Memoria

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MASTER THESIS
TITLE: New winglet designs to minimize drag and turbulence.

MASTER DEGREE: Master's degree in Aerospace Science &
Technology (MAST)
AUTHOR: Sushma Jyothi
ADVISOR: Sebastian Andreas Altmeyer
DATE: October 23rd 2022
Title: New winglet designs to minimize drag and turbulence.
Author: Sushma Jyothi
Advisor: Sebastian Andreas Altmeyer
Date: October 23rd 2022
Abstract
The aerospace industry relies on the continuous upgrading of available

technology and the testing of novel concepts to ensure that there is a demand
for aircraft design investments. These aircraft design improvements will
substantially impact the aircraft's aerodynamic efficiency and structural design.
Winglets are one of the essential components of an aircraft's design that
contribute to its aerodynamic efficiency. The winglet design plays a significant
part in reducing aerodynamic drag when it comes to the geometry of a wing.
The winglet is responsible not only for the aircraft's efficiency but also for its
structural integrity. So, based on the backdrop, as mentioned earlier, we'll now
focus on implementing alternative winglet designs, generating parameters such
as drag force and lift, and finally determining the most effective design based
on the shape and flow regimes.
Autodesk Fusion 360, Education License, the integrated CAD/CAM and 3D
modeling software, is used to develop novel winglet designs. Ansys Fluent
student version displays flow parameters, analysis, and simulations.
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Abstract
La industria aeroespacial se basa en la actualización continua de la tecnología

disponible y la prueba de conceptos novedosos para garantizar que exista una
demanda de inversiones en el diseño de aeronaves. Estas mejoras en el diseño
de la aeronave tendrán un impacto sustancial en la eficiencia aerodinámica y
el diseño estructural de la aeronave.
Los winglets son uno de los componentes esenciales del diseño de una
aeronave que contribuyen a su eficiencia aerodinámica. El diseño del winglet
juega un papel importante en la reducción de la resistencia aerodinámica
cuando se trata de la geometría de un ala. El winglet es responsable no solo
de la eficiencia de la aeronave sino también de su integridad estructural.
Entonces, según el contexto, como se mencionó anteriormente, ahora nos
centraremos en implementar diseños alternativos de winglets, generar
parámetros como la fuerza de arrastre y la sustentación y, finalmente,
determinar el diseño más efectivo en función de los regímenes de forma y flujo.
Autodesk Fusion 360 Education License, el software de modelado 3D y
CAD/CAM integrado, se utiliza para desarrollar nuevos diseños de winglets. La
versión para estudiantes de Ansys Fluent 8 muestra parámetros de flujo,
análisis y simulaciones.
To my Dad,
who taught me to stay independent and never lose hope.
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Acknowledgements
Without my supervisor, Dr. Sebastian Andreas Altmeyer, this project would not
have been possible. I want to thank my supervisor for generous support and kind
assistance throughout the thesis development.
I'm incredibly appreciative of my friends and coworkers for supporting me during
my stressful moments.
Without the help of my family, especially my parents and siblings, I would not
have been able to embark on this adventure. Their confidence in me has
sustained my enthusiasm and upbeat attitude throughout this process.
Contents
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 12
OBJECTIVES................................................................................................... 13
DOCUMENT OVERVIEW ................................................................................ 14
CHAPTER 1. WINGLET AERODYNAMICS .................................................... 15
1.1. Forces acting on an Aircraft............................................................... 15
1.2. Forces acting on the wing ................................................................ 16
1.2.1. Lift and Drag................................................................................ 16
1.3. What causes drag on a wing? .......................................................... 18
1.3.1 Drag and airspeed .......................................................................... 19
1.4. The importance of wingtip devices in drag reduction ................... 20
1.4.1. Aerodynamic significance............................................................. 21
1.4.2. Economic importance.................................................................... 21
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE SURVEY ............................................................. 22
2.1. Brief description of early wingtip device designs ............................ 22
2.2. Current generation wingtip devices design ..................................... 23
CHAPTER 3. WING AND WINGLET GEOMETRY. ......................................... 26
3.1. Wing geometry ..................................................................................... 26
3.2. Winglet geometry .............................................................................. 27
3.2. Types of winglets involved ............................................................... 28
3.2.1 Rectangular wing ........................................................................ 28
3.2.2. Blended winglet ............................................................................. 28
3.2.3. Raked winglet.............................................................................. 29
3.2.3. Spoiroid winglet .......................................................................... 29
3.2.4. Double / Multi winglets ............................................................... 30
3.3. Winglet airfoil .................................................................................... 31
3.4. Software employed ........................................................................... 31
CHAPTER 4. CFD ANALYSIS ......................................................................... 34
4.1. What exactly is CFD? ........................................................................ 34
4.1.1. Discretization techniques in CFD:............................................. 34
4.1.2. Differential equations in CFD: ................................................... 35
4.2. Steps in CFD analysis ....................................................................... 36
4.3. Cases examined ................................................................................ 37
4.4. Software used .................................................................................... 39
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4.5. Analysis technique............................................................................ 39

CHAPTER 5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................ 46
5.1. Conclusions.......................................................................................... 85
5.2. Future work ........................................................................................ 85
List of Figures
Fig 1.1 Forces on an aircraft [25] ................................................................................ 15
Fig 1.2 Freestream velocity ....................................................................................... 16
Fig 1.3 Types of drag................................................................................................. 18
Fig 2.1 Lifting Line Theory [26] ................................................................................. 23
Fig 2.2 How winglets work [12] ................................................................................... 23
Fig 2.3 Winglets on B737 MAX [19] ........................................................................... 24
Fig 2.4 Sharklets on Airbus A320 [13] ....................................................................... 25
Fig 3.1 Wing geometry[20]......................................................................................... 27
Fig 3.2 Wingtip vortex [21] ......................................................................................... 27
Fig 3.3 Blended winglet [15] ...................................................................................... 29
Fig 3.4 Raked winglet [22] ......................................................................................... 29
Fig 3.5 Spoiroid winglet [16] ...................................................................................... 30
Fig 3.6 NACA 0012 [24]............................................................................................. 31
Fig 3.7 Wing 1 with classical blended winglet ............................................................ 31
Fig 3.8 Wing 2 with canted wingtips with cant angle of 45 deg .................................. 32
Fig 3.9 Wing with canted wingtips with cant angle 90 deg ......................................... 32
Fig 3.10 Wing 4 with a wingtip curled towards the inside forming a c-type path ......... 32
Fig 3.11 Wing 5 with a kind of spiroid wingtip making a closure from the tip to the
surface of the wing ...................................................................................................... 33
Fig 5.1 Meshed domain for Wing 1 ............................................................................. 40
Fig 5.2 Meshed profile for Wing 1 .............................................................................. 40
Fig 5.3 Meshed domain for Wing 2 ............................................................................ 41
Fig 5.5 Meshed domain for Wing 3 ............................................................................. 42
Fig 5.8 Meshed profile for Wing 4 ............................................................................. 43
Fig 5.10 Meshed profile for Wing 5 ............................................................................ 44
Fig 6.1 Cl curve for Wing 2 ........................................................................................ 46
Fig 6.2 Cd curve for Wing 2 ....................................................................................... 46
Fig 6.8 Contours of Pressure (top left), Contours of Velocity (top right), Turbulance
kinetic energy (bottom left), Streamline flow velocity (bottom right) for the solid part of
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 48
kinetic energy (bottom left), Streamline flow velocity (bottom right) for the Plane 1of
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 49
kinetic energy (bottom left), Streamline flow velocity (bottom right) for the Plane 2 of
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 50
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 51
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Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 52
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 53
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 54
Wing 1 ........................................................................................................................ 55
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 55
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 56
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 57
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 58
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 59
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 60
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 61
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 62
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 63
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 64
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 65
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 66
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 67
Wing 2 ........................................................................................................................ 67
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 68
Wing 3 ........................................................................................................................ 69
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 70
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 71
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 72
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 73
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 74
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 75
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 76
Wing 4 ........................................................................................................................ 77
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 78
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 79
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 80
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 81
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 82
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 83
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Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 84
Wing 5 ........................................................................................................................ 84
INTRODUCTION
To increase total aircraft efficiency, which would be advantageous to both aircraft

