Numerical investigation of aerodynamic performance in a morphing wing with flexible leading edge using computational fluid dynamics

In this study, a numerical investigation into the sustained aerodynamic performance of a morphing wing equipped with a flexible leading edge, employing a 2-dimensional NACA0012 airfoil configuration, is conducted. The compressible governing equations of the flow are employed, simulating 2 distinct states: the airfoil without motion and the airfoil featuring a flexible leading edge with a chord length of 0.856 m, assessing various angles of attack utilizing the k-ω SST turbulence approach within Fluent software. Dynamic mesh, facilitated by a user-defined function, is utilized in Fluent software to simulate the movement of the airfoil wall at the leading edge. The study thoroughly analyzes the flow behavior concerning diverse angles of attack and deviations, evaluating their impact on aerodynamic coefficients, velocity, and pressure fields under steady-state settings. Validation of the chosen numerical approach demonstrates close alignment of the front and back coefficients with experimental settings. Outcomes from the steady-state flow simulation of the morphing wing reveal that positive deflection angles correspond to increased lift coefficients and decreased drag coefficients, with lift coefficient increases of up to 15% and drag coefficient reductions of up to 10% at specific angles. Meanwhile, the negative deflection angles have shown a decline in lift coefficients, with the drag coefficients increasing with the decrease in deflection angle. All these observations show that at the flexible leading edge, there is a considerable improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. Hence, it should find more applications in different regimes of flight.