Aerodynamic optimisation of flat-upper-surface wing

What is it about?

The paper proves the feasibility of designing wings with 75% of their upper surface perfectly flat and having quite good aerodynamic properties. The research aimed at optimisation of flat-upper-surface wings that could install the largest possible number of photovoltaic cells. An ideal flat upper surface of the wings was necessary to provide uniform lighting conditions, which is important when testing different types of photovoltaic cells. The in-house methodology of optimising flat-upper-surface wings was developed and applied. The methodology utilised a sophisticated parametric model of the wing based on a formerly designed family of base airfoils having 75% of their upper surface flat. In the presented approach, the design parameters described the spanwise distribution of the base airfoils. Maximisation of the endurance factor was assumed as the main objective of wing optimisation. The aerodynamic properties of optimised wings were evaluated using a panel method coupled with boundary layer analysis. The innovative, upper-surface wings, designed within the presented research are unique due to their unusual geometric and aerodynamic properties. The paper proves, that due to their properties, the optimised aerodynamically wings can find wide applications in electrically-driven aviation, especially in flying laboratories for testing of photovoltaic cells.

Featured Image