Optimization and Design of a Flexible Droop Nose Leading Edge Morphing Wing Based on a Novel Black Widow Optimization (B.W.O.) Algorithm—Part II

Abstract

This work presents an aerodynamic and structural optimization for a Droop Nose Leading Edge Morphing airfoil as a high lift device for the UAS-S45. The results were obtained using three optimization algorithms: coupled Particle Swarm Optimization-Pattern Search, Genetic Algorithm, and Black Widow Optimization algorithm. The lift-to-drag ratio was used as the fitness function, and the impact of the choice of optimization algorithm selection on the fitness function was evaluated. The optimization was carried out at various Mach numbers of 0.08, 0.1, and 0.15, respectively, and at the cruise and take-off flight conditions. All these optimization algorithms obtained effectively comparable lift-to-drag ratio results with differences of less than 0.03% and similar airfoil geometries and pressure distributions. In addition, an unsteady analysis of a Variable Morphing Leading Edge airfoil with a dynamic meshing scheme was carried out to study its flow behaviour at different angles of attack and the feasibility of leading-edge downward deflection as a stall control mechanism. The numerical results showed that the variable morphing leading edge reduces the flow separation areas over an airfoil and increases the stall angle of attack. Furthermore, a preliminary investigation was conducted into the design and sensitivity analysis of a morphing leading-edge structure of the UAS-S45 wing integrated with an internal actuation mechanism. The correlation and determination matrices were computed for the composite wing geometry for sensitivity analysis to obtain the parameters with the highest correlation coefficients. The parameters include the composite material qualities, thickness, ply angles, and the ply stacking sequence. These findings can be utilized to design the flexible skin optimization framework, obtain the target droop nose deflections for the morphing leading edge, and design an improved model.

Flow Control around the UAS-S45 Pitching Airfoil Using a Dynamically Morphing Leading Edge (DMLE): A Numerical Study

“…The early years of aeronautical research focused on biomimetic techniques based on flexible and highly deformable structures to mimic the ability of birds to adjust their shape to different flight cases. The Research Laboratory in Active Controls, Avionics, and AeroServoElasticity (LARCASE) team is studying several approaches for reducing fuel consumption [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], including the use of morphing wing technologies, such as the morphing leading edge prototype demonstrates the possibility of modifying the stall angle of the wing. It was shown that the stall angle of the wing was delayed using a downward deformation of the leading edge [ 17 , 18 ].…”