manufacturers and airlines, aircraft designers are conducting research. One of
the challenging moments in designing an aircraft would be to decrease the overall
drag to a moderate level. Then several early experiments were carried out with
concern to drag reduction.
To lessen induced drag, the objective of this study is to present innovative winglet
designs. The wingtip setting benchmarks the lift-to-drag ratio, which could
increase the lift force operating on the aircraft by increasing the lift produced at
the wingtip and decreasing the lift-induced drag carried on by wingtip vortices.
Because of this, there is a possibility of reducing fuel consumption, and it can
enhance the plane's abilities and also the overall performance of the aircraft.
According to the research, increasing wing span is the most straightforward
technique to diminish induced drag The wingspan can be lengthened either
horizontally or vertically to obtain this [10]. Nevertheless, horizontal expansion of
the wing is inappropriate due to precise geometry and aerodynamic conditions.
This might lead to structural failure, and an increase in the aircraft's overall
weight. Fredrick W. Lanchester's concept of vertical wing tip extensions were
developed to circumvent these conflicts. While induced drag was reduced as a
consequence of his study's explanation of wing tip devices in 1897, it was
unfortunate that his theory failed to decrease overall drag.
Later, Richard T. Whitcomb defined winglets as tiny vertical structures resembling
little wings extending from the wingtips to reduce induced drag compared to other
wingtip devices or extensions. According to Prandtl's theory, generated drag can
be reduced by 10% by expanding the wingspan by 10% while considering
structural limits on the integrated bending moments.
The aim of this project is to concentrate on the various designs of winglets such
as blended winglets, spiroid winglets, canted winglets, all designed in the Fusion
360 by Autodesk student version and analyzed using experimental flow analysis.
Ansys Fluent is used to evaluate each design's CL, CD and CL/CD values to
determine which one is the best among the new designs.
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OBJECTIVES
The fundamental goal of this dissertation is to create new winglet designs that
would reduce induced drag. The following set of basic steps should be performed
in order to achieve this.
1. To illustrate how induced drag influences the airplane's aerodynamic
performance.
2. To evaluate how wingtip devices usually affect an aircraft's performance.
3. To compare an aircraft's aerodynamic performance with and without winglets.
4. To design a variety of winglets and wingtip devices employing Fusion 360,
compare the outcomes of each, and select the best choice by doing dynamic
analysis using Ansys Fluent.
5. To finalize creating the optimum winglet design for the aircraft's improved
performance.
DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
 Chapter 2: Winglet Aerodynamics, describes the aerodynamic forces, the

cause of drag, and the importance of wingtip devices in reducing drag on
the wing.
 Chapter 3: Literature survey, presents the study of different wingtip
devices from the previous and current generations.
 Chapter 4: Wing and Winglet Geometry, explains the characteristics of the
new winglets and how they can be responsible for drag reduction.
 Chapter 5: CFD Analysis, details the steps followed in the analysis, the
geometry imported, mesh generated, boundary conditions applied, and
the expected results.
 Chapter 6: Results and Discussions, reviews the results obtained from
analysis by comparison of different parameters.
 Chapter 7: Conclusions, summarizes the overall conclusions drawn from
the project by justifying the objectives.
 Chapter 8: Future work, gives the idea of making necessary improvements
in the future to obtain more noticeable results.
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CHAPTER 1 WINGLET AERODYNAMICS
1.1. Forces acting on an Aircraft
Aerodynamics is a broad subject that embraces many branches of physics and

engineering. Despite the complex nature of aerodynamics analysis, aerodynamic
forces can be easily described using fundamental physics. A free-body diagram
can be used to explain the forces acting on the aircraft.
Fig 1.1 Forces on an aircraft
Lift, Drag, Thrust, and Weight are all critical forces (Fig 1.1) acting on the
aircraft.
Lift is defined as the perpendicular force acting in the direction of free stream in
brief lift can be explained as the force generated by the airplane to overcome the
weight force. The factors that depend on the magnitude of lift are shaped size
and velocity of the aircraft
Drag is the parallel force acting on the body in the direction of free stream it is
the resistance force caused when a body is in motion in fluid or air the drag force
act in the direction opposite to the flow velocity
Thrust is defined as the counter Force to track and helps in the forward motion
of aircraft
Weight is a non-aerodynamic force directed towards the center the rate of aircraft
determines the lift required for the flight. the weights magnitude is defined by the
overall mass of the aircraft
1.2. Forces acting on the wing
Anybody submerged in a fluid flow is subject to a force produced on its surface

by the effects of pressure and shear stress. The term pressure is explained as
the force per unit area acting on a body surface. The friction between the fluid
and the body causes shear stress.
The total pressure and shear stress effect on the body gives the resultant
aerodynamic force R and the moment M on the body.
The term pressure is explained as the force per unit area acting on a body
surface. The friction between the fluid and the body causes shear stress.
Fig. 1.2 Freestream velocity
From the figure (Fig. 1.2), 𝑉∞ is also called the freestream velocity,
L is lift, D is drag, C is chord (the distance from the leading and trailing edge) and
the angle of attack α is defined as the angle between chord c and freestream
velocity 𝑉∞ .
Lift and drag in aerodynamic terms are the component of R perpendicular to 𝑉∞
and the component of R parallel to 𝑉∞ , respectively.
The lift force of a wing or aircraft in flight is created by a pressure difference
between the wing's upper and lower surface. The pressure on the wing's upper
surface is substantially lower than on its counterpart; this differential works as a
vertical force to counteract the wing's weight.
1.2.1. Lift and Drag
Aerodynamics is the force that an object experiences while traveling through air.
This force is divided into two parts: Lift and Drag.
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Lift is defined as the perpendicular component to the free stream and is given by
the equation below.
Where:
ρ Density of the fluid through which the body is moving.
V Speed of the body relative to the fluid.
S Reference area or wing area.
𝑪𝑳 Lift coefficient.
From the lift equation, co efficient of lift can be extracted in a simple way just by
interchanging quantities. The lift coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is
expressed as the ratio of the lift force to the dynamic force per surface area.
𝟏
L= × ρ × 𝑉 2 × S × 𝐶𝐿 ( 1.1)
𝟐
𝑳
𝐶𝐿 = ( 1.2)
𝒒𝑺
q Dynamic force,
S Surface area,
Cl Lift coefficient
However, the drag force cannot be described as the consequence of a single

