuan Xie, Lan Yang, and Chao Yang. "Static Aeroelastic Characteristics of Morphing Trailing-Edge Wing Using Geometrically Exact Vortex Lattice Method." International Journal of Aerospace Engineering 2019 (November 16, 2019): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5847627.
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A morphing trailing-edge (TE) wing is an important morphing mode in aircraft design. In order to explore the static aeroelastic characteristics of a morphing TE wing, an efficient and feasible method for static aeroelastic analysis has been developed in this paper. A geometrically exact vortex lattice method (VLM) is applied to calculate the aerodynamic forces. Firstly, a typical model of a morphing TE wing is chosen and built which has an active morphing trailing edge driven by a piezoelectric patch. Then, the paper carries out the static aeroelastic analysis of the morphing TE wing and corresponding simulations were carried out. Finally, the analysis results are compared with those of a traditional wing with a rigid trailing edge using the traditional linearized VLM. The results indicate that the geometrically exact VLM can better describe the aerodynamic nonlinearity of a morphing TE wing in consideration of geometrical deformation in aeroelastic analysis. Moreover, out of consideration of the angle of attack, the deflection angle of the trailing edge, among others, the wing system does not show divergence but bifurcation. Consequently, the aeroelastic analysis method proposed in this paper is more applicable to the analysis and design of a morphing TE wing.
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Xiang, Jinwu, Kai Liu, Daochun Li, Chunxiao Cheng, and Enlai Sha. "Unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of a morphing wing." Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology 91, no. 1 (2018): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/aeat-04-2017-0101.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics in the deflection process of a morphing wing with flexible trailing edge, which is based on time-accurate solutions. The dynamic effect of deflection process on the aerodynamics of morphing wing was studied. Design/methodology/approach The computational fluid dynamic method and dynamic mesh combined with user-defined functions were used to simulate the continuous morphing of the flexible trailing edge. The steady aerodynamic characteristics of the morphing deflection and the conventional deflection were studied first. Then, the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of the morphing wing were investigated as the trailing edge deflects at different rates. Findings The numerical results show that the transient lift coefficient in the deflection process is higher than that of the static case one in large angle of attack. The larger the deflection frequency is, the higher the transient lift coefficient will become. However, the situations are contrary in a small angle of attack. The periodic morphing of the trailing edge with small amplitude and high frequency can increase the lift coefficient after the stall angle. Practical implications The investigation can afford accurate aerodynamic information for the design of aircraft with the morphing wing technology, which has significant advantages in aerodynamic efficiency and control performance. Originality/value The dynamic effects of the deflection process of the morphing trailing edge on aerodynamics were studied. Furthermore, time-accurate solutions can fully explore the unsteady aerodynamics and pressure distribution of the morphing wing.
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Communier, David, Franck Le Besnerais, Ruxandra Mihaela Botez, and Tony Wong. "Design, Manufacturing, and Testing of a New Concept for a Morphing Leading Edge using a Subsonic Blow Down Wind Tunnel." Biomimetics 4, no. 4 (2019): 76. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics4040076.
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This paper presents the design and wind tunnel test results of a wing including a morphing leading edge for a medium unmanned aerial vehicle with a maximum wingspan of 5 m. The design of the morphing leading edge system is part of research on the design of a morphing camber system. The concept presented here has the advantage of being simple to manufacture (wooden construction) and light for the structure of the wing (compliance mechanism). The morphing leading edge prototype demonstrates the possibility of modifying the stall angle of the wing. In addition, the modification of the stall angle is performed without affecting the slope of the lift coefficient. This prototype is designed to validate the functionality of the deformation method applied to the leading edge of the wing. The mechanism can be further optimized in terms of shape and material to obtain a greater deformation of the leading edge, and, thus, to have a higher impact on the increase of the stall angle than the first prototype of the morphing leading edge presented in this paper.
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Kan, Zi, Daochun Li, Shiwei Zhao, Jinwu Xiang, and Enlai Sha. "Aeroacoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of a morphing airfoil." Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology 93, no. 5 (2021): 888–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/aeat-11-2020-0263.
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Purpose This paper aims to assess the aeroacoustic and aerodynamic performance of a morphing airfoil with a flexible trailing edge (FTE). The objective is to make a comparison of the aerodynamic noise characteristics between the conventional airfoil with a flap and morphing airfoil and analyse the noise reduction mechanisms of the morphing airfoil. Design/methodology/approach The computational fluid dynamic method was used to calculate the aerodynamic coefficients of morphing airfoil and the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawking’s acoustic analogy methods were performed to predict the far-field noise of different airfoils. Findings Results show that compared with the conventional airfoil, the morphing airfoil can generate higher lift and lower noise, but a greater drag. Additionally, the noise caused by the one-unit lift of the morphing airfoil is significantly lower than that of the conventional airfoil. For the morphing airfoil, the shedding vortex in the trailing edge was the main noise resource. As the angle of attack (AoA) increases, the overall sound pressure level of the morphing airfoil increases significantly. With the increase of the trailing edge deflection angle, the amplitude and the period of sound pressure of the morning airfoil fluctuation increase. Practical implications Presented results could be very useful during designing the morphing airfoil with FTE, which has significant advantages in aerodynamic efficiency and aeroacoustic performance. Originality/value This paper presents the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of the morphing airfoil. The effect of trailing edge deflection angle and AoA on morphing airfoil was investigated. In the future, using a morphing airfoil instead of a traditional flap can reduce the aircraft`s fuel consumption and noise pollution.
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Cheng, Gui, Tianrui Ma, Jun Yang, Nan Chang, and Xiang Zhou. "Design and Experiment of a Seamless Morphing Trailing Edge." Aerospace 10, no. 3 (2023): 282. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10030282.
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Morphing trailing edge wing as an important morphing wing technology has gained wide attention because of its advantages, such as gust mitigation, improved aerodynamic efficiency, and reduced radar reflective area. However, the key problems such as low load carrying capacity and insufficient smooth deformation profile are still not solved in a balanced manner. The purpose of this paper is to design a seamless morphing trailing edge structure that has good load bearing capacity and can realize a chord-wise camber variation with a smooth contour subjected to the required aerodynamic load. In this paper, an innovative seamless trailing edge structure is proposed, and the critical dimensions and parameters are designed through a parametric study based on the 2D and 3D finite element models of the trailing edge structure. A physical prototype was designed and fabricated for deformation and load-bearing experiments. The finite element simulation and experimental results show that the morphing trailing edge can carry a 0.015 MPa aerodynamic load and realize the ±15° smooth camber change. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness and potential of the proposed morphing trailing edge concept for the real application on aircrafts.
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Sodja, Jurij, Marcias J. Martinez, John C. Simpson, and Roeland De Breuker. "Experimental evaluation of a morphing leading edge concept." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 30, no. 18-19 (2019): 2953–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x19862369.
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This article presents an experimental evaluation of a morphing leading edge demonstrator by investigating its morphed shape, the level of induced strains in the airfoil skin, the actuation force, and the morphing mechanism’s capability to lock and transfer the applied loads. In addition, a finite element model of the demonstrator is assembled comprising an elastic morphing skin and a kinematic morphing mechanism. The obtained results are used to assess whether the demonstrator performs according to the design objectives, such as the target shape, the character of the morphing deformation and the morphing mechanism locking, applied during the design process. The comparison between experimental and numerical results yielded a good agreement in terms of observed morphed shape and pertaining strains. The average difference in morphed shape was less than 0.08% chord at the maximum actuator extension. The observed difference in the respective strains was less than 400 micro-strains. A significant difference, up to 70%, was observed in the actuation force, which was attributed to the modelling assumptions and to the force measurement technique employed in the experiment. Nevertheless, both results show good qualitative agreement showing similar trends.
