2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Research on Novel Morphing Airfoil using Aerodynamics Force Passively and Positively

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	18K18909
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Review Section	Medium-sized Section 24:Aerospace engineering, marine and maritime engineering, and related fields
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	Imamura Taro 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 准教授 (30371115)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	李家賢一東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 教授 (20175037) 横関智弘東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 准教授 (50399549)
Project Period (FY)	2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
Keywords	モーフィング翼 / 流体構造連成 / 空力デバイス / 低速風洞実験 / 数値流体力学
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The objective of this research is to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of a new passive morphing airfoil that positively uses the aerodynamic force, and to explore the possibility of a new structure that deforms more efficiently and an application of a new aerodynamic device. A new passive morphing airfoil that positively uses the aerodynamic force was manufactured, and a low-speed wind tunnel test was performed to measure the deformed shape of the model and the aerodynamic force acting on the airfoil model. In the wind tunnel test, the deformation was observed against the direction of the force received, as initially aimed. Additionally, a higher lift coefficient was observed in the high angle-of-attack region compared to a non-deformed airfoil. We were able to demonstrate the concept of a new passive morphing airfoil that positively uses the aerodynamic force.
Free Research Field	空気力学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	モーフィング翼とは飛行状態に応じてその形状を変化させる翼であり，航空機の飛行時間短縮や燃費低減を実現する技術である．これまでも様々なモーフィング翼型の研究がなされてきているが，それらは全てアクチュエータを用いて能動的に変形を制御する機構を有するものである．一方，翼型周りの圧力を受けて受動的に変形する機構を組み込んだ翼型については未開拓分野であった。学術的にも空力・構造連成の新しい問題である。航空分野においては電動航空機やドローンなどの新しいタイプの航空機が出現しつつあるが、受動的モーフィング翼はそれらに適用可能な新しい空力デバイスとしての展開が期待される。