Computational Study on the Aerodynamics of a Surface-Heated Wing for Thermal Management

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Computational Study on the Aerodynamics of a Surface-Heated Wing for Thermal Management

Kallath, Hariharan / Kholi, Foster Kwame / Ha, Man Yeong / Min, June Kee / Chetwynd-Chatwin, Jason

The present study focuses on the aerodynamic performance of an aircraft wing with surface heating for thermal management applications. The inclusion of electric components leads to a significant necessity for thermal management. A novel method is examined in this study, in which the heat to be dissipated from an aircraft can be transferred to the boundary layer formed on the wing surfaces of the aircraft and gain some performance benefits on the aerodynamic side. Two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics tools in the framework of design of experiment methods are used to analyze the plausibility of placing a heat exchanger on the wing surfaces from an aerodynamic perspective. The Reynolds number, angle of attack, heat exchanger location, and magnitude of heat flux are considered as the factors; and response surfaces are constructed to identify their effects on the aerodynamics of the surface-heated wing. The simulation results are also used to interpret the significant tendencies indicated by the response surfaces. At the lowest values of the heat flux, the angle of attack, and the Reynolds number, surface heating at the best locations produced a 2.5% increase in the lift coefficient and a 1.6% reduction in the drag coefficient.