phenomenon: several sources of varying importance, depending on the aircraft
characteristics and flow regime, must be considered. In fluid dynamics, drag is
the parallel force acting in the opposite direction to the relative motion of any body
passing through it.
The drag force D experienced by a body moving through a fluid is calculated as
follows:
𝟏
𝐷= × ρ × 𝑉 2 × S × 𝐶𝐷 ( 1.3)
𝟐
Where:
ρ is the density of the fluid through which the body is moving.
V is the speed of the body relative to the fluid.
S is the projected cross-sectional area of the body perpendicular to the flow
direction
Cd is the drag coefficient.
The drag coefficient is used to quantify an object's drag or resistance in a fluid
environment. The equation of drag coefficient is given by
D
𝐶𝐷 = 0.5 ρV2 S (1.4)
q is the dynamic force, S is surface area,

Lift and drag coefficients play a strong role in the preliminary design and
performance analysis of airplanes.
Drag
First, let us brief the word Drag. Two masses that come into contact with one
another exert resistance to motion. Air opposes the forward propulsion of an
airplane in this instance. Drag is the barrier to an aircraft's movement through the
air when it comes to flight. Thrust is countered by drag.
1.3. What causes drag on a wing?
The total drag (Fig 1.3) acting on the wing is the sum of all forces operating in
the opposite direction of force and is classified as parasitic, induced, and wave
drag.
Fig 1.3 Types of drag
Drag emphasizes all the aerodynamic forces and the moments acting on the
airplane, leaving lift forces out. It is best described as the retarding force that
opposes thrust.
Parasite Drag focuses on all aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the
airplane, leaving lift forces out. The drag created by an object moving through a
fluid is parasite drag. In aviation, the object is an aircraft, while the fluid is
atmospheric air. The air molecules cause parasite drag. This drag comprises
three components: Skin Friction Drag, Form Drag, and Interference Drag.
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Skin friction drag: When an object moves through a fluid, the frictional motion
induced by the fluid and the object's surface is known as skin friction drag. A
smooth surface will produce less skin friction drag than a rough surface, which is
the opposite.
Friction drag occurs in the boundary layer as a result of the viscosity of the air
and the subsequent friction against the aircraft's surface. The air molecules
closest to the aircraft's surface are the most influenced. The viscous resistance
to flow generates a force that retards forward motion when the molecules flow
past the surface.
The quantity of friction drag is produced per square meter of the surface area is
minimal. However, because the boundary layer covers so much of the aircraft's
surface, friction drag can become much more considerable in larger planes.
Form drag often referred to as Pressure drag or Profile drag, is the drag brought
on by the wake produced when a boundary layer separates from a surface. It
largely depends on how the object is shaped. Form drag with skin friction drag is
added to create profile drag. Hence, Aircraft surfaces exposed to the relative
wind's airflow are streamlined to reduce form drag.
Interference drag is when two or more airflows with differing velocities interact,
and interference drag is created. And the interference of various aircraft
elements, or a combination of airflow around the wing and fuselage, causes this
drag.
This drag can be minimized by maintaining the angle between these two under
90 degrees.
Lift Induced Drag is a side effect of the creation of lift, the drag that is caused
by lift. Another aerodynamic force is lift. It is a force that keeps an airplane in the
air, and during stable flight, its strength is equal to the aircraft's weight. The vector
of lift is opposite the prevailing wind flowing at the aircraft. As the title suggests,
lift-induced drag is the drag caused by lift. An airplane will have more lift at a
slower speed and a higher angle of attack. However, when the angle of attack
rises, the air pulls the plane rearward. The drag is caused by this push backward.
This drag is caused by a change in the aircraft's lift vector direction.
1.3.1 Drag and airspeed
While induced drag, a function of lift, is most fantastic when the maximal lift is
generated, often at low speeds, parasitic drag increases with the square of the
airspeed [30]. The relationship between induced drag and parasitic drag
concerning total drag is illustrated in diagram.
Fig 1. 4 Drag vs Airspeed curve
The maximum range speed is the airspeed at which total drag is the least;
nevertheless, flight at this speed is unstable given that even a slight decrease in
speed generates a rise in drag, which causes a further decline in speed. Without
the addition of propulsion or the start of a descent, the further decrease in speed
results in additional drag and could trigger a stall or Loss of Control. In reality, for
steady flight, maximum range is attained at a speed that is only a bit faster than
the minimum drag speed, where a slight decrease in speed causes a reduction
in drag.
1.4. The importance of wingtip devices in drag

reduction
The drag produced by the airplane is one of the critical factors limiting its
performance. This drag is caused by vortices shed by an aircraft's wings, which
cause the local relative wind to fall and provide an induced drag component of
the local lift force in the direction of the free stream. The strength of this induced
drag is related to the vortices' spacing and radius [9]. By developing wings that
force vortices farther apart while also creating vortices with large core radii, one
can drastically minimize the drag produced by the aircraft.
Fixed-wing aircraft utilize wingtip devices to increase efficiency. Winglets can also
improve the handling characteristics of an airplane. Wingtip devices boost lift
generated at the wingtip while decreasing lift-induced drag caused by wingtip
vortices, improving the lift-to-drag ratio. Winglets increase efficiency by spreading
the shed wingtip vortex, reducing drag due to lift, and increasing the wing's lift-
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over-drag ratio. Winglets enhance a wing's effective aspect ratio without putting
additional structural stress, thereby keeping the structure's weight undisturbed.
Winglets make the wings more efficient at generating lift, consuming lower engine
power.
Wingtip devices intend to boost fixed-wing aircraft efficiency by reducing drag.
Although there are various wing tip devices, their primary purpose is always to
lower an aircraft's drag by partially recovering the tip vortex power
1.4.1. Aerodynamic significance
The utilization of winglets causes the tip vortex to separate. The vortex is
relocated and rebounds in a smaller form at the tip of the winglet. Because the
smaller vortex has a lower rotating speed and less kinetic energy, the induced
drag is reduced.
1.4.2. Economic importance
(1) the improvement in fuel flow (and consequently reduced direct operating
expenses) as a result of drag reduction, and
(2) the cost of implementing drag reduction technology.
The following attributes are responsible for induced drag in the wing:
 The wing shape,

