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Performance Analysis of the Flying Wing Airfoils

Article · January 2017

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Vasile Prisacariu
Romanian Air Force Academy
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 Performance Analysis of the Flying Wing Airfoils
PRISACARIU Vasile
Henri Coandă Air Force Academy, Brașov, Romania, aerosavelli73@[Link]

Abstract
Flying wings flight performances depend directly on the 2D aerodynamic optimization (choosing aerodynamic
profile). The aerodynamic profiles used in tailless aircraft have a series of specific constructive performance. This
article presents a piece of analysis regarding the 2D aerodynamic profile used in the construction of a flying wing
UAV type.

Keywords
aerodynamic analysis, Phoenix airfoil, XFLR5, Profili 2.21

Notations of symbols
MAC - main aerodynamic chord AoA - angle of attack
Cl - lift coefficient ρ - air density
Cm - moment coefficient Re - Reynolds number
Cd - drag coefficient υ - kinematics viscosity
Cp - pressure coefficient v, V - air speed , forwards, on airfoil

1. Introduction
Phoenix profile (Phönix) as specialty reference [1, 3, 8] is used in the construction of aircraft
(propelled and non-propelled), both classic and tailless concept, especially the "plank" wings without
angle arrow but with some torsion angle at the end of the plan (0° ÷ -5°), see Figures 1, 2 and Table 1.

Fig. 1. Model RC Phönix Fig. 2. XFLR5 model [5]

Table 1. Glider RC Phoenix characteristics

Span 2800 m Aspect ratio 10.34
M.A.C. 277 mm Max weight 2 kg

Phoenix is part of the aerodynamic profiles relatively thin (thickness below 10%), used in tailless
aircraft, which also includes Eppler 221 (thickness 9.39%), MH 62 (9.30%), EH1.5 / 9.0 (thickness 9%)
and PW 51, show Figure 3 [7, 8].

a b

c d
Fig. 3. Eppler 221 (a), MH 62 (b), EH 1.5/9.0 (c), PW 51 (d)

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2. 2D Aerodynamic Analysis
Propose to analyze the Phoenix (Phönix) profile used in flying wings (Figure 3). The data input
required for aerodynamic analysis is listed in Table 2 [3].

Table 2. Phoenix input data

Maximum thickness (chord) 8.19% Maximum deflection 2.78
Coordinate for the maximum thickness 27.5% Coordinate for the maximum deflection 25%

Aerodynamic analysis conditions are: Reynolds no., altitude, flight velocities and the aerodynamic
average chord, listed in Table 3.

Table 3. Aerodynamic analysis conditions

MAC (mm) 600 Speed (m/s) 10÷30
Altitude (m) 100 Re 4×105 ÷12×105
Density ρ 1.22 kg/m 3 Kinematics viscosity υ 14.6×10-6

2.1. 2D Javafoil analysis

Javafoil is a tool known for Xfoil code, [2, 6] code that delivers results with a high degree of confidence.
Phoenix profile is highlighted in Figure 4 and the results are recorded in the graphs in Figure 5.

Fig. 4. Phoenix airfoil

Cl-AoA Cd-AoA

Cm-AoA (Cl/Cd)-AoA
Fig. 5. Phoenix airfoil aerodinamics performances
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 RECENT, Vol. 18, no. 1(51), March, 2017
In figure 6 can see the Cp distributions and speed ratio (v∞/V), depending on the incidence angle
(AoA), four cases (various AoA).

AoA = 0°

AoA = 3°

AoA = 6°

AoA = 9°
Fig. 6. Cp-AoA (left), v∞/V-AoA (right)

Following the Figure 6 distribution of pressure coefficient (Cp-AoA), can observe the development of
the low pressure gradient in the first third of the rear profile with implications for the boundary layer
and significant reduction of the speed distribution (v∞/V-AoA), leading the edge from 0.987 to 0.734.

2.2. 2D Profili 2.2 analysis

Analysis of 2D (airfoil) is achieved by means of the software tool Profili 2.21 [4, 10]. The aerodynamic
profile analysis was performed at three base speeds (10 m/s, 20 m/s, 30 m/s) with tree Re, and
generated polar in Figures 7, 8 and 9.
In Figure 7 can see values of the coefficient of lift (Cl) versus coefficient of drag (Cd). Cl values has a
maximum (1.2) for Cd=0.03 (AoA=30, Figure 8).