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Kabir, A., A. S. M. Al-Obaidi, and F. W. Y. Myan. "Review and aerodynamic analysis of NACA 2415 morphing wing for variable span and scale morphing concepts using CFD analysis." Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2523, no. 1 (2023): 012033. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2523/1/012033.
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Abstract Morphing wings made a significant advancement in aircraft engineering by improving aerodynamic performance for better fuel efficiency and are still under research. This paper reviewed and investigated some morphing wing types including the variable sweep, trailing edge, leading edge, variable span, variable chord, or scale, and airfoil morphing among others. Based on the review, two types of morphing wings were chosen for detailed investigation, and they were variable span and variable scale. Each morphing concept from the selected morphing wing types was implemented in airfoil wing configuration for aerodynamic performance analysis. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation is used to design and analyse morphing wing configurations of the chosen morphing concepts. In this research, two CFD analyses were investigated based on wing configuration; each consists of chosen morphing concept. Before the main CFD simulation of morphing wing analysis, CFD analysis of reference data of a typical NACA 2415 airfoil was verified. The lift coefficient of the morphing wing obtained from CFD analysis was compared with the unmorphed NACA airfoil wing to evaluate the morphing wing’s aerodynamic performance. It is concluded that there is an improvement in lift coefficients using the morphing concept cases, showing improved aerodynamic performance.
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Zhou, Jin, and Shiwei Zhao. "Optimal design of watt six-bar transmission mechanism for morphing trailing edge." E3S Web of Conferences 268 (2021): 01077. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202126801077.
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The morphing trailing edge could realize a continuous smooth deformation compared with conventional trailing edge, which effectively improves the aerodynamic performance. In this paper, a multi-step optimization design of watt six-bar transmission mechanism for morphing trailing edge is proposed. In the first optimization stage, the most effective aerodynamic shape and bar position in the middle of the morphing trailing edge is determined. In the second optimization stage, a watt six link transmission mechanism is proposed by using genetic algorithm to match the optimal shape from the first optimization stage. Result shows that the optimal design could achieve the determined aerodynamic shape in the first optimization stage perfectly.
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Takahashi, Hiroki, Tomohiro Yokozeki, and Yoshiyasu Hirano. "Development of variable camber wing with morphing leading and trailing sections using corrugated structures." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 27, no. 20 (2016): 2827–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x16642298.
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This article describes the development of variable camber morphing wing, which is mainly composed of corrugated structures. The morphing wing with both leading edge and trailing edge morphing sections is proposed and the prototype model is designed by consideration of finite element structural analysis with actuation mechanisms and aerodynamic analysis. Through wind tunnel experiment with the manufactured prototype model, smooth actuation without harmful deformation under 20 m/s airflow is demonstrated. The observed deformation shape is well correlated with simulated shape by analysis. Thereby, the feasibility of the present morphing wing mechanism and design process are verified.
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Jia, Sijia, Zhenkai Zhang, Haibo Zhang, Chen Song, and Chao Yang. "Wind Tunnel Tests of 3D-Printed Variable Camber Morphing Wing." Aerospace 9, no. 11 (2022): 699. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9110699.
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This paper introduces the realization and wind tunnel testing of a novel variable camber wing equipped with compliant morphing trailing edges. Based on the aerodynamic shape and compliant mechanisms that were optimized in advance, a wind tunnel model called mTE4 was developed, in which the rigid leading edge, rigid wing box, and compliant trailing edge were manufactured by 3D printing technology using three different materials. Due to difficulties in the detailed design of a small-scale model, special attention is devoted to the implementation procedure. Additionally, the static and dynamic characteristics of the proposed wind tunnel model were evaluated by ground tests, and the aerodynamic characteristics were evaluated by numerical methods. Then, the aerodynamic performance and the static aeroelastic deformation of the compliant trailing edge were investigated in a low-speed wind tunnel. The load-bearing ability of the proposed compliant morphing trailing edge device was validated and the continuous outer mold surface was found to persist throughout the entire testing period. Notably, a maximum deflection range of 37.9° at the airspeed of 15 m/s was achieved. Additionally, stall mitigation was also achieved by periodically deflecting the morphing trailing edge, enabling a stall angle delay of approximately 1° and 13% increase in post-stall lift coefficient. Finally, the development procedure was validated by comparing the lift between numerical and experimental results.
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Wang, C., H. Haddad Khodaparast, MI Friswell, et al. "Conceptual-level evaluation of a variable stiffness skin for a morphing wing leading edge." Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering 233, no. 15 (2019): 5703–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0954410019855576.
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A morphing leading edge produces a continuous aerodynamic surface that has no gaps between the moving and fixed parts. The continuous seamless shape has the potential to reduce drag, compared to conventional devices, such as slats that produce a discrete aerofoil shape change. However, the morphing leading edge has to achieve the required target shape by deforming from the baseline shape under the aerodynamic loads. In this paper, a conceptual-level method is proposed to evaluate the morphing leading edge structure. The feasibility of the skin design is validated by checking the failure index of the composite when the morphing leading edge undergoes the shape change. The stiffness of the morphing leading edge skin is spatially varied using variable lamina angles, and comparisons to the skin with constant stiffness are made to highlight its potential to reduce the actuation forces. The structural analysis is performed using a two-level structural optimisation scheme. The first level optimisation is applied to find the optimised structural properties of the leading edge skin and the associated actuation forces. The structural properties of the skin are given as a stiffness distribution, which is controlled by a B spline interpolation function. In the second level, the design solution of the skin is investigated. The skin is assumed to be made of variable stiffness composite. The stack sequence of the composite is optimised element-by-element to match the target stiffness. A failure criterion is employed to obtain the failure index when the leading edge is actuated from the baseline shape to the target shape. Test cases are given to demonstrate that the optimisation scheme is able to provide the stiffness distribution of the leading edge skin and the actuation forces can be reduced by using a spatially variable stiffness skin.
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Huang, Doudou, and Louis Gagnon. "Relying on Dynamically Morphing Blades to Increase the Efficiency of a Cycloidal Rotor." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1226, no. 1 (2022): 012014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1226/1/012014.
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Abstract The configuration of the airfoil has a significant impact on its aerodynamic performance. This paper aims to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the cycloidal rotor system by using dynamically morphing blades. Three different camber morphing concepts (leading edge deflection, trailing edge deformation and cambered NACA profile) have been applied to a baseline 2-bladed system with rotating and pitching NACA0015 aerofoils. Then, based on these camber concepts, 2D URANS numerical simulations were conducted for blades with different morphing degrees using OpenFOAM. The simulation results verified that the flow field condition could be optimized and significantly higher thrust and efficiency could be achieved by properly tuning the morphing control. Especially, in the case of 10% trailing edge camber and 16% NACA camber, compared with baseline case, 28.1% and 43.5% higher figure of merit values were obtained, respectively. The simulation files and the results for the last rotor revolution of each case presented in this paper are available in the following dataset: https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-2191.
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Lendraitis, Martynas. "Investigation of performance gains on a sailplane with morphing wing trailing edge." Mechanics 25, no. 4 (2019): 299–303. http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.25.4.22325.