 Corresponding aspect ratio
 Lift coefficient
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE SURVEY
2.1. Brief description of early wingtip device

designs
F. W. Lanchester [6] developed various models to support his vortex hypothesis

of sustentation, which was first proposed in 1892. The vortex theory served as
the theoretical foundation for modern airfoil theory and the base of aerodynamics.
His two most well-known works were published in 1907 and 1908. His publication
Aerodynamics and Aerodonetics provided a comprehensive explanation of Lift
and drag, oscillations and stall research, and so forth. Lanchester's conclusions
weren't reasonable. At the same time, a German scientist named Ludwig Prandtl
received in the UK mathematically showed how accurate his theories were.
Whitcomb pioneered the concept of winglets in 1976. Winglets, according to
Whitcomb, are tiny vertical extensions surfaces mounted at the wingtips that
provide a higher reduction in induced drag for the given lifting conditions and
Mach number than simple wingtip extensions with the same structural weight. He
discovered a 20% reduction in induced drag, as well as a good 9% rise in the
wing's lift to drag ratio. As a result of inserting winglets, the total wing performance
was improved compared to wingtip extensions.
Louis B. Grater, [1] introduced spiroid tipped wings - a wing with spiroid tips - in
1992. Such tips at the ends of the wings resulted in the induced drag minimization
and also mollified the noise effects caused by vorticity wakes created at the tips
of the wings. This development aimed to maximize the trailing edge length to
wingspan ratio, especially at the wingtip, where this methodology is more
effective, hence lowering induced drag.
Louis B Grater [2] set a new standard with his proposal for integrated wings. He
defined a blended winglet as a smooth and self-blended lift generation surface
connected to the wing tips that aid in achieving low induced drag by minimizing
the intensity and concentration of vorticity that falls behind the lifting surfaces. He
stated that his suggestion of a blended winglet linked to the wing tip would not
only decrease drag but also retain the structural weight almost the same.
La Roche [5] derived the inspiration for the wing grid from nature while analyzing
how strokes fly. A simple natural concept motivated him to look into it further.
During his research, he noticed numerous methods for reducing induced drag on
wings, including planar straight wings, contouring plane wings, simple wings with
wingtips and endplates, wings with slotted edges, and wings with fanned partial
wings. He couldn't find a solution to the multi winglets. Hence with the knowledge
of aerodynamics and turbomachinery, he successfully modelled the wing grids,
resulting in a 50% reduction in induced drag compared to an elliptical planar wing.
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In general, adding a wingtip device increases structural weight in some way.

Herrick invented High Taper Wing Tip Extensions, often known as Raked Wings
[7], in the year 2000 to resolve the trade-off between the advantages of drag
reduction and the drawbacks of higher structural weight. The leading edges of
raked wings are tapered, and the sweep angles are higher than the main sweep
angles. One significant advantage of raked wings is that the weight is reduced as
the wingspan increases.
The Prandtl lifting-line theory is a mathematical model that predicts lift distribution
over a three-dimensional wing based on its geometry. It is also known as the
Lanchester–Prandtl wing theory. [29]
Fig 2. 1 Lifting Line Theory
2.2. Current generation wingtip devices design
Have you ever wondered why the ends of the wings of some aircraft have pointy
bits?
What you see are "winglets," now considered standard features on all new
airplanes.
What do winglets do?
Fig 2.2 How winglets work

"Winglets assist in lowering the drag connected to the generation of lift". Though
this is a theoretical explanation but The practical justification for winglets is
simpler to understand. Winglets make the wings more effective in producing lift,
which results in less engine power needed by the aircraft. As a result, there is an
improvement in fuel efficiency, a reduction in CO2 emissions, and a likely decline
in airline expenses.
According to Boeing, adding winglets on its 757 and 767 airliners may improve
fuel efficiency by 5% and co2 reductions by up to 5%. Installing winglets on the
available B767 jets is reliably expected to save 500,000 gallons of fuel annually.
With the introduction of winglets, the aircraft can reduce induced drag across the
entire wing and, more importantly, degrade the strength of wingtip vortices. It is
believed that the produced drag decreases as the wingspan increase, but it is
impossible to increase the wingspan in all cases of airplanes. Henceforth, the
span extension gave rise to vertical extensions called winglets. Winglets were
first installed on Boeing 747-400 and the McDonnell Douglas MD11 and could
see up to 2.5% to 3% improved fuel efficiency compared to aircraft without
winglets. The fuel burn improvement was enhanced during the second-
generation installation of winglets with finer curvature. The B737 Max aircraft with
generation three winglets offered significant results over the second generation
Fig 2.3 Winglets on B737 MAX

With the introduction of the A300 and A310, Airbus became a leader in the
commercial aviation industry in using wingtip devices. Wingtip fences, vertical
extensions in the shape of arrows that extended above and below the end of the
wing, were installed on these wide body jetliners and served as pillars of the
company's product range.
Wingtip fences and more significant winglet-type devices were incorporated on
Airbus' single-aisle A320 Family aircraft using the knowledge learned from the
A300/A310, and then on the A330, A340, A380, and A350 XWB aircraft.
The 2.4-meter-tall Sharklets were the next step in Airbus' evolution; they were
designed for the A320 Family of airplanes and can save fuel usage by up to 4%
while lowering CO2 emissions annually by as much as 900 tons per aircraft [34].
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They lessen the spiral-shaped vortices that form at the end of wings during flight,
which increases aerodynamic drag, as do all wingtip devices used on Airbus
aircraft since the original A300/A310.
Fig 2.4 Sharklets on Airbus A320

CHAPTER 3 WING AND WINGLET GEOMETRY
3.1. Wing geometry
The geometry of the wing is among the primary factors influencing aircraft lift and
drag. The nomenclature that is used is generally applied in the aviation business
world and was primarily known to Orville Wright in the 19th Century. Despite
actual aircraft wings being complex three-dimensional objects, we will begin with
some basic definitions. The figure depicts (Fig. 3) a wing from three
perspectives:
● The upper left depicts a view from the top, looking directly at the wing.
● The lower left depicts a view from the front, looking at the wing's leading
edge.
● The right depicts a side view from the left towards the centerline.
A side view of an airfoil with the leading edge to the left is shown. This is a
modern, thick airfoil, as opposed to the thin airfoils employed by the Wrights,
which are depicted below. However, the nomenclature remains the same.
The top view depicts the Wright brothers' usage of a simple rectangular wing
shape. The forward edge of the wing is referred to as the leading edge, while the
backward edge of the wing is referred to as the trailing edge. The chord is the
distance between the leading and trailing edges. The wing tips are the ends of
the wing, and the span is the distance from one wing tip to the other. A planform
is the shape of a wing as viewed from above and looking down onto it. The chord
length of a rectangular wing is the same at every position along its span. The
chord length varies along the span of most commercial airliners, and both the
edges which are leading and trailing may be swept. The projected area of the
planform is the wing area, illustrated by the leading edge and trailing edge, and
also the wing tips. Bear in mind that the wing area is distinct from the overall
surface area of the wing. Both the top and lower surfaces comprise the overall
surface area. The wing area is a projected area, almost half of the overall surface
area.
A break through the wing perpendicular to the leading and the trailing edges will
display the wing's cross-section. This cross-section is known as an airfoil, and it
has its own geometric criteria, as illustrated in the picture. The chord line is drawn
in between the trailing edge of an airfoil to the leading edge. The chord line divides
the airfoil into an upper and lower surface. The mean camber line is derived by
plotting the spots midway between the upper and lower surfaces. The upper
surface of a symmetric airfoil reflects the lower surface, and the chord line will fall
under the mean camber line. Nevertheless, in most instances, the chord and the
27
mean camber line are unique lines. The maximum distance between the two lines
is termed as the camber, and it serves as a measure of the airfoil's curvature. [
Fig. 3.1 Wing geometry
3.2. Winglet geometry
A little, not-so-subtle advertisement for Southwest.com, WestJet.com, or Ryanair

may have caught your eye on a recent flight. The ad on the winglet, a little,
upward-sloping mini-wing at the end of the wing. All kinds of winglets, sometimes
with a significant curve, like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787, are mounted to the
tips of airplane wings. In reality, winglet-less jetliners are becoming harder to find.
Understanding the wing is the first step in understanding winglets. The wing form
creates lift by applying downward pressure to the air mass it passes through. As
a result, there is a difference in pressure between the surfaces of the wing's upper
and lower surfaces.
Figure (Fig 3. 1) explains the vortex generates when the air under the wings
rolls up and wraps around the top of the wing due to the pressure differential. As
per NASA, the outcome of these vortices is more drag and less lift, which lowers
flying efficiency and raises fuel expenditures as shown in figure.
Fig 3. 1 Wingtip vortex

