Numerical Investigation of Aerodynamic Interaction of Wingtip-Mounted Tractor Propeller With Fixed Wing

The next-generation sustainable aircraft using distributed electric propulsion (DEP) system has gained significant attention to replace conventional aircraft. Although the DEP system helps improve flight safety, reduce environmental noise, and achieve redundancy in the propulsion system, the mutual interaction between the multiple propeller and fixed-wing occurs more frequently. This interactional phenomenon is a dominant factor affecting the aerodynamic performance of vehicles. This study investigates the aerodynamic interactions between wing-tip mounted tractor propeller and fixed-wing using the lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM). NASA's Workshop for Integrated Propeller Prediction (WIPP) model is considered, and the LBM predictions are compared against the experimental data for validation. The propeller wake effects on the wing aerodynamics and flow field are discussed depending on the wing angles of attack.