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Numerical Study on Particle Accumulation and Its Impact on Rotorcraft Airfoil Performance on Mars
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Fluid and Experimental Mechanics.ORCID iD: 0009-0006-4360-587X
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Fluid and Experimental Mechanics.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5294-1855
2025 (English)In: Aerospace, E-ISSN 2226-4310, Vol. 12, no 5, article id 368Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as practical and potentially advantageous tools for scientific investigation and reconnaissance of planetary surfaces, such as Mars. Their ability to traverse difficult terrain and provide high-resolution imagery has revolutionized the concept of exploration. However, operating drones in the Martian environment presents fundamental challenges due to the harsh conditions and the different atmosphere. Aerodynamic challenges include low chord-based Reynolds number flows and the presence of dust particles, which can accumulate on the airfoil surface. This paper investigates the accumulation of dust on cambered plates with 6% and 1% camber, suitable for the type of flow studied. The analysis is conducted for Reynolds numbers of around 20,000 as a result of dimension restrictions, assuming a wind speed ranging from 12 to 14 m/s. Computational simulations are performed using a 2D C-type mesh in ANSYS Fluent, employing the 𝛾γ-Re SST turbulence model. Dust particle modeling is achieved through the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), with one-way coupling between phases. The accumulation of particles is monitored over a 6-month period with monthly intervals, and the airfoil is set at a 0° angle of attack. A deposition model, developed using user-defined functions in Fluent, considers particle–airfoil interaction and forces acting on particles. Results indicate a decrease in airfoil performance for negative angles of attack due to geometric changes, particularly due to accumulation on the bottom side near the tip. The discussion includes potential model enhancements and future research directions arising from the assumptions made in this study.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2025. Vol. 12, no 5, article id 368
Keywords [en]
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), computational fluid dynamics (CFDs), discrete phase model (DPM), Martian atmosphere, dust deposition, airfoil performance
National Category
Vehicle and Aerospace Engineering Fluid Mechanics
Research subject
Fluid Mechanics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-112528DOI: 10.3390/aerospace12050368OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-112528DiVA, id: diva2:1954699
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Full text license: CC BY

Available from: 2025-04-25 Created: 2025-04-25 Last updated: 2025-04-28

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Giacomini, EnricoWesterberg, Lars-Göran
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