Propulsion and aerodynamic performance evaluation of jet-wing distributed propulsion

Distributed propulsion is the idea of redistributing the thrust across the drag producing elements of a vehicle. Our configuration has a modest number of engines with part of the exhaust flow vented from thick trailing edges of the wings to cancel the local profile drag and the rest of the exhaust flow providing thrust to cancel the induced drag and drag of the fuselage and tails. CFD studies were performed on two-dimensional wing sections in transonic, viscous flow to (1) investigate the effect of jet-wing on propulsion efficiency and the flow field (2) determine design changes for achieving efficient distributed propulsion, and (3) investigate the effect of jet-flaps with small jet deflection angles on aerodynamic parameters. The jet-wing distributed propulsion can give propulsive efficiencies on the order of turbofan engine aircraft and if the trailing edge of a conventional Outboard airfoil is expanded, efficiency can be increased by 7.5%. An increase in propulsion efficiency was achieved without expanding the trailing edge for a thicker Inboard airfoil. The results of the Outboard airfoil jet-flap cases support the idea of using deflected exhaust jets from trailing edges as control surfaces.