Measuring Circulation Control Wings of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Session Number
J04
Advisor(s)
David Williams, Illinois Institute of Technology
Location
B-125 Tellabs
Start Date
28-4-2016 1:10 PM
End Date
28-4-2016 1:35 PM
Abstract
The “ICE-101/SACCON” unmanned aerial vehicle was developed by David Williams as an unmanned flying wing aircraft that uses an innovative aileron called a circulation control wing. The wing uses air blown over a rounded surface to maintain control without flaps. The 1 to 37 scale three dimensionally printed model used in this investigation has also been tested at the Air Force Academy. In this investigation, a calibration between supply pressure and mass flow rate through each of the four control points was measured using a commercial flowmeter and a needle valve regulator with pressure sensors. The mass flow rates were examined over a pressure range of 14.7 to 61.7 pounds per square inch absolute. Performance between control points was determined to be relatively uniform. Data was collected over six trials for each of the four control points. A distribution of mass flow rates for all four control points with a confidence interval of 95 percent over a range of supply pressures was obtained. Finally the flow coefficients of the control points, values important in industry, were calculated.
Measuring Circulation Control Wings of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
B-125 Tellabs
The “ICE-101/SACCON” unmanned aerial vehicle was developed by David Williams as an unmanned flying wing aircraft that uses an innovative aileron called a circulation control wing. The wing uses air blown over a rounded surface to maintain control without flaps. The 1 to 37 scale three dimensionally printed model used in this investigation has also been tested at the Air Force Academy. In this investigation, a calibration between supply pressure and mass flow rate through each of the four control points was measured using a commercial flowmeter and a needle valve regulator with pressure sensors. The mass flow rates were examined over a pressure range of 14.7 to 61.7 pounds per square inch absolute. Performance between control points was determined to be relatively uniform. Data was collected over six trials for each of the four control points. A distribution of mass flow rates for all four control points with a confidence interval of 95 percent over a range of supply pressures was obtained. Finally the flow coefficients of the control points, values important in industry, were calculated.