Dual Winglet Configuration for Drag Reduction and Lift Enhancement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airplane wing designs with winglets suffer from reduced lifting effect, increased noise, and energy loss due to wing tip vortices, which can be detrimental to nearby aircraft and inefficient in terms of thrust and drag.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a wing design featuring two winglets with a mutual inclination, where the upstream winglet is inclined more upwardly than the downstream winglet, with a moderate relative dihedral angle between them, to broaden and optimize the airflow and thrust contribution, while minimizing drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional winglets are used to reduce wing tip vortices, then vortex reduction is achieved, but drag increases and thrust is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wingtip device is divided into multiple winglets (first winglet and second winglet) instead of using a single conventional winglet. The first winglet is positioned upstream and the second winglet downstream, with each winglet contributing to different aspects of vortex management. This segmentation allows the system to reduce vortices more effectively while minimizing the drag penalty associated with traditional single-winglet designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The winglets are configured with non-zero dihedral angles, introducing a vertical dimension to the airflow management. The first winglet has a first dihedral angle and the second winglet has a second dihedral angle, creating a three-dimensional flow pattern that broadens the effective airflow area and optimizes thrust contribution while reducing drag compared to conventional planar winglet arrangements.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If winglets are added to reduce wing tip vortices, then vortex reduction is achieved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the wingtip device into multiple winglets with specific spacing and angular configurations, the system reduces the strength of wing tip vortices more effectively. The first winglet addresses the primary vortex while the second winglet manages secondary flow patterns, resulting in reduced vortex-induced noise compared to conventional single-winglet designs.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If winglets are used to reduce wing tip vortices, then vortex reduction is achieved, but lifting effect is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dual winglet configuration segments the vortex management function across two separate structures, each optimized for specific flow control tasks. This allows the system to maintain more effective lift generation while reducing vortices, as each winglet can be optimized for its specific role in the vortex management sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The winglets are configured with specific dihedral angles (first dihedral angle and second dihedral angle) that are optimized to balance vortex reduction with lift generation. By carefully selecting these angular parameters, the system achieves effective vortex management while preserving the lifting effect, avoiding the trade-off faced by conventional winglet designs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances aerodynamic performance by reducing overall drag by 3% and increasing lift by 1%, allowing for more efficient flight with improved thrust and reduced vortex impact on nearby aircraft.
Implementation Method 1
These winglets are meant to reduce so-called wing tip vortices which result from a pressure difference between a region above and a region below the wing
Implementation Method 2
pressure difference between a region above and a region below the wing, said pressure difference being the cause of the intended lift
Implementation Method 3
produce a required lift by means of wings of the airplane in the airflow resulting from the velocity
Implementation Method 4
increases energy loss due to dissipation in the airflow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a wing with two winglets and a respective airplane. An upstream winglet broadens a region of inclined airflow and a downstream winglet produces a thrust contribution therein.