RQ_7 UAV FSI Analysis: CFD Simulation by Ansys Fluent

Description

FSI Analysis: RQ_7  UAV CFD Simulation Training

Introduction

FSI simulation involves the interaction between the fluid and the structure. If we only want to consider the effects of the fluid on the structure, we use one-way method, and if we want to consider the effect of the structure on the fluid in addition to the effect of the fluid on the structure, we use two-way method. In this simulation, we have performed a two-way simulation. Previously, we could only run the two-way method in Workbench, but now Fluent software also has this capability. However, if our simulation involves large displacements, it is better to use Workbench because Fluent is not able to accurately analyze large displacements.

The smallest of AAI’s RQ_7 Shadow family of unmanned aircraft systems is the RQ_7 Shadow 200. Targets can be found, recognized, and identified using Shadow 200 up to 125 kilometers away from a tactical center. The device can identify tactical vehicles day or night from a height of 8,000 feet and at a distance of 3.5 kilometers on a slant.

A trailer-mounted pneumatic launcher helps with takeoffs and has the ability to accelerate a 170-kilogram aircraft to 130 km/h in 12 m.

The Tactical Automatic Landing System, which consists of an aircraft-mounted transponder and a ground-based micro-millimeter wavelength radar, directs landings.

An AAI RQ_7 Shadow UAV is modeled in this simulation using ANSYS Fluent software. The device moves at a speed of 36.1 m/s while the propeller rotates at an angular velocity of 3800 rev/min.

The geometry of the present model is two-dimensional and has been designed using SpaceClaim software. We do the meshing of the present model with Ansys Meshing software. The mesh type is Tetrahedral, and the element number is 3,587,540.

Methodology

This study used a steady-state, pressure-based CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent software to analyze the incompressible flow around a UAV and the fluid-structure interactions. The flow physics was modeled using the k-ω SST turbulence model and a dynamic mesh was also used.

Results and Conclusion

According to the extracted contours, it is observed that, as expected, the greatest displacement occurs at the wing tips of the UAV and the greatest stress is at the wing-body connection.

It is also observed in the plot that the amount of displacement decreases from the wing tips to the body connection and reaches zero at the body. Although the body displacement may sometimes not be zero, its amount is very small and is usually ignored.