Two Dimensional Unsteady Aerodynamics of Miniature Trailing Edge Effectors

Miniature trailing edge effectors (MiTEs) are small flaps, typically around 1% chord, actuated with deflection angles up to 90 degrees. Their small size, combined with low required power and good control authority, enables the devices to be used for high bandwidth control as well as conventional attitude control. However, some of the aerodynamic characteristics of these devices are complex and poorly understood. This paper describes time accurate computations that were performed using the INS2D flow solver to resolve unsteady characteristics including transient response and vortex shedding phenomena. The frequency response was studied to identify the dynamics of moving MiTEs, an important aspect of these new control devices.