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Increasing the performance of a modern sailplane is challenging. Most of the known valid approaches have already been applied in practice. Morphing technology, which could allow to adapt to various flight stages is yet to be applied. An investigation of possible flight performance benefits of such technology is carried out here. Using a genetic algorithm, a morphing trailing edge flap for airfoil HQ-17 is formed for -4° and +12° flap deflections. The performance is evaluated and compared with a regular flap, which shows that for the HQ-17 airfoil, drag could be reduced by up to 36% in comparison with regular flap. To show the advantage of morphing flaps, a hypothetical sailplane wing is modeled and evaluated with morphing and conventional flaps using non-linear LLT method. Results show that incorporation of a morphing flap could extend the flight envelope and increase the L/D ratio by 2-5% trough the full flight speed range.
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Bashir, Musavir, Simon Longtin-Martel, Nicola Zonzini, Ruxandra Mihaela Botez, Alessandro Ceruti, and Tony Wong. "Optimization and Design of a Flexible Droop Nose Leading Edge Morphing Wing Based on a Novel Black Widow Optimization (B.W.O.) Algorithm—Part II." Designs 6, no. 6 (2022): 102. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/designs6060102.
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This work presents an aerodynamic and structural optimization for a Droop Nose Leading Edge Morphing airfoil as a high lift device for the UAS-S45. The results were obtained using three optimization algorithms: coupled Particle Swarm Optimization-Pattern Search, Genetic Algorithm, and Black Widow Optimization algorithm. The lift-to-drag ratio was used as the fitness function, and the impact of the choice of optimization algorithm selection on the fitness function was evaluated. The optimization was carried out at various Mach numbers of 0.08, 0.1, and 0.15, respectively, and at the cruise and take-off flight conditions. All these optimization algorithms obtained effectively comparable lift-to-drag ratio results with differences of less than 0.03% and similar airfoil geometries and pressure distributions. In addition, an unsteady analysis of a Variable Morphing Leading Edge airfoil with a dynamic meshing scheme was carried out to study its flow behaviour at different angles of attack and the feasibility of leading-edge downward deflection as a stall control mechanism. The numerical results showed that the variable morphing leading edge reduces the flow separation areas over an airfoil and increases the stall angle of attack. Furthermore, a preliminary investigation was conducted into the design and sensitivity analysis of a morphing leading-edge structure of the UAS-S45 wing integrated with an internal actuation mechanism. The correlation and determination matrices were computed for the composite wing geometry for sensitivity analysis to obtain the parameters with the highest correlation coefficients. The parameters include the composite material qualities, thickness, ply angles, and the ply stacking sequence. These findings can be utilized to design the flexible skin optimization framework, obtain the target droop nose deflections for the morphing leading edge, and design an improved model.
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Shi, Xintong, Yu Yang, Zhigang Wang, Sheng Zhang, Xiasheng Sun, and Wei Feng. "Design and Shape Monitoring of a Morphing Wing Trailing Edge." Aerospace 10, no. 2 (2023): 127. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10020127.
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The morphing wing trailing edge is an attractive aviation structure due to its shape-adaptive ability, which can effectively improve the aerodynamic performance of an aircraft throughout the whole flight. In this paper, a mechanical solution for a variable camber trailing edge (VCTE) based on a multi-block rotating rib is proposed. Parametric optimizations are conducted to achieve the smooth and continuous deformation of the morphing rib. A prototype is designed according to the optimized results. In addition, the deformations of the trailing edge are monitored via an indirect method using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor beam. Finally, ground tests are performed to investigate the morphing capacity of the VCTE and the shape monitoring ability of the proposed method. Our results indicate that a maximum deflection range from 5° upward to 15° downward can be obtained for the VCTE and the indirect sensing system can satisfactorily monitor the deformation of the trailing edge.
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Themistokleous, Charalampos, Nikolaos-Grigorios Markatos, John Prospathopoulos, Vasilis Riziotis, Giorgos Sieros, and George Papadakis. "A High-Lift Optimization Methodology for the Design of Leading and Trailing Edges on Morphing Wings." Applied Sciences 11, no. 6 (2021): 2822. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11062822.
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Morphing offers an attractive alternative compared to conventional hinged, multi-element high lift devices. In the present work, morphed shapes of a NACA 64A010 airfoil are optimized for maximum lift characteristics. Deformed shapes of the leading and trailing edge are represented through Bezier curves derived from locally defined control points. The optimization process employs the fast Foil2w in-house viscous-inviscid interaction solver for the calculation of aerodynamic characteristics. Transitional flow results indicate that combined leading and trailing edge morphing may increase maximum lift in the order of 100%. A 60–80% increase is achieved when morphing is applied to leading edge only—the so-called droop nose—while a 45% increase is obtained with trailing edge morphing. Out of the stochastic optimization algorithms tested, the Genetic Algorithm, the Evolution Strategies, and the Particle Swarm Optimizer, the latter performs best. It produces the designs of maximum lift increase with the lowest computational cost. For the optimum morphed designs, verification simulations using the high fidelity MaPFlow CFD solver ensure that the high lift requirements set by the optimization process are met. Although the deformed droop nose increases drag, the aerodynamic performance is improved ensuring the overall effectiveness of the airfoil design during take-off and landing.
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Abdessemed, Chawki, Abdessalem Bouferrouk, and Yufeng Yao. "Effects of an Unsteady Morphing Wing with Seamless Side-Edge Transition on Aerodynamic Performance." Energies 15, no. 3 (2022): 1093. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en15031093.
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This paper presents an unsteady flow analysis of a 3D wing with a morphing trailing edge flap (TEF) and a seamless side-edge transition between the morphed and static parts of a wing by introducing an unsteady parametrization method. First, a 3D steady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) analysis of a statically morphed TEF with seamless transition is performed and the results are compared with both a baseline clean wing and a wing with a traditional hinged flap configuration at a Reynolds number of 0.7 × 106 for a range of angles of attack (AoA), from 4° to 15°. This study extends some previous published work by examining the inherent unsteady 3D effects due to the presence of the seamless transition. It is found that in the pre-stall regime, the statically morphed wing produces a maximum of a 22% higher lift and a near constant drag reduction of 25% compared with the hinged flap wing, resulting in up to 40% enhancement in the aerodynamic efficiency (i.e., lift/drag ratio). Second, unsteady flow analysis of the dynamically morphing TEF with seamless flap side-edge transition is performed to provide further insights into the dynamic lift and drag forces during the flap motions at three pre-defined morphing frequencies of 4 Hz, 6 Hz, and 8 Hz, respectively. Results have shown that an initially large overshoot in the drag coefficient is observed due to unsteady flow effects induced by the dynamically morphing wing; the overshoot is proportional to the morphing frequency which indicates the need to account for dynamic morphing effects in the design phase of a morphing wing.
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Negahban, Mir Hossein, Alexandre Hallonet, Marie Noupoussi Woumeni, Constance Nguyen, and Ruxandra Mihaela Botez. "Structural and Topological Optimization of a Novel Elephant Trunk Mechanism for Morphing Wing Applications." Aerospace 12, no. 5 (2025): 381. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12050381.