Modeling the geometries on a CAD developer is the preliminary step in analyzing
and generating them. The digital design of said four configurations will be further
establishing the wall boundary conditions on the ANSYS CFD solver.
3.3 Types of winglets involved
3.3.1 Rectangular wing
This illustrates an unrefined wingtip. A cut has been created that is parallel to
the plane of airfoils. Small aircraft that fly slowly do sometimes have this
arrangement. This design is applied in our study to monitor the typical
behavior of the flow, specifically how the intrados and extrados interact and
how this impacts the lift production.
Benefits of a rectangular wing include:
● Stalling features that are more innocuous. Roll control will be primarily
maintained as the stall occurs at the wing root and eventually move
to the tips.
● Pitching stalls and unintended spins are less due to this.
● Cheaper and simple to construct.
● Less aeronautical experience is required in the design phase to get
grippy tires.
3.3.2. Blended winglet
The Boeing 737, the world's most popular aircraft, has blended winglets on
many of its versions. The largest airlines are Southwest and Ryanair, which
are frequently spotted in North America near the end of 737 wings with
WestJet, Delta, and American.
They are known as blended winglets because they have a seamless transition
from the wing to the winglet than a canted winglet or wingtip fence, which
results in increased performance.
Gulfstream II aircraft obtained the first Blended winglets. Airbus tested two
prototypes prior to actually concluding that their advantages were not
particularly compelling, despite the fact that this is one of the primary
configurations for Aviation Partners Inc. aircraft such as Boeing Jet series and
Falcon series. Falcon Series, Hawkers Series. They have invested a lot of
effort in it.
A winglet shown in figure of this type functions as an upward extension of the
aircraft wing. In the transition zone, they combine a sweep angle with a
smoother chord fluctuation.
29
This should reduce some of the viscous drag while giving up some of the
potential induced drag reduction, according to some studies that have been
done by Boeing.
Fig 3.2 Blended winglet
3.2.3. Raked winglet
In order to properly develop the geometry of this winglet, the designer of raked
wingtips must include additional wingspan. When there are gate restrictions
for particular wingspan values, this can occasionally have an impact on the
performance of the aircraft and limit the airports where they can fly. Another
characteristic is that the tip's leading edge will have a significantly greater
sweep angle than the main wing's leading edge. For extremely long-distance
flights, raked winglets have been shown to be effective since they maximize
the cruise phase while using less fuel.
Fig 3. 3 Raked winglet
3.2.3. Spiroid winglet
The blended winglet was created by Aviation Partners Inc. (API), who also
developed the spiroid winglet. API started flight testing the spiroid winglet on
a Gulfstream II in the late 1990s.
One of the other advantages of the spiroid winglet's potential capacity to
almost completely eliminate the wingtip vortex would be in the control of air
traffic flow at significant airports. As it stands, aircraft spacing is required to
allow for the subsequent aircraft's wake vortex dissipation. Spiroid winglets
would enable closer spacing between following aircraft, reducing some of the
congestion at busy airports and enhancing flow efficiency.
Fig 3. 4 Spiroid winglet
3.2.4. Double / Multi winglets
The possible application of multi-winglets to minimize induced drag in a light

aircraft, thereby boosting performance and aerodynamic efficiency. Carriers
noticed that the split design provided considerable efficiency gains, and many
airlines are now retrofitting their 737 aircraft with split-scimitar winglets. In
addition to its unique structure, the MAX winglet design optimizes airflow by
implementing new materials and coatings.
Boeing claims that its MAX split-tip winglets are among the most high - quality
manufacturers on the market. The winglets are believed to cut fuel
consumption by up to 2.2%, which could save airlines several hundred million
dollars every year.
31
3.3. Winglet airfoil
Concerning the winglet airfoil, each of the four configurations presents a different
approach. NACA 0012 (Fig. 3.5)has been chosen because winglets are built out
of thin airfoils. It would also avoid any lift or drag generation due to the winglet
geometry, which is why the airfoil should be symmetric. In this way, if the winglet
generates any lift or induced drag, it will be due to the 3D-flow effect and not its
configuration.
Fig. 3.5 NACA 0012
3.4. Software employed
Based on the winglet designs discussed above, new winglet design concepts are
developed using a student license of Fusion 360, Autodesk cloud-based 3D
modeling, and integrated CAD/CAM software.
Since the project's overall purpose was to investigate the behavior of the winglet
designs, a conventional NACA 4-digit series N0012 has been chosen to model
the wings and further simulate the CFD procedure.
Fig 3. 6 Wing 1 with classical blended winglet

Fig 3. 7 Wing 2 with canted wingtips with cant angle of 45 deg
Fig 3.8 Wing with canted wingtips with cant angle 90 deg
Fig 3.9 Wing 4 with a half closed wing tip

33
Fig 3.10 Wing 5 with closed loop wingtip

CHAPTER 4 CFD ANALYSIS
Modeling and simulation are considered as helping hand in solving dynamic

engineering problems. It is a new approach to learning about science and
expanding knowledge. CFD simulations are good at solving problems that cannot
be answered theoretically or may be expensive when experimentally solved.
4.1. What exactly is CFD?
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid dynamics that studies

fluid flow through a body in a medium such as water or air. It uses the numerical
solution techniques to solve the governing equations *conservation of mass,
momentum, heat, and mass transfer*. CFD is used in aerodynamics to compute
a range of parameters, including lift and drag, to result in pressure and velocity
conclusions.
4.1.1. Discretization techniques in CFD:
 Finite Difference Method (FDM)

