Aerodynamic characteristics of a blended wing body with various winglets

The present study conducted CFD simulations on a blended wing body (BWB) with five different winglet configurations to assess their impact on aerodynamic performance. The UCAV 1303 model serves as the BWB simulation model, with winglets attached at the wingtips. The simulation results reveal that downward-blended winglets exhibit superior aerodynamic performance compared to the other configurations, primarily due to a significant reduction in drag force. While other winglet configurations demonstrate improved performance relative to the no-winglet case, an expansion of the low-pressure area toward the rear is observed near the wingtip, leading to an increase in drag force. This phenomenon, however, is not observed in the model equipped with the downward-blended winglet. Furthermore, the strong wingtip vortices present in the no-winglet and other winglet-equipped models are effectively suppressed by the use of the downward-blended winglet.