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A novel mechanism for seamless morphing trailing edge flaps is presented in this paper. This bio-inspired morphing concept is derived from an elephant’s trunk and is called the Elephant Trunk Mechanism (ETM). The structural flexibility of an elephant’s trunk and its ability to perform various types of deformations make it a promising choice in morphing technology for increasing the performance of continuous and smooth downward bending deformation at a trailing edge. This mechanism consists of a number of tooth-like elements attached to a solid wing box; the contractions of these tooth-like elements by external actuation forces change the trailing edge shape in the downwards direction. The main actuation forces are applied through wire ropes passing through tooth-like elements to generate the desired contractions on the flexible teeth. A static structural analysis using the Finite Element Method (FEM) is performed to examine this novel morphing concept and ensure its structural feasibility and stability. Topology optimization is also performed to find the optimum configuration with the objective of reducing the structural weight. The optimized mechanism is then attached to the flap section of a UAS-S45 wing. Finally, a skin analysis is performed to find its optimum skin material, which corresponds to the requirements of the morphing flap. The results of structural analysis and topology optimization reveal the reliability and stability of the proposed mechanism for application in the Seamless Morphing Trailing Edge (SMTE) flap. The optimization results led to significant improvements in the structural parameters, in addition to the desired weight reduction. The ETM maximum vertical displacement increased by 8.6%, while the von Mises stress decreased by 10.43%. Furthermore, the factor of safety improved from 1.3 to 1.5, thus indicating a safer design. The mass of the structure was reduced by 35.5%, achieving the primary goal of topology optimization.
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Viola, Ignazio Maria, Gabriele Pisetta, Weidong Dai, Abel Arredondo-Galeana, Anna Young, and Amanda Smyth. "Morphing Blades." International Marine Energy Journal 5, no. 2 (2022): 183–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.36688/imej.5.183-193.
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Tidal turbines experience large load fluctuations due to the unsteady environment and the shear in the tidal flow. Mitigating these fluctuations without affecting the mean load would result in lower capital and operational costs. In this paper we discuss how this could be achieved through blades that passively and elastically adapt their camber and angle of attack to counteract unsteady flow conditions. Firstly, we discuss the underlying principles of unsteady thrust mitigation. We show that complete cancellation of the thrust fluctuations would be possible if every blade section could pitch passively and independently of neighbouring sections. Secondly, we provide proof of principle for two practical implementations through physical experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations. We consider a blade that is rigid near the leading edge and flexible near the trailing edge. We show that the unsteady load mitigation is proportional to the ratio between the length of the flexible and rigid parts of the blade. For example, for a blade section where the flexibility is concentrated in a hinge at 3/4 of the chord, the amplitude of the fluctuations is 3/4 of the original amplitude. Secondly, we consider a solid, rigid blade with a passive pitch mechanism. We show that, for a 1 MW turbine operating in shear flow, more than 80% of the unsteady loading is mitigated. These results demonstrate the potential effectiveness of morphing blades for mitigating thrust fluctuations on tidal turbines.
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Wang, Yuanjing, Pengxuan Lei, Binbin Lv, Yuchen Li, and Hongtao Guo. "Study on Fluid–Structure Interaction of a Camber Morphing Wing." Vibration 6, no. 4 (2023): 1060–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vibration6040062.
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The influence of trailing edge deformation on the aerodynamic characteristics of camber morphing wings is an important topic in the aviation field. In this paper, a new memory alloy actuator is proposed to realize trailing edge deformation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel experiments are used to study the influence of trailing edge deformation on the aerodynamic characteristics of the camber morphing wings. The experiments was carried out in a transonic wind tunnel with Mach numbers ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 and angles of attack ranging from 0° to 6°. The external flow fields and aerodynamic force coefficients with and without deformation were calculated using the CFD method. A loose coupled method based on data exchange was used to achieve a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis. The research results indicate that when the trailing edge is deflected downwards, the phenomenon of shock wave forward movement reduces the negative pressure area on the upper wing surface, increases the pressure on the lower wing surface, and ultimately increases the total lift. This work provides a new approach for the implementation of trailing edge deformation and a powerful data reference for the design of camber morphing wings.
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Wang, Zhigang, and Yu Yang. "Design of a Variable-Stiffness Compliant Skin for a Morphing Leading Edge." Applied Sciences 11, no. 7 (2021): 3165. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11073165.
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A seamless and smooth morphing leading edge has remarkable potential for noise abatement and drag reduction of civil aircraft. Variable-stiffness compliant skin based on tailored composite laminate is a concept with great potential for morphing leading edge, but the currently proposed methods have difficulty in taking the manufacturing constraints or layup sequence into account during the optimization process. This paper proposes an innovative two-step design method for a variable-stiffness compliant skin of a morphing leading edge, which includes layup optimization and layup adjustment. The combination of these two steps can not only improve the deformation accuracy of the final profile of the compliant skin but also easily and effectively determine the layup sequence of the composite layup. With the design framework, an optimization model is created for a variable-stiffness compliant skin, and an adjustment method for its layups is presented. Finally, the deformed profiles between the directly optimized layups and the adjusted ones are compared to verify its morphing ability and accuracy. The final results demonstrate that the obtained deforming ability and accuracy are suitable for a large-scale aircraft wing.
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Jodin, Gurvan, Johannes Scheller, Eric Duhayon, Jean François Rouchon, and Marianna Braza. "Implementation of a Hybrid Electro-Active Actuated Morphing Wing in Wind Tunnel." Solid State Phenomena 260 (July 2017): 85–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/ssp.260.85.
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Amongst current aircraft research topics, morphing wing is of great interest for improving the aerodynamic performance. A morphing wing prototype has been designed for wind tunnel experiments. The rear part of the wing - corresponding to the retracted flap - is actuated via a hybrid actuation system using both low frequency camber control and a high frequency vibrating trailing edge. The camber is modified via surface embedded shape memory alloys. The trailing edge vibrates thanks to piezoelectric macro-fiber composites. The actuated camber, amplitude and frequency ranges are characterized. To accurately control the camber, six independent shape memory alloy wires are controlled through nested closed-loops. A significant reduction in power consumption is possible via this control strategy. The effects on flow via morphing have been measured during wind tunnel experiments. This low scale mock-up aims to demonstrate the hybrid morphing concept, according to actuator capabilities point of view as well as aerodynamic performance.
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Mounir Nour-Allah Kouchlef and Shen Xing. "Development of a fishbone camber morphing airfoil actuated by SMA wires." International Journal of Science and Research Archive 12, no. 2 (2024): 800–808. http://dx.doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2024.12.1.0900.
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This paper investigates the design and aerodynamic efficiency of a bio-inspired variable camber morphing airfoil featuring NACA0012 ribs with a deformable fishbone trailing edge. The deformation mechanism uses smart memory alloy wires arranged on the ribs to deflect the trailing edge upwards or downwards based on the set of wires actuated. Experimental validation of the designed system demonstrates two distinct angles up to 30 degrees. Subsequent aerodynamic investigations were conducted to compare the performance of the morphing trailing edge concept with conventional flap configurations. Results indicate a notable aerodynamic efficiency, surpassing conventional flap designs by more than double at a deflection angle equal to 24 degrees.
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Pecora, R., M. Magnifico, F. Amoroso, and E. Monaco. "Multi-parametric flutter analysis of a morphing wing trailing edge." Aeronautical Journal 118, no. 1207 (2014): 1063–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s000192400000974x.
