An Experimental and Simulation Study of the Active Camber Morphing Concept on Airfoils Using Bio-Inspired Structures.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Biomimetic Design

Background:

• Conventional aircraft wings have limitations in adapting to varying flight conditions.
• The aviation industry seeks innovative solutions for improved flight efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
• Bird wing morphing offers inspiration for advanced aerodynamic control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate an optimized wing design through trailing edge morphing.
• To validate the aeroelastic impact of a novel morphing wing concept.
• To compare the aerodynamic efficiency of morphing wings against conventional wing-flap configurations.

Main Methods:

• Conceptualization, modeling, and construction of a lightweight, actively deformable wing structure.
• Aeroelastic analysis using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with ANSYS CFX.
• Validation of structural integrity and aerodynamic performance under simulated flight loads.

Main Results:

• The morphing wing design achieved a 27% increase in aerodynamic efficiency compared to flap configurations.
• Maximum displacement was 47.45 mm at a 30-degree deflection, with maximum stress at 21 MPa.
• The structure demonstrated adequate safety factors, withstanding combined structural and aerodynamic loads.

Conclusions:

• The novel trailing edge morphing concept offers significant aerodynamic advantages.
• Actively deformable, lightweight structures are key to future aircraft efficiency.
• The study validates the potential of biomimetic morphing for enhanced flight performance.