Study of performance of thrust vectoring in commercial aircraft

Published on 15 Apr 2022. Written by Gurudutt

Thrust vectoring is one of the technologies used to overcome the challenge for innovation. By vectoring the exhaust jet, the engine’s thrust is used to control the aircraft. In supersonic fighter aircraft thrust vectoring is one of the major phenomena used for VTOL/STOL and maneuvering. But in commercial aircraft thrust vectoring is used to prevent catastrophic failure and for Short Take-Off and Landing.

Objective:

To study the thrust performance of the Thrust Vectoring nozzle in commercial aircraft.
Utilization of thrust vectoring in commercial aircraft to prevent Catastrophic failure.
To study about aerodynamic forces like static, dynamic and directional stability.

Project Description:

An Experimental study is one of the methods to solve problems, but for this method, experimental study is very costly. Hence this difficulty can be rectified using CFD. In CFD, the problem is simulated and various flow parameters are also analyzed which proves it as an efficient tool.

The thrust vectoring nozzle used for analysis will have the following geometric parameters:

Inlet diameter(D_i)	80cm
Outlet diameter(D_e)	50cm
Length of the Duct(LD)	60cm
Length of the Nozzle(LN)	40cm

CFD Simulation:

This is the main part of CFD where our model is solved and analyzed according to the given boundary conditions. Special care should be taken while defining the steps in the solver. The setup of the solver varies with the type of analysis we are performing. It takes up the most of CFD analysis. It is here where the size of the nozzle comes into play. Finer the mesh more the time will it consume to solve our problem because the equations are solved for each and every element, smaller the element size more will be the number of elements for a given model. For CFD analysis of Thrust Vectoring nozzle, Ansys 18.1 software is used for flow simulation. The nozzle is being designed in Ansys Workbench.

Calculations:

By continuity equation,

ρ₁A₁U₁= ρ₂A₂U₂

since it is incompressible, density is neglected

A₁U₁= A₂U₂

Static pressure at the outlet,

(P_static)_outlet= 0

Incompressible Bernoulli’s equation,

P_total = 1/2*ρ*U²+ P_static

For nozzle exit, P_total = P_dynamic

And also P_totalwill be the same from inlet to outlet.

Static pressure at the inlet,

P_total = 1/2*ρ*U²+ P_static

T = m(V_e- V_i)+( P_e- P_i)* A_e

Justification, New thrust = Old thrust × cos(10)

Methodology:

Consider the standard geometrical parameters of the thrust vectoring nozzle 2D model
Select the configuration need for the 2D model.
Create the nozzle design in ANSYS 18.1
Do the calculation using the given formula.
After, run the analysis and simulation for the 2D nozzle (Ansys 18.1/Fluent)
Velocity and pressure counter is obtained
The effectiveness of deflection angle is studied.
Result

Conclusion:

Thus, by the analysis of thrust vectoring nozzle, effectiveness of deflection angle is studied.

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Study of performance of thrust vectoring in commercial aircraft

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