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Abstract The development of adaptive morphing wings has been individuated as one of the crucial topics in the greening of the next generation air transport. Research programs are currently running worldwide to exploit the potentiality of morphing concepts in the optimisation of aircraft efficiency and in the consequent reduction of fuel burn. Among these, SARISTU represents the largest European funded research project which ambitiously addresses the challenges posed by the physical integration of smart concepts in real aircraft structures; for the first time ever, SARISTU will experimentally demonstrate the structural feasibility of individual morphing concepts concerning the leading edge, the trailing edge and the winglet on a full-size outer wing belonging to a CS-25 category aircraft. In such framework, the authors intensively worked on the definition of aeroelastically stable configurations for a morphing wing trailing edge driven by conventional electromechanical actuators. Trade off aeroelastic analyses were performed in compliance with CS-25 airworthiness requirements (paragraph 25.629, parts (a) and (b)-(1)) in order to define safety ranges for trailing-edge inertial and stiffness distributions as well as for its control harmonics. Rational approaches were implemented in order to simulate the effects induced by variations of trailing-edge actuators’ stiffness on the aeroelastic behaviour of the wing also in correspondence of different dynamic properties of the trailing-edge component. Reliable aeroelastic models and advanced computational strategies were properly implemented to enable fast flutter analyses covering several configuration cases in terms of structural system parameters. Already available finite elements models were processed in MSC-NASTRAN® environment to evaluate stiffness and inertial distributions suitable for the stick-equivalent idealisation of the reference structure. A parametric stick-equivalent model of the reference structure was then generated in SANDY3.0, an in-house developed code, that was used for the definition of the coupled aero-structural model as well as for the solution of aeroelastic stability equations by means of theoretical modes association in frequency domain. Obtained results were finally arranged in stability carpet plots efficiently conceived to provide guidelines for the preliminary design of the morphing trailing-edge structure and therein embedded actuators.
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NEGAHBAN, Mir Hossein, and Ruxandra Mihaela BOTEZ. "Comparison of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Morphing and Conventional Wings." INCAS BULLETIN 17, no. 2 (2025): 47–58. https://doi.org/10.13111/2066-8201.2025.17.2.5.
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The present research investigates the advantages of a morphing versus a hinged flap. The morphing wing model is equipped with a morphing trailing edge, while the conventional wing has a hinged flap system. The aerodynamic and fight dynamics characteristics of both wings are evaluated, and a comparison is drawn to find out how the morphing wing enhances the flight performance in cruise flight conditions in terms of flight range increase. For this purpose, gradient-based aerodynamic optimization is performed to find the ideal configuration of a morphing flap in a cruise flight with the objective of increasing flight range. Finally, the aerodynamic characteristics of optimized morphing and hinged wings are compared, including aerodynamic loads, efficiency, turbulence, and flight range. The findings showed that the morphing wing extended the flight range by 18% in comparison to the hinged wing configuration.
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Klimczyk, Witold Artur, and Zdobyslaw Jan Goraj. "Analysis and optimization of morphing wing aerodynamics." Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology 91, no. 3 (2019): 538–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/aeat-12-2017-0289.
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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a method for analysis and optimization of morphing wing. Moreover, a numerical advantage of morphing airfoil wing, typically assessed in simplified two-dimensional analysis is found using higher fidelity methods.Design/methodology/approachBecause of multi-point nature of morphing wing optimization, an approach for optimization by analysis is presented. Starting from naïve parametrization, multi-fidelity aerodynamic data are used to construct response surface model. From the model, many significant information are extracted related to parameters effect on objective; hence, design sensitivity and, ultimately, optimal solution can be found.FindingsThe method was tested on benchmark problem, with some easy-to-predict results. All of them were confirmed, along with additional information on morphing trailing edge wings. It was found that wing with morphing trailing edge has around 10 per cent lower drag for the same lift requirement when compared to conventional design.Practical implicationsIt is demonstrated that providing a smooth surface on wing gives substantial improvement in multi-purpose aircrafts. Details on how this is achieved are described. The metodology and results presented in current paper can be used in further development of morphing wing.Originality/valueMost of literature describing morphing airfoil design, optimization or calculations, performs only 2D analysis. Furthermore, the comparison is often based on low-fidelity aerodynamic models. This paper uses 3D, multi-fidelity aerodynamic models. The results confirm that this approach reveals information unavailable with simplified models.
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Neogi, Ishan, Vardhan Niral Shah, Pragalbh Dev Singh, and Vaibhav Joshi. "Propulsion of a combined heaving and trailing-edge morphing foil for bio-inspired applications." Physics of Fluids 35, no. 4 (2023): 043610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0145443.
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Locomotion of aquatic animals involves flapping of their body to generate lift and thrust. Through evolution, they have mastered their ability to move through complex environments in an energy-efficient manner. A crucial component of this movement is the ability to actively bend their bodies to generate maximum thrust. This motion is widely termed as morphing. A simplification of this motion is implemented for a foil in this study to realize a thrust-generating bio-inspired device. The propulsive performance of the heaving foil undergoing a prescribed trailing-edge morphing is numerically studied by a stabilized finite element moving mesh formulation. The effects of the morph position and amplitude on the flow dynamics and propulsion of the foil are investigated in the present work. The position of trailing-edge morphing varies from the leading edge to half of the foil's chord, whereas the morph amplitude varies from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] at the trailing edge. The instantaneous thrust is analyzed with vorticity plots and surface pressure diagrams. Within the parametric space, it is found that the foil is highly efficient in generating propulsive forces at high morph amplitudes and low morph positions. The interplay between the thrust-generating leading-edge vortex (LEV) and the drag-inducing trailing-edge vortex (TEV), which governs the thrust cycle of a morphing–heaving foil, is elucidated. It is observed that the LEV-induced thrust is higher at low morph positions, while the TEV-induced drag is dominant at high morph amplitudes. An ideal balance of these opposing effects of LEV and TEV occurs at the lowest morph position and intermediate morph amplitudes, emphasizing the optimal flexibility for the maximum propulsive performance of the foil.
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Ameduri, Salvatore. "A SMA Based Morphing Leading Edge Architecture." Advanced Materials Research 1016 (August 2014): 383–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.1016.383.
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This paper analyses a morphing leading edge device, activated by a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator. The objective is to achieve the Droop Nose effect for particular phases of the flight (e.g. take-off, landing), both obtaining an increased lift and preserving the laminar flow. The device is constituted of: a kinematic chain at the level of the wing section, transmitting motion to the skin, this way fitting the Droop Nose target shape; a span-wise architecture integrated with a SMA actuator, ensuring both a reduction of the actuation forces and the balancing of the aerodynamic external load. A dedicated logical framework was adopted for the design, taking into account the SMA material features and the device intrinsic non-linearity. The framework was integrated within an optimization genetic algorithm, to fit the target shape with an appropriate architecture topology. The optimized system proved to produce the desired morphing, also under the most severe aerodynamic loads.
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De Gaspari, Alessandro, and Frédéric Moens. "Aerodynamic Shape Design and Validation of an Advanced High-Lift Device for a Regional Aircraft with Morphing Droop Nose." International Journal of Aerospace Engineering 2019 (March 27, 2019): 1–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/7982168.
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In the present work, the aerodynamic shape design of an advanced high-lift system for a natural laminar flow (NLF) wing, based on the combination of a morphing droop nose and a single slot trailing edge flap, is presented. The paper presents both the aerodynamic design and optimization of the NLF wing and the high-lift configuration considering the mutual effects of both flap devices. Concerning the morphing droop nose (DN), after defining the parameterization techniques adopted to describe the geometry in terms of morphing shape and flap settings, the external configuration is obtained by an aerodynamic shape optimization procedure able to meet geometrical constraints and the skin structural requirements due to the morphing. The final performance assessment of the three-dimensional high-lift configurations is performed by high-fidelity aerodynamic analyses. The design procedure is applied to a twin-prop regional aircraft equipped with a natural laminar flow wing. The morphing droop nose is compatible with an NLF wing that requires the continuity of the skin and, at the same time, extends the possibilities to improve the performances of the class of regional aircraft which usually are not equipped with conventional leading edge devices. Additionally, the morphing technology applied to the flap allows the design of a tracking system fully integrated inside the airfoil geometry, leading to a solution without external fairings and so with no extra friction drag penalty for the aircraft.
