Folding Wing Tip Fairing Vortex Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Folding wing tip devices for aircraft face constraints in span reduction due to ground clearance issues, particularly for transonic aircraft, where increasing wing span is beneficial for aerodynamic efficiency but is limited by airport clearance rules.
Innovation Solution
Aircraft wing design featuring a hinge arrangement with a fairing that protrudes beyond the outer surface on the suction side, shaped to create a vortex and reduce outboard spanwise flow, allowing the wing tip device to rotate upwardly and reduce wing span, with a carrot-shaped fairing that extends beyond the leading and trailing edges to enhance aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the wing span is increased to improve aerodynamic efficiency, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the ground clearance is insufficient for airport operations
Solution Approach 1:
The wing tip device is designed to be movable between flight and ground configurations through a hinge arrangement, allowing the wing span to dynamically adjust based on operational context. During flight, the wing tip extends to maximize span and aerodynamic efficiency, while during ground operations, it folds upward to reduce effective span and improve ground clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing is divided into a fixed main wing portion and a movable wing tip device that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the main wing to maintain its optimal aerodynamic shape while the wing tip device adjusts its position to resolve the contradiction between span and ground clearance requirements.
2Productivity
If a fairing is added to cover the hinge arrangement, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing is integrated with the wing tip device and hinge arrangement rather than being a separate component. The fairing serves multiple functions: it covers the hinge arrangement to maintain aerodynamic performance, and its structure is merged with the wing tip device itself, reducing the need for additional separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a aerodynamic cover for the hinge arrangement, provides structural support for the wing tip device, and maintains the smooth outer surface of the wing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hinge arrangement protrudes beyond the outer surface, then the wing tip device can be folded, but the aerodynamic performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing acts as an intermediary element that covers the protruding hinge arrangement and knuckles. It mediates between the mechanical folding requirement (which needs exposed hinges) and the aerodynamic requirement (which needs a smooth surface), creating a streamlined cover that allows the hinge to function while maintaining aerodynamic performance.
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
The solution enables a larger wing span during flight while maintaining airport compatibility by reducing lift loss and improving aerodynamic efficiency through the fairing's design, which energizes airflow and prevents stall, allowing for passive rotation under aerodynamic loads.
Implementation Method 1
The fairing may be shaped to create a vortex to energise flow
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft wing has a main fixed wing portion and a wing tip device at a tip thereof. The wing tip device is configurable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. A hinge arrangement connects the main fixed wing portion and the wing tip device and enables the wing tip device to rotate between the ground configuration and the flight configuration. The hinge arrangement protrudes beyond an outer surface of the main fixed wing portion and wing tip device. A fairing covers at least part of the hinge arrangement on at least a suction side of the wing.