Modeling of Gust Energy Extractions through Aeroelastic Tailoring

A tightly coupled fluid-structure interaction model is presented for studying the performance of flexible wings that encounter atmospheric gusts. The aerodynamic module uses a higher-order potential flow method, that provides numerical robustness and efficiency. The structural dynamics is modelled through an explicit finite difference method of the time-depenedent Euler-Bernoulli equations. Coupled together, these approaches offer numerical accuracy at a fraction of the computational time than is required for higher fidelity approaches. Previous research has suggested energy gains are possible from atmospheric gusts through aeroelastic tailoring. Case studies were performed using the aeroelastic model to investigate the merit of using aeroelastic tailoring as a passive means for performance improvement. Design trends were established that highlight configurations that achieve the best energy extraction from a gust. Reductions in wing drag of between 6.9% and 10.5% were observed, while gains of 0.25% between different aeroelastic configurations were presented. The forward sweeping of the elastic axis was deemed to have the greatest effect on energy extraction capabilities.