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Jensen, Peter Dørffler Ladegaard, Fengwen Wang, Ignazio Dimino, and Ole Sigmund. "Topology Optimization of Large-Scale 3D Morphing Wing Structures." Actuators 10, no. 9 (2021): 217. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/act10090217.
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This work proposes a systematic topology optimization approach for simultaneously designing the morphing functionality and actuation in three-dimensional wing structures. The actuation was modeled by a linear-strain-based expansion in the actuation material. A three-phase material model was employed to represent structural and actuating materials and voids. To ensure both structural stiffness with respect to aerodynamic loading and morphing capabilities, the optimization problem was formulated to minimize structural compliance, while the morphing functionality was enforced by constraining a morphing error between the actual and target wing shape. Moreover, a feature-mapping approach was utilized to constrain and simplify the actuator geometries. A trailing edge wing section was designed to validate the proposed optimization approach. Numerical results demonstrated that three-dimensional optimized wing sections utilize a more advanced structural layout to enhance structural performance while keeping the morphing functionality better than two-dimensional wing ribs. The work presents the first step towards the systematic design of three-dimensional morphing wing sections.
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Magrini, Andrea, Ernesto Benini, Rita Ponza, et al. "Comparison of Constrained Parameterisation Strategies for Aerodynamic Optimisation of Morphing Leading Edge Airfoil." Aerospace 6, no. 3 (2019): 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6030031.
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In the context of ambitious targets for reducing environmental impact in the aviation sector, dictated by international institutions, morphing aircraft are expected to have potential for achieving the required efficiency increases. However, there are still open issues related to the design and implementation of deformable structures. In this paper, we compare three constrained parameterisation strategies for the aerodynamic design of a morphing leading edge, representing a potential substitute for traditional high-lift systems. In order to facilitate the structural design and promote the feasibility of solutions, we solve a multi-objective optimisation problem, including constraints on axial and bending strain introduced by morphing. A parameterisation method, inherently producing constant arc length curves, is employed in three variants, representing different morphing strategies which provide an increasing level of deformability, by allowing the lower edge of the flexible skin to slide and the gap formed with the fixed spar to be closed by a hatch. The results for the optimisation of a baseline airfoil show that the geometric constraints are effectively handled in the optimisation and the solutions are smooth, with a continuous variation along the Pareto frontier. The larger shape modification allowed by more flexible parameterisation variants enables an increase of the maximum lift coefficient up to 8.35%, and efficiency at 70% of stall incidence up to 4.26%.
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Kumar, Ravi, and Santanu Ghosh. "Aerodynamic Impacts of Convergent Slot Implementation on Hinged and Morphed NACA 0012 Airfoil Operating at a High Reynolds Number." Defence Science Journal 75, no. 1 (2025): 3–9. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.75.19883.
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Trailing-edge modifications on the NACA 0012 airfoil for lift enhancement are numerically investigated at a Reynolds number 4.58×106. Specifically, three variations in the trailing-edge geometry are tested: a hinged flap with hinge location at 70 % of chord, and two variations of continuous camber-morphed trailing edge: from 70 % chord to 100 % chord and from 70 % chord to 90 % chord. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent with Menter’s SST k-ω two-equation turbulence model. Predictions of aerodynamic characteristics reveal that the continuous morphing of trailing edge enhances lift generation and improves aerodynamic efficiency compared to the hinged flap. Further, for an angle of attack of 10o, it is shown that boundary-layer separation is less for both camber-morphed trailing-edge configurations compared to hinged flap configuration. The introduction of a convergent slot just upstream of the hinge/start-of-morphing location results in the elimination of flow separation in all cases, and improved aerodynamic efficiency, especially for the hinged-flap configuration.
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Kumar, Ravi, and Santanu Ghosh. "Aerodynamic Impacts of Convergent Slot Implementation on Hinged and Morphed NACA 0012 Airfoil Operating at a High Reynolds Number." Defence Science Journal 75, no. 1 (2025): 3–9. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.19883.
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Trailing-edge modifications on the NACA 0012 airfoil for lift enhancement are numerically investigated at a Reynolds number 4.58×106. Specifically, three variations in the trailing-edge geometry are tested: a hinged flap with hinge location at 70 % of chord, and two variations of continuous camber-morphed trailing edge: from 70 % chord to 100 % chord and from 70 % chord to 90 % chord. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent with Menter’s SST k-ω two-equation turbulence model. Predictions of aerodynamic characteristics reveal that the continuous morphing of trailing edge enhances lift generation and improves aerodynamic efficiency compared to the hinged flap. Further, for an angle of attack of 10o, it is shown that boundary-layer separation is less for both camber-morphed trailing-edge configurations compared to hinged flap configuration. The introduction of a convergent slot just upstream of the hinge/start-of-morphing location results in the elimination of flow separation in all cases, and improved aerodynamic efficiency, especially for the hinged-flap configuration.
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Rudenko, Anton, André Hannig, Hans Peter Monner, and Peter Horst. "Extremely deformable morphing leading edge: Optimization, design and structural testing." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 29, no. 5 (2017): 764–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x17721036.
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The future generation of high-lift devices needs to be improved to reduce the noise footprint and increase the performance for takeoff and landing of transport aircraft. To contribute to these goals, an active blown Coandă flap-based high-lift system is being investigated within the German national Collaborative Research Center 880 as an alternative to the state-of-the-art flaps. A key part of this system is an adaptive gapless droop nose with extremely large morphing deformation. The design and construction of this component are based on a structural optimization framework. The framework consists of two hierarchical design steps: an optimization of the hybrid composite skin layout with integral T-stringers, acting as joints to the inner actuation mechanism, and the kinematic optimization of the latter. A hybrid skin structure allows a large curvature to rupture in the morphing direction, while providing high stiffness in the transverse direction. This article describes a full-scale hybrid composite morphing droop nose and its structural tests. The results of these tests are finally compared to the finite element simulation and applied for validation of the optimization framework. A sensitivity analysis is provided to evaluate the influence of modelling and manufacturing uncertainties to the shape quality.
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Moens. "Augmented Aircraft Performance with the Use of Morphing Technology for a Turboprop Regional Aircraft Wing." Biomimetics 4, no. 3 (2019): 64. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics4030064.
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This article presents some application of the morphing technology for aerodynamic performance improvement of turboprop regional aircraft. It summarizes the results obtained in the framework of the Clean Sky 2 AIRGREEN2 program for the development and application of dedicated morphing devices for take-off and landing, and their uses in off design conditions. The wing of the reference aircraft configuration considers Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) characteristics. A deformable leading edge morphing device (“droop nose”) and a multi-functional segmented flap system have been considered. For the droop nose, the use of the deformable compliant structure was considered, as it allows a “clean” leading edge when not used, which is mandatory to keep natural laminar flow (NLF) properties at cruise. The use of a segmented flap makes it possible to avoid external flap track fairings, which will lead to performance improvement at cruise. An integrated tracking mechanism is used to set the flap at its take-off optimum setting, and, then, morphing is applied in order to obtain a high-performance level for landing. Lastly, some performance improvements can be obtained in climb conditions by using the last segment of the flap system to modify the load distribution on the wing in order to recover some extended laminar flow on the wing upper surface.
