Numerical Investigation of Wing Rock Phenomenon on Low Aspect Ratio Rectangular Wings at Low Reynolds Number

Welcome to the Numerical Investigation of Wing Rock Phenomenon on Low Aspect Ratio Rectangular Wings at Low Reynolds Number course! This comprehensive course delves into the complex aerodynamic phenomenon of wing rock, an undesirable oscillation that can significantly affect the stability and performance of aircraft, especially at higher angles of attack and subsonic speeds. Through a combination of experimental data and advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, this course will guide you through the essential principles and dynamics of wing rock, with a particular focus on rectangular wings, commonly used in Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) and small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAVs).

Throughout the course, you will explore the key aspects of wing rock—from vortex dynamics and roll damping to the critical analysis of CFD simulations. By understanding the onset of dynamic instability and vortex interactions, you will gain insights into the flow physics that govern aircraft behavior at critical angles of attack. With hands-on simulations and in-depth discussions, you’ll learn how to model, analyze, and mitigate wing rock, making this course ideal for aerospace engineers, researchers, and enthusiasts eager to explore the intricate dynamics of wing design and aircraft stability.

Abstract:

Wing rock is a highly nonlinear undesirable phenomenon involving lateral directional instabilities at higher angles of attack and subsonic speeds. This study investigates the wing rock phenomenon on a rectangular wing of aspect ratio two and Reynolds number of 100,000. These conditions are typical of fixed-wing Micro Air Vehicles (MAV). The experimental study, conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel, successfully captures wing rock through free-to-roll experiments. In the vicinity of the stall, the onset of wing-rock was observed. To further the investigation, a numerical study is conducted to find the static and dynamic stability derivatives in a roll from 0˚ to 30˚ angle of attack and a reduced frequency of 0.0346 through forced roll oscillations of 40˚ amplitude. The conditions of wind-tunnel tests are replicated in numerical simulations. The forced roll oscillations on the rectangular wing were implemented through the sliding mesh technique in a commercial CFD solver. The loss in roll moment damping, a sufficient condition of wing rock, was observed in the vicinity of the stall. The flow physics of the vortex dynamics revealed that the wing rock phenomenon starts to occur due to the bursting of the side tip vortex and its interaction with the leading edge separated vortex around the stall.

DOI: 

https://www.icas.org/icas_archive/ICAS2020/data/papers/ICAS2020_0555_paper.pdf