Introduction

This example illustrates an analysis of aircraft aerodynamics to evaluate the efficiency of the design.

A typical aerodynamics analysis captures both quantitative and qualitative results. For example, an analysis of aircraft aerodynamics includes calculations to determine the drag and lift coefficients, as well as plots of the flow behavior. Engineers and designers use this information to optimize the design and draw conclusions about design features that can improve performance.

This page discusses:

Problem Description

Aerodynamics is important to aircraft design because drag and lift forces significantly affect flight and fuel efficiency. Engineers and designers often test dozens of design iterations to optimize the aircraft's aerodynamics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are a cost-effective method for validating aircraft designs because you can quickly test numerous aircraft designs before performing additional types of validation tests. In this example, you simulate airflow around a drone to analyze the drone's aerodynamics. The analysis includes determination of the drag and lift forces, calculation of the drag and lift coefficients, and visualization of the air flowing around the drone.

The drone model used in this example is an abstract shape in which air flows around the nose and wings. There is a glider on each wing that is parallel to the drone's body. The body tapers from the front toward the tail end, as shown in the diagram below. The drone is meant to operate in an open environment, such as an open air space high above ground.



The equation for calculating the drag and lift coefficients is

C ⁢ =   2 F A ρ v 2 ⁢   ,

where

C
is the drag or lift coefficient with respect to the type of force applied,
F
is the drag or lift force,
A
is the projected area with respect to the type of force applied,
ρ
is the density of the air, and
v
is the velocity of the air.

Workflow

The workflow diagram below provides an overview of the example. The diagram shows the apps that you use as you perform the steps in sequence. Clicking a number in the diagram opens its corresponding step in the example.

Create the simulation by first importing the model and the material definition into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and then opening the model in the appropriate app.Create the fluid domain, apply a material to it, and define the region where the flow occurs.Define the outer surface of the drone in the fluid domain using a surface definition.Specify the physics behavior of the airflow around the drone.Apply flow conditions to the exterior geometry.Create a mesh of your fluid domain.Create the output request to generate the fluid force data.Verify the steps for preparing the model, scenario, and mesh are complete, and simulate the airflow.Analyze sensor readings and plots to understand the effects of the drone's design on its performance.
Task Description
1 Create the Simulation Create the simulation by first importing the model and the material definition into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and then opening the model in the appropriate app.
2 Define the Fluid Model Create the fluid domain, apply a material to it, and define the region where the flow occurs.
3 Create the Surface Definition Define the outer surface of the drone in the fluid domain using a surface definition.
4 Specify the Physics Behavior Specify the physics behavior of the airflow around the drone.
5 Apply Boundary Conditions Apply flow conditions to the exterior geometry.
6 Customize and Visualize the Mesh Create a mesh of your fluid domain.
7 Create the Output Request Create the output request to generate the fluid force data.
8 Run the Simulation Verify the steps for preparing the model, scenario, and mesh are complete, and simulate the airflow.
9 Analyze the Results Analyze sensor readings and plots to understand the effects of the drone's design on its performance.

Complete the workflow steps in the order in which they are listed. Deviation from the instructions associated with each step might cause model or scenario errors, which might prevent convergence of the simulation.