Aerodynamic design and optimization for a wing-body vehicle

Abstract

Wing-body vehicles may have very high lift-to-drag ratio and maneuverability, and high L/D will benefit to increase the landing precision, enlarge the flight corridor, decrease the peak heat flux and the over load. The key issue for high L/D is the design of windward surface, and the leeward surface is more important for the inner volume and enclosed structure. Using Spline Lofting design process, the cross-section control points and the external vehicle geometry are defined. A multiple objectives optimization model is selected to maximum the lift-to-drag ratio and the lift with the restrictions of geometric limits, trimming condition, stability and volume utility. The optimum layout is a vehicle with aft-sweeping negative dihedral wings. The maximum L/D may be as high as near 6.5 for hypersonic at 5 degree angle of attack, and the maximum negative L/D achieves nearly to 6.0 at minus 4 degree. The present work indicates that the Spline Lofting method coupling with configuration optimization is an effective way for the design of a vehicle. The vehicle with aft-sweeping negative dihedral wings can achieve very high lift-to-drag ratio at relative very small angle of attack together with good stability, and this wing - body concept is one of the potential choices for hypersonic maneuver, and worth to be investigated further in the future.