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Dharmdas, Alexsteven, Arun Y. Patil, Azar Baig, et al. "An Experimental and Simulation Study of the Active Camber Morphing Concept on Airfoils Using Bio-Inspired Structures." Biomimetics 8, no. 2 (2023): 251. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8020251.
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Birds are capable of morphing their wings across different flight modes and speeds to improve their aerodynamic performance. In light of this, the study aims to investigate a more optimized solution compared to conventional structural wing designs. The design challenges faced by the aviation industry today require innovative techniques to improve flight efficiency and minimize environmental impact. This study focuses on the aeroelastic impact validation of wing trailing edge morphing, which undergoes significant structural changes to enhance performance as per mission requirements. The approach to design-concept, modeling, and construction described in this study is generalizable and requires lightweight and actively deformable structures. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the aerodynamic efficiency of an innovative structural design and trailing edge morphing concept compared to conventional wing-flap configurations. The analysis revealed that the maximum displacement at a 30-degree deflection is 47.45 mm, while the maximum stress is 21 MPa. Considering that the yield strength of ABS material is 41.14 MPa, this kerf morphing structure, with a safety factor of 2.5, can withstand both structural and aerodynamic loads. The analysis results of the flap and morph configurations showed a 27% efficiency improvement, which was confirmed through the convergence criteria in ANSYS CFX.
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Ferrier, L., M. Vezza, and H. Zare-Behtash. "Improving the aerodynamic performance of a cycloidal rotor through active compliant morphing." Aeronautical Journal 121, no. 1241 (2017): 901–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aer.2017.34.
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ABSTRACTCycloidal rotors are a novel form of propulsion system that can be adapted to various forms of transport such as air and marine vehicles, with a geometrical design differing significantly from the conventional screw propeller. Research on cycloidal rotor design began in the early 1930s and has developed throughout the years to the point where such devices now operate as propulsion systems for various aerospace applications such as micro air vehicles, unmanned air vehicles and compound helicopters. The majority of research conducted on the cycloidal rotor’s aerodynamic performance have not assessed mitigating the dynamic stall effect, which can have a negative impact on the rotor performance when the blades operate in the rotor retreating side. A solution has been proposed to mitigate the dynamic stall effect through employment of active, compliant leading-edge morphing. A review of the current state of the art in this area is presented. A two-dimensional, implicit unsteady numerical analysis was conducted using the commercial computational fluid dynamics software package STAR CCM+, on a two-bladed cycloidal rotor. An overset mesh technique, otherwise known as a chimera mesh, was used to apply complex transient motions to the simulations. Active, compliant leading-edge morphing is applied to an oscillating NACA 0015 aerofoil to attempt to mitigate the dynamic stall whilst maintaining the positive dynamic lift coefficient (Cl) contributions. It was verified that by applying a pulsed input leading-edge rotational morphing schedule, the leading-edge vortex does not fully form and the large flow separation is prevented. Further work in this investigation will focus on coupling the active, leading-edge motion to the cycloidal rotor model with the aim to maximise aerodynamic performance.
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Lendraitis, Martynas, and Vaidas Lukoševičius. "Novel Approach of Airfoil Shape Representation Using Modified Finite Element Method for Morphing Trailing Edge." Mathematics 11, no. 9 (2023): 1986. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/math11091986.
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This study presents a novel approach to parameterize the geometry of a morphing trailing-edge flap that allows its aerodynamics to be optimized while capturing the expected structural behavior of the flap. This approach is based on the finite frame element method, whereby the initial flap surface is defined as a structure with constraints that are similar to those of a morphing flap with passive skin. The initial shape is modified by placing a series of distributed loads on the surface. The finite frame element method is modified with rigid rotation corrections to maintain the initial element length without requiring nonlinear calculations and to achieve accurate surface-length results by only solving the linear FEM equations twice. The proposed method enables the shape of the morphing flaps to be rapidly formulated while maintaining the initial upper surface-length and trailing-edge angle. The constraints are inherently integrated into the algorithm, eliminating the need for unnecessary feasibility checks during the aerodynamic optimization. By using the proposed airfoil parameterization method, a case study was conducted by using a genetic algorithm to optimize the lift-to-drag ratio of the NACA 23012 airfoil flap starting at 0.7c with 10 degrees of deflection. The optimizer resulted in a structurally feasible morphing flap that achieved a 10% increase in the lift-to-drag ratio in the optimized angle of attack range.
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Abdessemed, Chawki, Yufeng Yao, and Abdessalem Bouferrouk. "Near Stall Unsteady Flow Responses to Morphing Flap Deflections." Fluids 6, no. 5 (2021): 180. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/fluids6050180.
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The unsteady flow characteristics and responses of an NACA 0012 airfoil fitted with a bio-inspired morphing trailing edge flap (TEF) at near-stall angles of attack (AoA) undergoing downward deflections are investigated at a Reynolds number of 0.62 × 106 near stall. An unsteady geometric parametrization and a dynamic meshing scheme are used to drive the morphing motion. The objective is to determine the susceptibility of near-stall flow to a morphing actuation and the viability of rapid downward flap deflection as a control mechanism, including its effect on transient forces and flow field unsteadiness. The dynamic flow responses to downward deflections are studied for a range of morphing frequencies (at a fixed large amplitude), using a high-fidelity, hybrid RANS-LES model. The time histories of the lift and drag coefficient responses exhibit a proportional relationship between the morphing frequency and the slope of response at which these quantities evolve. Interestingly, an overshoot in the drag coefficient is captured, even in quasi-static conditions, however this is not seen in the lift coefficient. Qualitative analysis confirms that an airfoil in near stall conditions is receptive to morphing TEF deflections, and that some similarities triggering the stall exist between downward morphing TEFs and rapid ramp-up type pitching motions.
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De Gaspari, Alessandro, and Sergio Ricci. "Knowledge-Based Shape Optimization of Morphing Wing for More Efficient Aircraft." International Journal of Aerospace Engineering 2015 (2015): 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/325724.
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An optimization procedure for the shape design of morphing aircraft is presented. The process is coupled with a knowledge-based framework combining parametric geometry representation, multidisciplinary modelling, and genetic algorithm. The parameterization method exploits the implicit properties of the Bernstein polynomial least squares fitting to allow both local and global shape control. The framework is able to introduce morphing shape changes in a feasible way, taking into account the presence of structural parts, such as the wing-box, the physical behaviour of the morphing skins, and the effects that these modifications have on the aerodynamic performances. It inherits CAD capabilities of generating 3D deformed morphing shapes and it is able to automatically produce aerodynamic and structural models linked to the same parametric geometry. Dedicated crossover and mutation strategies are used to allow the parametric framework to be efficiently incorporated into the genetic algorithm. This procedure is applied to the shape design of Reference Aircraft (RA) and to the assessment of the potential benefits that morphing devices can bring in terms of aircraft performances. It is adopted for the design of a variable camber morphing wing to investigate the effect of conformal leading and trailing edge control surfaces. Results concerning four different morphing configurations are reported.
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Feraru, Mădălin-Dorin, Daniel Măriuța, Marius Stoia-Djeska, and Lucian-Teodor Grigorie. "Numerical Investigation of an NACA 13112 Morphing Airfoil." Biomimetics 9, no. 10 (2024): 635. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9100635.
