Title: Swirl flow analysis of the port side F-5E intake using CFD

Authors: I.H. Ibrahim, E.Y.K. Ng, Y.L. Wu, L.W.K. Wong

Addresses: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore. ' School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore. ' Institute of High Performance Computing, 1 Fusionopolis Way, #16-16 Connexis, 138632, Singapore. ' Air Logistic Department, 2 Air Logistic Department, 506 Airport Road, 534395, Singapore

Abstract: Swirl represents a form of energy loss, as the energy is used in accelerating the flow in the angular direction and does not contribute to engine thrust. Significant swirl flow in resulting in the fighter aircraft intakes during manoeuvres can result in an undesirable engine performance. The CFD study conducted using FLUENT shows that the F-5E intake is more sensitive to the negative angles of attack, especially for AOA at −10°, where bulk swirls were seen forming. In the results of Taguchi and ANOVA, both statistical model point to the angle of attack play the most significant role in determining a more undesirable swirl coefficient.

Keywords: F-5E engine intake; Taguchi methods; robust design; flow distortion; flight manoeuvres; swirl flow analysis; CFD; computational fluid dynamics; energy loss; fighter aircraft; angles of attack; ANOVA; swirl coefficient.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2009.023354

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2009 Vol.9 No.2, pp.109 - 115

Published online: 19 Feb 2009 *

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