Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Major
Aerospace Engineering
Research Advisor
Isaac, K. M.
Advisor's Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Abstract
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFO) can be applied to many problems involving aerodynamics. One particularly interesting area of research is low Reynolds number (Re) flows. In this research, CFO simulations of a rectangular planform wing at Re = 500 with aspect ratios of 4 and 6 were performed using a commercial CFO software package, Fluent 6.3, with a mesh of ~2.3 million tetrahedral cells. A drag polar was used to compare performance for angles of attack ranging from 0 to 20 Degrees. Tip vortices were observed but did not reveal a dead fluid region for the above angle-of-attack range. The results can be applied to moderately high aspect ratio wings subjected to low angles of attack, an important flow regime occurring during the gliding phase of micro air vehicle missions.
Biography
Ben McCouch is a senior in the Aerospace Engineering Department. In add11ion to his research, he takes pleasure in playing tennis and has been president of the Missouri S& T Tennis Club for the past 2 years. He is also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Tau Beta Pi, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Ben will graduate in May 2008 and has accepted a Job with Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, KS. He hopes to eventually continue his education with master's degree in aerodynamics.
Research Category
Engineering
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Havener Center, Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
9 April 2008, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Micro Air Vehicle Aerodynamics
Havener Center, Upper Atrium/Hallway
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFO) can be applied to many problems involving aerodynamics. One particularly interesting area of research is low Reynolds number (Re) flows. In this research, CFO simulations of a rectangular planform wing at Re = 500 with aspect ratios of 4 and 6 were performed using a commercial CFO software package, Fluent 6.3, with a mesh of ~2.3 million tetrahedral cells. A drag polar was used to compare performance for angles of attack ranging from 0 to 20 Degrees. Tip vortices were observed but did not reveal a dead fluid region for the above angle-of-attack range. The results can be applied to moderately high aspect ratio wings subjected to low angles of attack, an important flow regime occurring during the gliding phase of micro air vehicle missions.
