Aero-Propulsive Coupling Simulation of a Wing with Distributed Ducted-Fans

The configuration of a wing with distributed propulsion ducted fans involves complex flow phenomena, such as boundary-layer ingestion (BLI) and circulation control, resulting from the interaction between the propulsion system and the wing. In this study, to analyze these flow characteristics, a fan blade was designed for a distributed propulsion aircraft, and a wing configuration integrated with ducted fans was developed. The components of the rectangular ducted fan were parameterized to generate ducts that could be attached to the wing, forming a tightly coupled distributed propulsion wing configuration. The designed geometry was analyzed using an unstructured-mesh Navier-Stokes solver. To account for the complex flow phenomena generated by the ducted fans and to consider the integrated aerodynamic and propulsion effects, simulations were conducted using the body force method. Validation of the body force model against the designed fan demonstrated satisfactory accuracy. By analyzing the integrated ducted fan-wing configuration, the study examined the characteristics of the modified flow field and performance variations compared to an isolated duct.