Measurement of lift and drag in morphing wings using a high precision load cell

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Havacılık ve Uzay Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2015

Öğrenci: MEHMET HARUN ÖZKANAKTI

Danışman: SERKAN ÖZGEN

Özet:

This thesis focuses on computational and experimental investigation of three different morphing wing planforms and a baseline wing planform using a commercial CFD software and load cell measurements for the validation of an optimization code developed in a separate study. The wing planforms of interest originate from an optimization tool that minimizes drag for a constant value of lift at a given velocity. The first planform of interest is the planform for optimized drag subject to 14 m/s freestream velocity with constraints for physical dimensions and taper ratio. The other two planforms are generated using the first planform as baseline and optimizing the drag with constant lift subjected to 10 m/s and 16.5 m/s freestream velocity, respectively. In this optimization part, airfoil physical thickness allowances are introduced as inequality constraints to the optimization process. For every case, each of the wing planforms are analyzed by a CFD software and tested with load cell measurements for the corresponding freestream velocity. The results of these analyses and experiments are used to extract lift and drag forces for a wide range of angles of attack. Relations between these parameters and drag of the optimized wing planforms are established in order to validate the optimization code. Final deduction of aerodynamic parameters ensures that the code that has been developed for the optimization of morphing wing planforms for different flight conditions is valid and useful.