Aerodynamic shape optimisation using CFD requires a method to parameterise the surface ... The sensitivity of the objective function, normally drag for a fixed wing case and torque for a rotor case, ...
By understanding some basic aerodynamic principles, it becomes possible to identify these components, understand the magnitude of their different contributions to the overall drag, and see how we can ...
The fundamental aerodynamic quantities of lift and drag are key to performance. Sizing the wing surface to the design mission is a crucial step in determining the baseline configuration, which then ...
Each design has its advantages and disadvantages. The delta wing, for example, has low drag at high speeds due to its swept-back shape, and it weighs less, which allows more fuel to be carried.
It's a classic aerodynamic problem: most wing shapes that perform well at high speeds by minimizing "drag" don't have the "lift" needed for takeoff. The solution for Concorde was an elegant delta ...
As such, automakers continue striving for the most aerodynamic shapes possible. This is particularly important in the EV space, where low drag results in increased range – a key selling point ...
Curiously, we hear less about aerodynamic performance in the 2020s than we did a decade or so ago. In the 1980s, Audi even went through a period of proudly printing the Cd, or drag factor ...