Investigation of the aerodynamic interaction between two wings in a parallel flight with close lateral proximity

The influence of the tip-to-tip distance on the mutually induced aerodynamic forces and moments of a pair of wings simulating the coupling of two aircraft into a compound configuration was numerically and experimentally investigated. The geometry consisted of two identical NACA 0021 rectangular wings with square tips. The numerical investigation was performed as a Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes Simulation (RANS) using the OpenFOAM® software package. The simulation was validated by wind-tunnel experiments, whereby the wings were equipped with four chordwise rows of pressure taps to measure the wall pressure. Records were made for different wing-tip distances and different angles of attack combinations. The investigation showed that the relative position of the wings has an influence on their aerodynamic forces and moments, which is relevant in the design of compound, high-altitude and long endurance (HALE) aircraft. © 2019, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.