Mid-fidelity numerical approach for the investigation of wing-propeller aerodynamic interaction

The present activity was aimed to validate the capability of a vortex particle-based mid-fidelity aerodynamics code for the study of the aerodynamic interaction between a wingtip-mounted propeller and a wing with a 25% chord flap. The wing-propeller model considered in this work was widely investigated in literature, both by experiments and high-fidelity CFD simulations and represented a benchmark case for this kind of aerodynamic study, reproducing a typical feature of tiltrotors and electrical distributed propulsion aircraft configurations. In particular, in the present activity results of simulations performed with DUST, the mid-fidelity aerodynamic solver of Politecnico di Milano were compared in terms of wing loads distributions, propeller airloads and flow fields with both experimental data and high-fidelity CFD simulations available in literature. Analyses on the upstream and downstream effects on the propeller and wing performance showed that the benefits arising from the installation of a wingtip-mounted propeller can be correctly predicted. Moreover, the significant lift and propeller performance enhancement as well as the interactional flow physics characterizing this configuration were accurately captured by the solver. Generally, this validation activity showed a quite good agreement with high-fidelity CFD results, thus confirming that the mid-fidelity numerical approach implemented in DUST is suitable for the investigation of wing-propeller aerodynamics interaction. The quite lower computational effort required by this mid-fidelity approach, while maintaining accuracy with respect to high-fidelity CFD methods opens a new scenario for the preliminary stage of design of novel tiltrotor or eVTOL aircraft characterized by complex interactional aerodynamic mechanisms.