Strut-Braced Wing Staggered Configuration Reduces Interference Drag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional strut-braced wing systems experience increased interference drag at transonic speeds due to shockwave formation between the wing and strut, leading to reduced flight efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft design features a wing and strut configuration with thinned portions and a download-inducing portion on the strut, which reduces shockwave strength and interference drag by increasing the cross-sectional area and altering the camber of the wing and strut, and staggering the wing and strut to minimize aerodynamic interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a strut-braced wing system is used to provide structural support, then wing stiffness and strength are improved, but interference drag increases at transonic speeds due to shockwave formation between the wing and strut
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a thinned portion in the wing and strut at the channel region where shockwaves form. This localized modification changes the aerodynamic properties only in the critical area where interference occurs, while maintaining the overall structural integrity and thickness of the wing and strut elsewhere. The thinned portion reduces the channel cross-sectional area, thereby reducing shockwave strength and interference drag without compromising overall wing stiffness.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the channel cross-sectional area between wing and strut is reduced to minimize shockwave formation, then interference drag decreases, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The thinned portion is localized to the channel region and does not extend to the critical load-bearing areas of the wing and strut. This ensures that structural strength is maintained in the regions where thickness is reduced, while only the local aerodynamic properties in the channel area are modified to reduce interference drag.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometry in the spanwise direction by creating a thinned portion that extends partially spanwise along the channel. This dimensional approach allows the design to optimize the channel cross-sectional area for reduced drag while maintaining adequate thickness in the chordwise direction for structural strength.
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 effectively reduces shockwave strength and interference drag, enhancing flight efficiency and aerodynamic performance at transonic speeds.
Implementation Method 1
Under certain operating conditions, shockwaves can form within the channel between the struts and the wings. At transonic speeds, shockwaves generally cause an increase in the interference drag acting on the wings and struts.
Implementation Method 2
The strut also includes a download-inducing portion that alters a camber of the wing and strut
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft includes a body, a wing coupled to and extending from the body, and a strut. The wing includes a wing thickest region bounded by a wing thickest region leading boundary and a wing thickest region trailing boundary. The strut includes a strut thickest region bounded by a strut thickest region leading boundary and a strut thickest region trailing boundary. In a planform view, the wing thickest region overlaps the strut thickest region at an overlap region, where the overlap region including less than fifteen percent of the strut thickest region.