Numerical study of the yaw control of flapless aircraft

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the yaw control of the flapless aircraft and investigate the equivalent control effect (ECE) and the power consumption of the pneumatic control. Design/methodology/approach The control effects of the mechanical control and the pneumatic control are calculated and the ECE curves are obtained. The power consumption of the pneumatic control is analyzed. A new pneumatic drag-type yaw control method is proposed. The mechanisms of the drag-type yaw control and the conventional thrust-type yaw control are explored. The drag-type yaw control is divided into two combined blowing forms: inner-top outer-bottom blowing and inner-bottom outer-top blowing. The differences between two kinds of the drag-type yaw control at a small angle of attack and a large angle of attack are explored. Findings The ECE curves of the pneumatic control are obtained. The power consumption of the drag-type yaw control is much lower than that of the thrust type. The lift coefficient of the inner-top outer-bottom blowing is higher than that of the inner-bottom outer-top blowing, but the inner-bottom outer-top blowing has higher efficiency of the yaw control at a large angle of attack. Practical implications This paper contributes to the research of the flapless aircraft. Originality/value A new pneumatic drag-type yaw control method of the flapless aircraft is proposed.