Computational analysis of the influence of wing flow on the horizontal stabilizer

• Arthur Inácio Santos Silveira

  Federal University of Goiás

  https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5156-514X

  Author

• Guilherme Henrique Moura Guimarães

  Federal University of Goiás

  https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1456-5705

  Author

• Felipe Pamplona Mariano

  Federal University of Goiás

  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2136-0913

  Author

In the context of aircraft design, especially in competitions such as SAE AeroDesign, CFD simulations are essential to predict the flow behavior around aerodynamic surfaces, contributing to improving aircraft efficiency. This study analyzed the relative position between the wing and the horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft in three wing-tail assembly configurations, evaluating the impacts of the vertical and horizontal displacement of the tail on the lift, drag and moment coefficients. The methodology employed used four free software programs: FreeCAD for the geometric modeling of the CH10SM and NACA 0012 airfoils, Salome-Meca® for the generation of unstructured meshes, OpenFOAM® for simulations and ParaView for post-processing. The analysis of the vorticity fields revealed, qualitatively, the configuration that minimizes the interference of the wing flow over the tail, and the evaluation of the aerodynamic coefficients confirmed, quantitatively, that the configuration positioned outside the vortex wake presented the best results. The approach with unstructured meshes and free software proved to be effective and accessible for aerodynamic simulations, with a direct impact on aircraft development.

1. Arthur Inácio Santos Silveira, Federal University of Goiás

   Mechanical Engineering student at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), with a bachelor's degree in progress. He completed high school at the Military Police College, Carlos Cunha Filho Unit, where he was recognized as a "Honored Student" throughout elementary and high school. During his academic training, he conducted a scientific initiation in Computational Fluid Dynamics, focusing on the design of horizontal stabilizers for small aircraft. He is currently co-captain of the extension project "Aerodactyl UFG AeroDesign" and is part of the Control and Stability group, where he improved his knowledge in aeronautical engineering, especially in the area of ​​static stability of aircraft. His academic interests include aeronautical and aerospace engineering, with an emphasis on control, stability and optimization of aircraft. http://lattes.cnpq.br/1982540484433137

2. Guilherme Henrique Moura Guimarães, Federal University of Goiás

   Mechanical Engineering student at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), with solid experience in research and extension projects focused on the aerospace field. He was a scholarship holder in the Technological Initiation Program (IT), where he worked on the development of wings for small aircraft, applying numerical simulations and open-source software for fluid flow analysis and the manufacturing of aerodynamic components. Currently, he is a Scientific Initiation (IC) scholarship holder, dedicated to optimizing wings for cargo aircraft. In the "Aerodactyl UFG Aerodesign" extension project, he serves as the aerodynamics coordinator, leading the team in aerodynamic performance studies and computational modeling. His academic interests include both the aerospace and automotive industries, with a focus on innovative and efficient technological solutions. His experience reflects a strong commitment to scientific advancement and the development of sustainable technologies. http://lattes.cnpq.br/2818381497968048

3. Felipe Pamplona Mariano, Federal University of Goiás

   has graduation at Engenharia Mecânica by Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (2005) , master's at Engenharia Mecânica by Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (2007) and Ph.D. at Engenharia Mecânica by Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (2011) . Currently is of Universidade Federal de Goiás, Revisor de periódico of Revista Brasileira de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, Revisor de periódico of Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Revisor de periódico of Revista Internacional de Ciências, Revisor de periódico of Revista Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental e Revisor de periódico of Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management. Has experience in the area of Mechanical Engineering. Focused, mainly, in the subjects: CFD, Métodos de Alta Ordem, Método da fronteira imersa, Método pseudo-espectral de Fourier. http://lattes.cnpq.br/4538460201961283

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Copyright (c) 2025 Arthur Inácio Santos Silveira, Guilherme Henrique Moura Guimarães, Felipe Pamplona Mariano (Autor)

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