FSI Analysis: Bayraktar UAV CFD Simulation Training

Introduction

FSI simulation involves the interaction between the fluid and the structure. If we only want to consider the effects of the fluid on the structure, we use one-way method, and if we want to consider the effect of the structure on the fluid in addition to the effect of the fluid on the structure, we use two-way method. In this simulation, we have performed a two-way simulation. Previously, we could only run the two-way method in Workbench, but now Fluent software also has this capability. However, if our simulation involves large displacements, it is better to use Workbench because Fluent is not able to accurately analyze large displacements.

Bayraktar is an unmanned aerial vehicle from Turkey. It is a long-lasting, medium-altitude drone. It can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance.

Bayraktar has a top speed of more than 220 kilometers per hour. The UAV has a fuel capacity of 300 liters. The range can go up to 300 km. 5.48 kilometers is the operational altitude. The greatest height is 7.62 kilometers Maximum loitering time for this drone is 27 hours.

In this simulation, a Bayraktar UAV with one propeller rotating around the horizontal axis is modeled using ANSYS Fluent software. The device is moving at a speed of 140 km/h.

The geometry of the present model is three-dimensional and has been designed using SpaceClaim software. We do the meshing of the present model with Ansys Meshing software. The mesh type is Tetrahedral, and the element number is 2,350,284.

Methodology

This study used a steady-state, pressure-based CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent software to analyze the incompressible flow around a UAV and the fluid-structure interactions. The flow physics was modeled using the k-ω SST turbulence model and a dynamic mesh was also used.

Results and Conclusion

According to the extracted contours, it is observed that, as expected, the greatest displacement occurs at the wing tips of the UAV and the greatest stress is at the wing-body connection.

It is also observed in the graph that the amount of displacement decreases from the wing tips to the body connection and reaches zero at the body. Although the body displacement may sometimes not be zero, its amount is very small and is usually ignored.