Abstract:
The aerodynamic performance of the high-pressure capturing wing (HCW), a novel aerodynamic configuration with significant promise for high-speed aircraft, primarily depends on their geometry and positioning. This configuration differs significantly from conventional ones, manifested by the severe shock wave interference on HCW at high speeds, but the underlying physical mechanisms remain poorly understood. To elucidate the effects of airfoil geometry on HCW performance, this study adopts a single-wing HCW framework and employs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to analyze four typical high-speed airfoils. The analyses focus on the lift-to-drag characteristics and stability of HCW under both a design (freestream Mach number of 6) and an off-design conditions (freestream Mach number of 3). The results indicate that the airfoil geometry has a relatively small impact on the aircraft's lift-to-drag characteristics under the design condition, while its influence is more pronounced under the off-design condition due to the interference between the aircraft fuselage and the leading-edge shock waves and reflected shock waves of HCW. Additionally, the quadrilateral airfoil has the highest overall lift-to-drag ratio under both operating conditions. Stability analyses show that, except for the triangular airfoil, which results in the rearward shift of the pressure center and focal position at most angles of attack, the remaining airfoils demonstrate small differences. In summary, the aerodynamic characteristics of the HCW configuration under the design condition are not particularly sensitive to airfoil geometry (except for the stability characteristics of the triangular airfoil), providing broader optimization space for wide-speed-range airfoil design.