 Finite Volume Method (FVM)
 Finite Element Method (FEM)
1) Finite Difference Method (FDM): Finite Difference Method Discretization

involves the use of partial differential equations in differential form to solve
the equations. The FDM computational domain is always divided into
hexagonal cells (the grids), and a gives the solution at each nodal point
created by the elements. The discrete representation of the solution is
achieved when the equations of the dissected elements are solved at
nodal points. However, the usage of the curvilinear transform may be a bit
difficult to understand because the domains are not shown in hexagonal
shapes.
2) Finite Volume Method (FVM): An integral version of the partial differential

equation to be solved serves as the foundation for a finite volume
technique (FVM) discretization (e.g., conservation of mass, momentum, or
energy). For a given finite volume, the partial differential equation is
expressed in a form that can be solved. The formation of the computational
domain is complete when the 12 governing equations get solutions at each
discretized section. Calculating fluxes is crucial in FVM because the
resulting equations system frequently incorporates the conserved
variable's fluxes. This method has a tangible benefit over FDM since it
does not require using structured grids, and the internal effort to transform
the provided mesh into a structured numerical grid is entirely avoided. The
resulting approximation solution is discrete, like in FDM, although the
35
position of variables is at cell centers rather than nodal points. There are
additional face-centered finite volume algorithms. Thus, this is not
necessarily the case. In any scenario, interpolation is used to acquire the
values of field variables in non-storage places (such as vertices).
3) Finite Element Method (FEM): FEM is a widely used technique for

solving partial differential equations using numerical methods. In FEM, an
oversized system splits into several smaller and more delicate
components called finite elements. The construction of mesh gives the
finite elements by the discretization in a given dimension, also known as
the boundary domain having a limited number of points. The solution of a
boundary value problem results in a system of algebraic equations. The
simple equation that models these elements combines in a more extensive
system of the equation that models the whole problem. The study of FEM
is called finite element analysis FEA.
4.1.2. Differential equations in CFD:
1) Navier stokes equation: The Navier-Stokes equations form the

foundation of almost all CFD problems. The Navier-Stokes equations
comprise a time-dependent continuity equation for mass conservation,
three time-dependent conservation of momentum equations, and time-
dependent conservation of energy equation. The problem has four
independent variables: the x, y, and z spatial coordinates of a particular
domain, as well as the time t. There are six dependent variables: pressure
p, density r, and temperature T (present in the energy equation via the total
energy Et) and three velocity vector components: the u component in the
YZ plane, the v component in the XZ plane, and the w component are in
the XY plane. Because all of the dependent variables are functions of the
independent variables, the differential equations are known as partial
differential equations [17].
For Newtonian fluids, the momentum and mass conservation are
quantitatively expressed by the Navier-Stokes equations. Sometimes they
come with a state equation linking pressure, temperature, and density. They
result from applying Isaac Newton's second law to fluid motion and from the
premise that pressure and diffusing viscous terms—which together describe
viscous flow—are added to the fluid's stress. [27]
This is the Navier-Stokes equation that is the most universal.
( 4.1) Navier-Stokes Equation [27]

If bulk viscosity is not constant, it should not be removed from the last
derivative. You can also write the convective acceleration term as
(4.2)
here the vector (∇ × u) × u is Lamb vector.

The pressure limits the flow in the special situation of an incompressible
flow, resulting in an isochoric flow with a solenoidal velocity field with. ∇ ⋅ u =
0, where the volume of the fluid elements is constant.
2) Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations: RANS equations

abbreviated as Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations) are time-
averaged fluid flow equations. The equations are based on Osborne
Reynolds' idea of Reynolds decomposition, which divides an
instantaneous quantity into time-averaged and fluctuating quantities.
RANS equations are commonly used to describe turbulent flows. They can
be combined with approximations based on flow turbulence properties to
provide approx. time-averaged solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations.
These equations for a stationary flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid
can be written in Einstein notation in Cartesian coordinates
4.2. Steps in CFD analysis
The flow chart below briefly explains the CFD analysis procedure:
Fig 4.1 CFD analysis
 Preprocessing: importing or creation of geometry followed by meshing and

boundary conditions.
 Solver: solving the governing equations on the meshed geometry.
 Post processing: analysis and visual display of solved physical quantities
37
[1] Preprocessing
Commonly known as Meshing, it is the initial stage in solving a Finite Element
Analysis problem. In this example, the entire domain is discretized (divided) into
meaningful parts called "Elements." These elements serve as the foundation for
specifying the boundary conditions and external impacts.
[2] Solver setup
The second part of the analysis involves the meshed model being set up with
boundary conditions to obtain the results by solving.
[3] Post processing
In the final step of CFD analysis, the results of the numerical solutions are
displayed in tables, contour plots, vector plots, and streamlines.
4.3. Cases examined
The simulations were performed for the above geometries in Ansys fluent for the
particular cases.
The plan is to view the contours acting on the different sections of the wing. So,
for better visuals, 7 planes were created in X, Y and Z axis as required by the
wing.
 Section 1 at the beginning of the wing leading edge from the front.
 Section 2 at the center of the wing
 Section 3 at the end of the wing touching the trailing edge
 Section 4 at a distance little away from the wing
 Section 5 in the perpendicular direction dividing the wing into two parts
from the center
 Section 6 in the perpendicular axis at the point connecting the wing and
the winglet
 Section 7 in the perpendicular direction just away from the winglet
Fig 4.2 Sections made on Wing 1 in Z axis (left), X axis

Fig 4.3 Sections made on Wing 2 in Z axis (left), X axis (right)
Fig 4. 4 Sections made on Wing 3 in Z axis (left), X axis (right)
Fig 4.5 Sections made on Wing 4 in X axis (left), Y axis (right)
Fig 4.6 Sections made on Wing 5 in Z axis (left), X axis (right)

39
The analysis was carried out at the velocity of 125 m/s referred from the minimum
speed of jets pressure considered was 0.001 pa -100 pa, and the turbulence
kinetic energy conditions were global at an angle of attack of 2°
4.4. Software used
Computational fluid dynamics for the project was performed using a user-friendly
student version of Ansys workbench for geometry and mesh and Ansys Fluent
for simulation. It is a powerful tool that makes simulations easy and gives
accurate results in less time. As proof of user-friendly software, Ansys design
modeler is open to accepting the geometry in different formats such as step IGS
cat part. The mesh modular allows one to choose the body sizing type of mesh
required for the student portion. The number of elements in meshing is limited to
512 k
The CFD post-processing modeler gives the display of flow counters.
4.5. Analysis technique
 Steps in design modeler:

In the first stage, the geometry step file was imported to perform further steps,
followed by domain creation of 1*1.5*1 m for all the wings maintaining the
necessary space for the outcomes. Boolean operations were carried out on the
geometry to prepare the model for the meshing.
 The meshing steps:
Once the geometry of the fluid domain was defined, it was necessary to decide
on the mesh sizing. The element size was set as 0.01 m, the maximum element
size as 0.3 m, and the rest parameters were considered default values. The
smooth, discretized, unstructured tetrahedral mesh was obtained with these
values.
The figures Fig 5. 7, Fig 5. 9, Fig 5. 11, Fig 5. 13, Fig 5. 15 shows the meshed
domain for the Wing 1 , Wing 2, Wing 3, Wing 4 and Wing 5.
The figures Fig 5.8, Fig 5. 10, Fig 5. 12, Fig 5. 14, Fig 5.16 shows the smooth
unstructured mesh for the Wing 1 , Wing 2, Wing 3, Wing 4 and Wing 5.
Fig 5. 7 Meshed domain for Wing 1
Fig 5.8 Meshed profile for Wing 1

