Robust Prediction of High Lift Using Surface Vorticity

Research in Flight is offering to bring a transformative aerodynamic design approach to modeling viscous boundary layer effects on aircraft using the foundational technology developed by Research in Flight in the Phase II activity NNX17CL12C. This proposal builds additional technologies in FlightStream® to enhance applications of the surface-vorticity based flow separation and boundary-layer prediction tools developed in the prior activity. This proposed effort will create this advanced capability at a critical time in the development of advanced blended-wing-body, boundary layer ingestion enabled and quasi-aerostatic airship designs for domestic and international markets. NASA has identified several applications for enhanced boundary-layer coupling for analysis of Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) designs via inviscid-boundary displacement; BLI-integrated propulsive concepts on the next generation of efficient commercial concepts; and higher-fidelity analysis of near-stall and post-stall nonlinearities in aerodynamic loads for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concepts. To address these complex requirements for both NASA and Skyborne Technologies Inc., are proposing to implement further capability enhancements to the FlightStream® boundary-layer tools and solver models originally developed during the SBIR Phase II activity. Primarily, a coupling is proposed between the boundary layer models and the FlightStream® flow solver to displace the inviscid boundaries using the boundary layer data and iteratively solving for the combined aerodynamic loads. Investigations are also proposed for the interaction between the shed surface vorticity and the distortions created in the boundary layer via crossflow. Such models are necessary for modeling the BLI flow at higher incidence angles for propulsion inlets. Tools are proposed to compute the viscous velocity distortion maps on the inflow planes of propeller system operating close-to or inside the large fuselage boundary layers.

Support NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) strategic thrusts for the next-generation of ultra-efficient commercial vehicles. Further develop understanding of viscous flow and nonlinear aerodynamics for emerging UAM and DEP aircraft. Provde effective flow simulation support for structural modification and related certification process. Enhanced integration analysis for complete unconventional vehicle-rotor aero-propulsive configurations. Take-off / landing aerodynamic performance of conventional and unconventional aircraft.

Lighter-than-air aircraft and airship aero-propulsive design. Performance of manned and unmanned underwater vehicles Automotive external aerodynamics for high-efficiency electric ground vehicles. Support educational applications. In a class room or research lab, this flow solver enables students and researchers to analyze viscous flows and nonlinear aerodynamics to gain related knowledge.

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