Fuel efficiency optimization of high-aspect-ratio aircraft via variable camber technology considering aeroelasticity

Abstract

In this study, variable camber technology is applied to improve the fuel efficiency of high-aspect-ratio aircraft with aeroelasticity considered. The nonlinear static aeroelastic analyses are conducted for CFD/CSD (computational fluid dynamics/computational structural dynamics) numerical simulations. The RBF (radial basis function) method is adopted for the transmission of aerodynamic loads and structural displacements, the diffusion smoothing method is employed for grid deformation in each iteration of CFD/CSD coupling, and the FFD (free-form deformation) method is introduced for the parameterization of variable camber wing. Based on the aerodynamic characteristic curves under different cambers, the discrete variable camber control matrix for the high-aspect-ratio aircraft during the cruise phase is established. The Fibonacci method is employed to optimize the fuel efficiency by utilizing the control matrix. The results indicate that the drag during the cruise phase is reduced obviously and the fuel efficiency is improved evidently comparing to the original configuration.