41
Fig 5. 10 Meshed profile for Wing 2


43

Fig 5.16 Meshed profile for Wing 5

45
After this, the velocity inlet walls and outlet was mentioned in the created
enclosures
 Solver setup
As soon as the finally messed when was obtained, the following parameters were
set in Ansys fluent.
 Boundary conditions: the section of the enclosure or domain closer to the
leading edge of the wing was considered the velocity inlet, and the
boundary or section opposite to it and near the trailing edge of the wing
was named a pressure outlet. The remaining boundaries were defined as
walls. as the parameters were set, the simulation ran for 100 iterations and
obtained satisfactory results.
 Post processing: the focus of the analysis was on the wing and wingtip
devices in different sections mentioned earlier.
 Contours: from the simulations, pressure, velocity, turbulence kinetic

energy, and streamlined contours were obtained.
The lift force and drag Force cl cd were obtained concerning the angle of attack.
CHAPTER 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
From the analysis, the following Cl and Cd curves were obtained for each of the
wings.
Fig 6. 1 Cl curve for Wing 2
Fig 6.2 Cd curve for Wing 2

47
Fig 6. 5 Cd curve for Wing 4
Fig 6. 7 Cd curve for Wing 5

The following pressure contours, velocity contours, turbulence kinetic energy
contours, and streamline flow velocity show the behavior of the wingtips at given
conditions. These visual displays make it easier to understand the effect caused
on the winglets.
Fig 6. 8 Contours of Pressure (top left), Contours of Velocity (top right),

Turbulence kinetic energy (bottom left), Streamline flow velocity (bottom right)
for the solid part of Wing 1
Figure (Fig 6. 8) depicts the solid's pressure contour on the top left, velocity
counter on the top right, turbulence kinetic energy on the bottom left, and
streamline flow on the bottom right. The pressure contour shows that the pressure
is slightly higher on the leading edge and much lower on the trailing edge,
indicating that the pressure difference is balanced. On the surface of the, no
velocity contour is visible. Turbulence kinetic energy is distributed across the
entire surface of the wing, with low levels on the leading edge and high levels on
the trailing edge, balancing pressure. There are no streamlined flows on the way.
49
Fig 6.9 Contours of Pressure (top left), Contours of Velocity (top right),
for the Section 1 of Wing 1
From the (Fig 6.9) pressure is diffused from high to low when the plane is formed
near the leading edge. The velocity contour shows medium pressure at the
leading edge's tip. No turbulence kinetic energy contour was found in the leading
edge's direction. When the wing is sliced in the x-axis, the pressure is low, and
the velocity is high, resulting in lift. The streamline velocity begins in blue (low
level) and ends in a yellowish orange (medium level), forming turbulence after a
certain distance. The kinetic energy of turbulence is still low, but the streamlined
flow is high at the wing's surface, forming vortices in the outward direction.
for the Section of Wing 1
When the wing is sliced in the x-axis,(Fig 6. 10) the pressure is low, and the
velocity is high, resulting in lift. The streamline velocity begins in blue (low level)
and ends in a yellowish orange (medium level), forming turbulence after a certain
distance. The kinetic energy of turbulence is still low, but the streamlined flow is
high at the wing's surface, forming vortices in the outward direction.
51
Due to the formation of a large number of Eddie vertices, turbulence kinetic

energy is diffused throughout the plane. Streamlined flow velocities are high at
the tip of the feeling edge.
From the plane away from the wing in the x-axis (Fig 6.12), pressure velocity
and turbulence kinetic energy are nearly balanced; streamlined flow velocity is
more significant, as is the overall surface of the bank, but there are no streamlines
in the winglet section
53

Pressure acts on the leading and trailing edge tips from the wing section (Fig 6.
13) in the z-axis. The wing's upper surface has a higher velocity than the lower
surface, balanced by the medium velocity at the tips. TKE varies from high to low
and on the section. The section also has a high streamline flow velocity.
At the point (Fig 6.14) where the wing and winglet meet, pressure is minimal on
the trailing edge and slightly higher on the leading edge. There is more velocity
on the upper surface and less velocity on the lower surface. The streamline
velocity is in the middle of the scale.
55

The section shows no contours of pressure, velocity, or turbulence kinetic energy.
Only the streamlines are average.

The pressure contour on the wing is higher on the leading edge and lower on the
trailing edge compared to the previous wing figure (). Because of the high
pressure, the wing's velocity is low. The kinetic energy of turbulence is distributed
from low to high, from tip to root. There are no streamlined velocity values
displayed.

High pressure at the tip and low velocities were observed. There are no opinions
on TKE. Streamlines emerge from the wing in a downward direction.
57

Pressure is low because velocity is high. Kinetic energy from turbulence is kept
to a minimum. Streamlined curves extend from the center of the spring to either
side of the wing.
High pressure and medium velocity are depicted. TKE is the bare minimum. The
streamline incorporates more curling’s in place of winglets.
59

Except for the streamlined contact, which is forming inward and output vortices
from the midpoint of the wing due to maximum turbulence near the winglet, all
contours are in the balanced stage.
High-pressure contours at the tip, with lower surface velocity being more
significant than upper surface velocity. TKE is mediocre. Streamline
flow demonstrate a smooth transition
61
The pressure is high, the velocity is high at the lower surface, and TKE is the
shortest smooth path of the streamline.
Even in the section away from the wing, slight pressure velocity and TKE contours
are visible. The velocity of the streamlined flow is balanced.
63

On the wing surface, the pressure is uniformly distributed. Speed is typical. TKE
ranges in height from the root to the tip. No streamlined flow velocity is found.
The velocity gradually reduces while there is high pressure at the tip. When the
wing travels forward, TKE separates from the streamlined flow velocity created
from the bottom of the section.
65

Slight pressure is applied to the wing's surface except for the winglet. On the
bottom surface, velocity is high, whereas velocity is low on the top surface. TKE
is steadily descending from the wing's tip, and there is no turbulence at the
winglets. Eddy vortices are curling inward to the wing, and the bottom
TKE is fading from high to low at a medium velocity and high pressure. From the
center, streamlined flow velocity curls more at the opposite portion of the wing
and less at the winglet.
67

Pressure, velocity, and TKE are insignificant near this portion, but streamline flow
velocity produces smooth vortices on the overall plane.
At these points, the pressure contour is seen to increase. On the upper surface,
velocity is more excellent than on the lower surface. TKE appears to be diffusing,
and the streamline flow velocity is correct.

