Aerodynamic Characteristics Optimization of Active Compliant Trailing Edge

A realizable design concept of continuous trailing edge variable camber adaptive wing (Active Compliant Trailing Edge, ACTE) is designed and developed to improve the aerodynamic performance of supercritical airfoil under different conditions. Making use of the distributed compliant mechanism, the proposed ACTE here employed the high-strength glass fiber laminates as the skin material to meet the requirements of structural load and realize the continuous deformation of trailing edge camber. The simulation results demonstrated that the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil can be optimized by modulating the deflection mode of the trailing edge wing. When velocity is below drag divergence Mach number (Ma=0.6), the application of ACTE is capable of inducing significant aerodynamic performance enhancement under high lift coefficient and the maximum lift-to-drag ratio could be raised by 7.96%. Furthermore, in the case of velocity located in the vicinity of divergence Mach number(Ma=0.73), a down-trend is observed in the efficiency of the ACTE with the increase of wave drag. Aiming at reducing the wave drag, adaptive shock control bump is utilized to tune the shock wave, improving the high subsonic speed aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil where a maximum lift-drag ratio increment of 10% can be achieved. © 2019, Science Press. All right reserved.