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This article presents a numerical study on the 2D aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil with a morphed camber. The operational regime of the main rotor blade of the IAR 330 PUMA helicopter was encompassed in CFD simulations, performed over an angle of attack range of α=[−3°; 18°], and a Mach number of M=0.38. Various degrees of camber adjustment were smoothly implemented to the trailing-edge section of the NACA13112 airfoil, with a corresponding chord length of c=600 mm at the Reynolds number, Re=5.138×106, and the resulting changes in static lift and drag were calculated. The study examines the critical parameters that affect the configuration of the morphing airfoil, particularly the length of the trailing edge morphing. This analysis demonstrates that increasing the morphed camber near the trailing edge enhances lift capability and indicates that the maximum lift of the airfoil depends on the morphed chord length. The suggested approach demonstrates potential and can be implemented across various categories of aerodynamic structures, such as propeller blade sections, tails, or wings.
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Arena, Maurizio, Christof Nagel, Rosario Pecora, Oliver Schorsch, Antonio Concilio, and Ignazio Dimino. "Static and Dynamic Performance of a Morphing Trailing Edge Concept with High-Damping Elastomeric Skin." Aerospace 6, no. 2 (2019): 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6020022.
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Nature has many striking examples of adaptive structures: the emulation of birds’ flight is the true challenge of a morphing wing. The integration of increasingly innovative technologies, such as reliable kinematic mechanisms, embedded servo-actuation and smart materials systems, enables us to realize new structural systems fully compatible with the more and more stringent airworthiness requirements. In this paper, the authors describe the characterization of an adaptive structure, representative of a wing trailing edge, consisting of a finger-like rib mechanism with a highly deformable skin, which comprises both soft and stiff parts. The morphing skin is able to follow the trailing edge movement under repeated cycles, while being stiff enough to preserve its shape under aerodynamic loads and adequately pliable to minimize the actuation power required for morphing. In order to properly characterize the system, a mock-up was manufactured whose structural properties, in particular the ability to carry out loads, were also guaranteed by the elastic skin. A numerical sensitivity analysis with respect to the mechanical properties of the multi-segment skin was performed to investigate their influence on the modal response of the whole system. Experimental dynamic tests were then carried out and the obtained results were critically analysed to prove the adequacy of the adopted design approaches as well as to quantify the dissipative (high-damping) effects induced by the rubber foam on the dynamic response of the morphing architecture.
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Wu, R., C. Soutis, S. Zhong, and A. Filippone. "A morphing aerofoil with highly controllable aerodynamic performance." Aeronautical Journal 121, no. 1235 (2016): 54–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aer.2016.113.
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ABSTRACTIn this paper, a morphing carbon fibre composite aerofoil concept with an active trailing edge is proposed. This aerofoil features of camber morphing with multiple degrees of freedom. The shape morphing is enabled by an innovative structure driven by an electrical actuation system that uses linear ultrasonic motors (LUSM) with compliant runners, enabling full control of multiple degrees of freedom. The compliant runners also serve as structural components that carry the aerodynamic load and maintain a smooth skin curvature. The morphing structure with compliant truss is shown to exhibit a satisfactory flexibility and loading capacity in both numerical simulations and static loading tests. This design is capable of providing a pitching moment control independent of lift and higher L/D ratios within a wider angle-of-attack range. Such multiple morphing configurations could expand the flight envelope of future unmanned aerial vehicles. A small prototype is built to illustrate the concept, but as no off-the-shelf LUSMs can be integrated into this benchtop model, two servos are employed as actuators, providing two controlled degrees of freedom.
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Stevens, Tyler R., Nathan B. Crane, and Rydge B. Mulford. "Topology Morphing Insulation: A Review of Technologies and Energy Performance in Dynamic Building Insulation." Energies 16, no. 19 (2023): 6978. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en16196978.
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Topology morphing insulation enables the on-demand switching of thermal properties between insulative and conducting states through shape change. The adaptive nature of these systems allows them to regulate heat transfer by dynamically altering insulation materials or systems in response to changing conditions, including environmental factors, electrical grid dynamics, and occupant requirements. In this article, we highlight the potential of topology morphing insulation for advancing building envelope design, improving energy efficiency, and facilitating on-demand adjustments in effective thermal conductivity. We provide a comprehensive overview of topology morphing insulation, delving into its underlying principles, mechanisms, and potential applications. This review explores cutting-edge research and the potential application of insights from non-building concepts, such as nature, textiles, and origami. Additionally, it examines crucial aspects such as actuation mechanisms, effectiveness, lifecycle considerations, sustainability implications, and manufacturing feasibility. We discuss the potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing topology morphing insulation solutions. Thanks to its transformative capabilities, topology morphing insulation holds tremendous promise for advancing building envelope design, driving energy efficiency improvements, and facilitating responsive changes in effective thermal conductivity.
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Li, Daochun, Qichen Liu, Yining Wu, and Jinwu Xiang. "Design and analysis of a morphing drag rudder on the aerodynamics, structural deformation, and the required actuating moment." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 29, no. 6 (2017): 1038–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x17730910.
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The split drag rudder is an important yawing control device for the tailless flying-wing aircraft. In this article, a new morphing drag rudder is proposed based on the chordwise continuous variable camber technology. The designs of the structure and actuation system are first presented. A comparative study on the aerodynamics of the morphing and traditional drag rudders is performed numerically. The results show that the morphing drag rudder experiences a larger aerodynamic drag than the traditional one at small angles of attack. The analysis on the structural deformation and the required actuating moment at zero angle of attack are performed. The results show that the deformation due to the aerodynamic load increases more and more slowly with the angle of deflection. Besides, the relationship between the required actuating moment and the trailing edge deformation is linear, which indicates the applicability of using morphing drag rudder for yawing control.
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Abdessemed, Chawki, Abdessalem Bouferrouk, and Yufeng Yao. "Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Analysis of a Harmonically Morphing Airfoil Using Dynamic Meshing." Acoustics 3, no. 1 (2021): 177–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/acoustics3010013.
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This work explores the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic responses of an airfoil fitted with a harmonically morphing Trailing Edge Flap (TEF). An unsteady parametrization method adapted for harmonic morphing is introduced, and then coupled with dynamic meshing to drive the morphing process. The turbulence characteristics are calculated using the hybrid Stress Blended Eddy Simulation (SBES) RANS-LES model. The far-field tonal noise is predicted using the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic analogy method with corrections to account for spanwise effects using a correlation length of half the airfoil chord. At various morphing frequencies and amplitudes, the 2D aeroacoustic tonal noise spectra are obtained for a NACA 0012 airfoil at a low angle of attack (AoA = 4°), a Reynolds number of 0.62 × 106, and a Mach number of 0.115, respectively, and the dominant tonal frequencies are predicted correctly. The aerodynamic coefficients of the un-morphed configuration show good agreement with published experimental and 3D LES data. For the harmonically morphing TEF case, results show that it is possible to achieve up to a 3% increase in aerodynamic efficiency (L/D). Furthermore, the morphing slightly shifts the predominant tonal peak to higher frequencies, possibly due to the morphing TEF causing a breakup of large-scale shed vortices into smaller, higher frequency turbulent eddies. It appears that larger morphing amplitudes induce higher sound pressure levels (SPLs), and that all the morphing cases induce the shift in the main tonal peak to a higher frequency, with a maximum 1.5 dB reduction in predicted SPL. The proposed dynamic meshing approach incorporating an SBES model provides a reasonable estimation of the NACA 0012 far-field tonal noise at an affordable computational cost. Thus, it can be used as an efficient numerical tool to predict the emitted far-field tonal noise from a morphing wing at the design stage.