Induced drag characteristics based on wake surface integration for wing-in-ground effect

Abstract

The present paper predicts the induced drag in the ground effect using wake surface integration. The total drag can be decomposed into physical drag components such as wave, profile, and induced drag. First, we confirmed that applying wake surface integration to cases of ground effect is theoretically valid as long as a moving boundary condition is implemented for the ground surface. Second, total drag comparison between body surface integration and wake surface integration is performed to numerically identify the disparity. Last, the induced drag component is extracted at various heights. In addition, endplates are mounted on wing tips to determine their impact on the ground effect. This study uses the Navier-Stokes solver for aerodynamic analysis, and a Clark-Y wing with DHMTU concept is generated. As a result, the wake surface integration satisfactorily shows the characteristics of the induced drag in the ground effect with the Clark-Y wing and wing-endplate combinations. © 2011 The Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences.