Experimental Investigation of the Aerodynamic Ground Effect of a Tailless LAMBDA-Shaped UCAV with Wing Flaps
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by AFTI Scholar (Air Force Institute of Technology) Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Scholar Theses and Dissertations Student Graduate Works 6-2006 Experimental investigation of the Aerodynamic Ground Effect of a Tailless LAMBDA-Shaped UCAV with Wing Flaps Jason T. Mostaccio Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons Recommended Citation Mostaccio, Jason T., "Experimental investigation of the Aerodynamic Ground Effect of a Tailless LAMBDA- Shaped UCAV with Wing Flaps" (2006). Theses and Dissertations. 3549. https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/3549 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Graduate Works at AFIT Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AFIT Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC GROUND EFFECT OF A TAILLESS LAMBDA-SHAPED UCAV WITH WING FLAPS THESIS Jason T. Mostaccio, Ensign, USN AFIT/GAE/ENY/06-J11 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. AFIT/GAE/ENY/06-J11 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC GROUND EFFECT OF A TAILLESS LAMBDA-SHAPED UCAV WITH WING FLAPS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering Jason T. Mostaccio, BS Ensign, USN June 2006 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED AFIT/GAE/ENY/06-J11 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC GROUND EFFECT OF A TAILLESS LAMBDA-SHAPED UCAV WITH WING FLAPS Jason T. Mostaccio, BS Ensign, USN Approved: ____________________________________ ________ Dr. Milton E. Franke (Chairman) Date ____________________________________ ________ Dr. Mark F. Reeder (Member) Date ____________________________________ ________ Lt Col Eric J. Stephen (Member) Date AFIT/GAE/ENY/06-J11 Abstract This experimental study adequately identified the ground effect region of a lambda-shaped unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV). The lambda planform used in this study was originally tested in a previous experiment to determine the stability and control characteristics generated out-of-ground-effect. The following study extends the existing database by analyzing the inherent aerodynamic behavior that is produced by employing trailing edge flap deflections while flying in-ground-effect (IGE). To accomplish this objective, static ground effect tests were performed in the AFIT 3’ x 3’ subsonic wind tunnel where a ground plane was used to simulate the forces and moments on the UCAV IGE. Removable aluminum flap pieces were attached to the model, in a split flap configuration, along the midboard and outboard trailing edges of the UCAV, and the corresponding IGE data was collected for symmetric and asymmetric deflections of +10o and +20o. Based on the results of this study, the ground effect region for the lambda UCAV, with flaps deployed was characterized by an increase in the lift, a reduction in the induced drag but an increase in the overall drag, and an increase in the lift-to-drag ratio. These trends were noted in previous ground effect studies for aircraft with trailing edge flaps, and similar aspect ratios and wing sweep. Additionally, a flow visualization analysis revealed that a vortical flow pattern, that is characteristic of delta wing configurations, developed over the upper surface of the wing at high angles of attack. iv To my parents and sister who have always supported me in all of my endeavors and to my grandfather; may he have the courage and strength to face every day with a newfound hope. v Acknowledgments I would first and foremost like to thank and express my sincerest gratitude to my Lord God from whom I have received all the blessings in my life and who has given me the strength and motivation to complete this thesis, and to my loving family who continually support me in every endeavor of my life. Also, I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Franke for his insightfulness and experience and for allowing me to spearhead this entire project, from start to finish. I would also like to thank Mr. Ryan Plumley of the Air Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Lab for his numerous suggestions and support for this project. Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dwight Gehring and John Hixenbaugh, AFIT/ENY, for their patience and hard work that without would have made this project impossible to finish. They helped immensely with the set-up and operation of the wind tunnel, from installing the ground planes to calibrating the equipment. Jason T. Mostaccio vi Table of Contents Page Abstract.............................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. vi List of Figures.................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xv List of Symbols................................................................................................................ xix I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Section 1 – Wing-in-Ground Effect................................................................................ 1 Section 2 - Wing-In-Ground Vehicles............................................................................ 2 Section 3 – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)............................................................ 4 Section 4 – Motivation.................................................................................................... 6 II. Literature Review........................................................................................................... 7 Section 1 – Ground Effect Theory.................................................................................. 7 Section 1.1 – Induced Drag......................................................................................... 7 Section 1.2 – Lift......................................................................................................... 9 Section 2 – Boundary Layer Interaction with the Ground Plane.................................. 11 Section 2.1 – Static and Dynamic Ground Effect Tests............................................ 11 Section 2.1 – Boundary Layer Theory...................................................................... 11 Section 2.3 – Boundary Layer Removal ................................................................... 14 Section 3 – Adverse Ground Effect .............................................................................. 16 Section 4 – Experimental Objectives............................................................................ 18 III. Experimental Equipment ............................................................................................ 20 Section 1 – UCAV Model............................................................................................. 20 Section 2 – Ground Representation .............................................................................. 23 Section 3 – Wind Tunnel .............................................................................................. 25 Section 4 – Strain Gage Balance................................................................................... 28 Section 5 – Dantec Hot-wire Anemometer................................................................... 29 IV. Experimental Procedures............................................................................................ 31 Section 1 – Hot-wire Anemometer ............................................................................... 31 Section 1.1 – Hot-wire Calibration ........................................................................... 31 Section 1.2 – Blockage Corrections.......................................................................... 32 vii Page Section 2 – Data Acquisition ........................................................................................ 36 Section 3 – Data Reduction .......................................................................................... 38 V. Results & Analysis....................................................................................................... 39 Section 1 – Hot-wire Anemometer & Wind Tunnel Blockage Corrections................. 39 Section 2 - Wind Tunnel Ground Effect Tests ............................................................. 42 Section 2.1 – Longitudinal Stability Characteristics, OGE ...................................... 43 Section 2-1.1 Midboard and Outboard Trailing Edge Flaps................................