Aerodynamic Survey of Novel eVTOL Configuration Using SU2

Abstract

This report summarizes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) geometries using the SU2 Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver. Geometries were generated based on the Smart Transportation Infrastructure Initiative (STII) Rappor 15th iteration with various rotor-installment solutions. It was found that although open rotors installed on an underwing pylon were superior to shrouded rotors installed in a canoe, the canoe configuration would provide more potential for improvement, and using a canoe door to cover the first rotor opening would reduce the drag experienced by the canoe case below that upon the rod case. Rotor doors were found to be most efficient in reducing drag of the canoe case: Average drag reduction with covering the first rotor and all rotors was 66 and 165 counts, respectively. Changing rotor distributions along the chordwise direction had minimal impact on drag reduction, and placing rotors along the spanwise direction was not advised due to the increase of the projected frontal area. Increasing canoe chord length did not have significant impact on drag reduction; and if rotor doors were implemented, increasing canoe size had negative impact on drag. Rounding rotor edges did not change the aerodynamic performance of the canoe case but promotes vertical air intake when running lifting fans. Drag received by the canoe parabolically correlated to rotor diameter, with 126 counts of drag if the rotor diameter was 0 and 377 counts if the rotor diameter was 2.95 ft. Fuselage and tail added an average 179 counts of drag, and thus the aforementioned differences were still significant in the scale of aerodynamic properties of the full configuration.