Compared to the wing's central area, the winglet region experiences lower
pressure. The speed is a little low. The effects of TKE are minimal. Smooth
transitions are shown by streamline flow.
69

There are only very slight effects of pressure, velocity, TKE, and streamline flow
velocity.
The leading edge of the wing experiences diminishing pressure all the way to the
wingtip, whereas the trailing edge experiences relatively low pressure. The speed
is deficient. TKE varies from low to high from the front to the back, and it might
be a little higher where the winglet curls. Straight lines are typical.
71

Pressure, velocity, and TKE are all in a moderate range in this area. The velocity
of a streamline flow is slightly lower.
Only a little portion of the wing at the winglet junction is under pressure. From the
wing's beginning to its conclusion, velocity is evenly distributed; only slightly more
so at the winglet. TKE is uniform throughout the wing and winglet. Without
disturbing the winglet, a single point of streamline flow velocity spreads toward
the outside of the wing.
73

Under pressure for this segment, the velocity and TKE are within acceptable
bounds. The streamlines are going in two distinct directions, with some branching
out and others climbing to join the winglet's tip.
While P, V, and TKE are typical, streamline flow velocity appears intriguing since
it creates a second wingtip vortex that counteracts the normal generated wingtip
vortex that curvy transitions along the wing shape.
 Comparing streamline flow for section 4 of wing 4 with section 4 of
other wing it is found that:
 Due to the smooth curve of the winglet, the formation of vortices at the
winglet is quite less in this section 4 of Wing 1
 Second wing has the same configuration as first wing, but the the
curvature is not smooth. Hence there are few vortices formed on the wing
tip.
 At 90 degrees for wing 3, the curvature of the wing tip rose suddenly
leading to rupture of the streamlined flow hence creating more wing tip
vortices.
 In the fifth case, the wing tip vortices are just following the curvature of the
closed wing tip itself which reveals significant changes in vortex formation
75

The contours exhibit less pressure, velocity, TKE, and streamline variation.
Here, the pressure, velocity, and TKE contours are seen at four separate
locations. Undisturbed streamline flow exists.
77

Velocity and pressure contours are hardly visible. There is no sign of TKE or
streamline.
This wing's pressure contour is distinct from that of the other wings. Being high
on the leading edge, where it is visible. It can be seen declining on the trailing
edge when it reaches the rounded winglet. The point where the end of the winglet
hits the wing is where the pressure is at its highest. Speed is at a minimum. The
point where the wing's end and its surface meet exhibits a little TKE. Normal
streamline flow velocity.
79

High pressure and low velocity in this portion balance the lift generated. Low drag,
low turbulent kinetic energy. The picture for streamline flow velocity is different.
Instead of converging on the wing, the streamlines focus on the plane.
At one of the winglet's points, high pressure may be noticed. Particularly at the
winglet region, velocity is increased. At the wing's tip, there is light TKE.
Streamlines take the curls in an outward motion.
81

The trailing edge is observed to have high velocity overall. The speed is average.
TKE equals zero. Moving away from the winglet, streamlines diverge.
TKE, velocity, and pressure are all normal. The flow becomes turbulent and more
spinning close to the winglet portions due to the formation of streamlined eddy
vortices.
83
At the crossing points, high pressure is seen, with the high upper surface and low
lower surface velocities. TKE is discovered to be typical. At the cross-section,
Streamlined flow velocity exhibits some influence.
On the winglet, extremely high-pressure contours may be seen. The inner portion
of the winglet has a high rate of velocity. The TKE is unaffected. The winglet
segment exhibits modest streamline flow velocity.
P, V, TKE, and streamline are moderate.
85
CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY
6.1. Conclusions
The project aimed to design various winglets and to study the effects caused by
the lift and drag parameters of the wing. The winglet designs were modeled in
Autodesk Fusion 360, and Ansys Fluent was used for CFD analysis. This study
may be an interesting work for the future.
 Justifying the objectives mentioned earlier:
 Objective 1, it is explained that the induced drag

 Objective 2, from the study, it is clear that the wingtip devices are
helpful in the reduction of wingtip vortices caused around the wing,
maintaining minimum drag and high lift for the wing.
 Objective 3, the project failed to achieve this objective as a standard
wing without winglets was not designed to make comparisons.
 Objective 4, Five different winglets were designed in Fusion 360 and
CFD analysis was carried out in Ansys Fluent, and the results were
obtained in contours.
 Objective 5, Based on the contour outcomes, the wing 1 and wing 4
showed satisfying results in terms of pressure, velocity, turbulence
kinetic energy and streamline flow velocity.
6.2 Future work
Though this project has only partially met its goals, with the following factors, it
might be enhanced even further.
1. In order to make further design alterations, different high lift producing (or
comparable) airfoils can be used. In these situations, performance characteristics
can be observed.
2. To draw more accurate conclusions, the analysis of the wing can be tested at
various velocities and angles of attack.
3. More optimized winglet patterns can be used for the winglet designs.
4. These designs exhibit legitimate outcomes when used practically, but they
might not satisfy the requirements when used in real-time. To thoroughly analyze
the instances and apply them in the workplace for practical purposes, high level
knowledge is necessary.
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1

TITLE: New winglet designs to minimize drag and turbulence.

The aerospace industry relies on the continuous upgrading of available

La industria aeroespacial se basa en la actualización continua de la tecnología

4.5. Analysis technique............................................................................ 39

To increase total aircraft efficiency, which would be advantageous to both aircraft

 Chapter 2: Winglet Aerodynamics, describes the aerodynamic forces, the

CHAPTER 1 WINGLET AERODYNAMICS

1.1. Forces acting on an Aircraft

Aerodynamics is a broad subject that embraces many branches of physics and

Fig 1.1 Forces on an aircraft

Anybody submerged in a fluid flow is subject to a force produced on its surface

Fig. 1.2 Freestream velocity

1.2.1. Lift and Drag

However, the drag force cannot be described as the consequence of a single

q is the dynamic force, S is surface area,

1.3. What causes drag on a wing?

Fig 1.3 Types of drag

1.3.1 Drag and airspeed

1.4. The importance of wingtip devices in drag

1.4.1. Aerodynamic significance

 The wing shape,

2.1. Brief description of early wingtip device

F. W. Lanchester [6] developed various models to support his vortex hypothesis

In general, adding a wingtip device increases structural weight in some way.

Fig 2. 1 Lifting Line Theory

2.2. Current generation wingtip devices design

Fig 2.2 How winglets work

Fig 2.3 Winglets on B737 MAX

Fig 2.4 Sharklets on Airbus A320

3.1. Wing geometry

Fig. 3.1 Wing geometry

3.2. Winglet geometry

A little, not-so-subtle advertisement for Southwest.com, WestJet.com, or Ryanair

Fig 3. 1 Wingtip vortex

3.3 Types of winglets involved

3.3.1 Rectangular wing

3.3.2. Blended winglet

Fig 3.2 Blended winglet

3.2.3. Raked winglet

Fig 3. 3 Raked winglet

3.2.3. Spiroid winglet

Fig 3. 4 Spiroid winglet

3.2.4. Double / Multi winglets

The possible application of multi-winglets to minimize induced drag in a light

3.3. Winglet airfoil

Fig. 3.5 NACA 0012

3.4. Software employed

Fig 3. 6 Wing 1 with classical blended winglet

Fig 3.9 Wing 4 with a half closed wing tip

Fig 3.10 Wing 5 with closed loop wingtip

Modeling and simulation are considered as helping hand in solving dynamic

4.1. What exactly is CFD?

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid dynamics that studies

 Finite Difference Method (FDM)

1) Finite Difference Method (FDM): Finite Difference Method Discretization

2) Finite Volume Method (FVM): An integral version of the partial differential

3) Finite Element Method (FEM): FEM is a widely used technique for

4.1.2. Differential equations in CFD:

1) Navier stokes equation: The Navier-Stokes equations form the

( 4.1) Navier-Stokes Equation [27]

here the vector (∇ × u) × u is Lamb vector.

2) Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations: RANS equations

4.2. Steps in CFD analysis