Handling of Propeller-Driven Propulsion System in High-Fidelity Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of Aircraft

November 24, 2025

The interaction between the propeller and the wing in wing-mounted engine aircraft causes significant changes in the wing's performance, and its understanding allows for design changes that can improve performance. Propulsion models are used to estimate propeller effects in numerical simulations, with the actuator disk model being commonly adopted due to its simplicity, medium computational cost, and accurate time-averaged results. In this work, we study the actuator disk model and apply it to a case inspired by the TEKEVER AR5 drone. A review of the propeller effects is documented, and the limitations of this propulsion model are explored. To complete the propulsion system, a nacelle geometry is introduced. Since previous research using this model embedded in high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics found negligible improvements in unmanned aerial vehicle wing aerodynamic shape optimization, we revisit the same premise while focusing on the nacelle region. A gradient-based optimization is employed in conjunction with a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver, utilizing an adjoint method for sensitivity analysis. The nacelle and wing shapes are modified using the free-form deformation method, which includes a volume constraint to ensure sufficient space for the engine inside the nacelle. In our context, a two-step approach proved beneficial: first, optimizing the nacelle shape alone to improve design freedom, and then optimizing the wing and nacelle configuration. In our test case, this approach yields a 5% drag reduction compared to the case optimized without the actuator disk.

Authors in the community:

• 

  V

  Vicente Lhansol Massapina Vaz

  ist199567

Supervisors of this institution:

• 

  A

  André Calado Marta

  ist31052

mechanical-engineering - Mechanical engineering

eng - English

Instituto Superior Técnico