Pre-Experimental Aerodynamic Design Study for a High-Lift Wing FSI Benchmark Model Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method

Abstract

A numerical design study is carried out to support the setup of a wind tunnel experiment for the flap cover seal, which will serve as a benchmarking reference database for Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI) in aeronautics. To this end, 3-D scale-resolving unsteady Large Eddy Simulation (LES) with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) is carried out using the simulation software ProLB. A new aerodynamic layout for the chosen F15LS (Large-Scale) high-lift wing model is established to fit the high-lift wing in the DLR-AWB tunnel. The design process involves variations in the leading-edge nose contour’s streamwise length and camber lines (inducing a negative S-shape) to reduce the leading-edge suction peak, thereby lowering the absolute lift while preserving the flap operating conditions. Initial simulations utilize a simplified periodic LES slice and a theory of the method of images to model wind tunnel jet flow deflection, culminating in a full-span 3-D WM-LES-LBM simulation of the entire wind tunnel installation, including free shear layers, to confirm the designed performance of the modified F15LS. This simulation serves to make informed decisions on model settings such as the boundary layer fence and model-nozzle distance. The successful experimental validation of critical performance characteristics, including angle-of-attack requirements and flow deflection, confirms the fidelity of the pre-test WM-LES-LBM evaluation.