Experimental Study of the Effect of Different Winglet Configurations on The Lift and Drag Characteristics of BWB Aircraft

Abstract

Sustainable aviation is currently a major concern since people are constantly relying on aircraft for transport over long distances in a short amount of time. Newer technologies are constantly being developed to enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of existing aircraft and improve fuel conservation. Winglets are one such technology. Our research focuses on how different winglet designs affect the lift and drag characteristics of blended-wing body aircrafts; the concept of these designs is currently being researched and compared to that of the base model with no winglet. The models were subjected to both computational and experimental analyses at three different velocities and six angles of attack to determine the lift and drag values resulting from various winglet configurations. The results showed that Split Fence had the best performance in both computational and experimental analyses, with an L/D of 10.608 at a 5° angle of attack during the CFD analysis compared to 5.52 for the base model. The Spikelet and the Spike Scimitar Winglet also showed high aerodynamic efficiency. The C-Winglet, however, showed poorer performance than did the other winglets. The insights from this research can help optimize winglet designs and explore the design of BWB aircraft, leading to substantial reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the aviation industry.