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 RECENT, Vol. 18, no. 1(51), March, 2017

Fig. 7. Cl-Cd (for various Re)

In Figure 8 observe an almost identical polar for the three flight speeds, the coefficient of lift has a
maximum value (1.4) and at an incidence of 11°.

Fig. 8. Cl-AoA, Cd-AoA (for various Re)

In Figure 9 can see a fine maximum (Cl/Cd-AoA) at an incidence of 60 to 30 m/s, 7°-20 m/s and 10
m/s, while the moment (Cm) has it’s graphs almost 0 and positive values are observed at 110 (0.01). The
drag coefficient (Cd) has a significant linear increase from an incidence of 8°. Incidence versus coefficient
values is shown in the Table 4.

Fig. 9. Cl/Cd-AoA, Cm-AoA (for various Re)

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 RECENT, Vol. 18, no. 1(51), March, 2017
Table 4. Phoenix airfoil coefficients

Aerodynamic profile behaviour on the terms proposed in Tables 2 and 3 were analyzed even for
turning flap at 5° and 10° values (joint at 20% of the chord). Polar are shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

Fig. 10. Cl-Cd

Fig. 11. Cl-AoA, Cd-AoA

Polar with turning profile influence the coefficient of lift flap, it increases from 1.25 (turning 0° and
incidence 10.5°) to 1.6 (turning 5° and incidence 9.5°) and 1.8 (turning 10° and lifting 8°). Drag
coefficient (Figure 11) increased from 0.015 (8° turning 0° and incidence) to 0.015 (incidence turning
5° and 6°) and 0.016 (turning 10° and lifting 5°). Aerodynamic finesse, increases with the steering angle
to decrease the incidence (7°, 6°, 5°).

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Fig. 12. Cl/Cd-AoA and Cm-AoA

The moment coefficient has values close to 0, steering flap 5° which leads to a Cm of 0.05 occurrence
of –2° ÷ 7° with a significant decrease to -0.02, turning flap 10° creating a constant Cm=0.10 value (see
Figure 12), for AoA= –2°÷ 4° with a decrease to 0.04 for an incidence of 10°.

-5° 0°

3° 6°
Fig. 13. Pressure coefficient (Cp) and chord airfoil versus incidence (AoA)

Figure 13 shows coefficient of pressure (Cp) versus chord for airfoil at Re=407000 in four AoA, Cp
variation can be seen for upper part and lower part, Cp values differences increase for AoA at 60.

2.3. 2D Analysis with XFLR5

XFLR5 is used as a tool for performance analysis freeware 2D profile and 3D geometries, generating
relevant pre-analyze aerodynamic phase results [9, 11].
The following charts (figure 14, 15, 16 and 17) reveal variation of major coefficients (Cl, Cd, Cm and
Cl/Cd) versus incidence (AoA) that characterize the Phoenix airfoil for AoA between -50 and 150.

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Fig. 14. Cl-AoA Fig. 15. Cm-AoA

Fig. 16. Cd-AoA Fig. 17. Cl/Cd-AoA

Figure 14 shows the lift coefficient is maximum (1.25) at an incidence of 12° (10 m/s) and for 20 m/s
and 30 m/s have a value of 1.3 lifting at 15° incidence (AoA) and longitudinal moment Cm (Figure 15)
have optimum values for AoA=0÷110. Drag coefficient Cd increase for AoA>110 (Figure 16), from Figure
17 results a maximum gliding ratio to 7°, [5, 11].

4. Conclusions
For a complete evaluation we will present in following matters some comparative results regarding
the three evaluation software, see Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21.
Although the three assessment tools are based on software code Xfoil graphs in Figures 18, 19, 20
and 21, they also reveal significant differences in some performance indicators. These differences are
different approaches to the original simulation and the degree of refinement on the final data for each
software tool [6].

Fig. 18. Comparative data Cl-AoA

Fig. 19. Comparative data Cd-AoA

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 RECENT, Vol. 18, no. 1(51), March, 2017

Fig. 20. Comparative data Cm-AoA

Fig. 21. Comparative data Cl/Cd-AoA

Although software tools that are based on code Xfoil that has its own database are limited to an
analysis of 2D still delivers (electromagnetic force, drag, lateral force distribution coefficient of pressure
and speed on profile) with a confidence level high versus ease of use.

Acknowledgment
This article has received support from UEFISCDI through national project MASIM “Multi Agent Aerial
System with Mobile Ground Control Station for Information Management”, PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1349.

References
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Received in December 2017

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