Simulation

The plan for simulating the canard system is to run a wide array of configurations in Ansys Fluent. These configurations will vary from an inactive or low deflection case, to the most extreme cases the system is likely to face, to the outermost cases the system can withstand.

Truncated Model

A truncated model of the canard system was designed and manufactured from PLA and PETG for wind tunnel testing and verification of the full scale Fluent simulations.

Full Scale Model

The system is made with a carbon fiber tube containing a PLA structure holding Titanium Servos and Aluminum mountings and fins. A CAD model was created for the CFD analysis.

Incorrect Runs

The first set of truncated runs was subject to an odd mistake in the Fluent Program. This mistake caused the meshes for all 0° , +5° , and +10° to be discarded and the mesh for the -10° case to be loaded instead. This caused the affected cases to be identical to the matching -10° case. This problem was corrected after its discovery with the plots to the left.

Corrected Runs

After the error was discovered and corrected, the data to the right was collected from the runs. This data can not yet be verified since we have not yet had a chance to run the physical model in the wind tunnel. The data appears correct at a glance though since the moments about the axes of symmetry are zero, the pitching moment and lift are negative for negative pitch angles and positive for positive pitch angles, the drag is always positive, and the magnitudes of the values are symmetrical.

What's Next?

To finish the simulation section of this project, the wind tunnel data must be collected. This data must be used to verify the simulations shown above. Then the full suite of simulations can be run. This suite will cover up to and slightly exceeding the maximum designed fin deflections for pure pitch, yaw, and roll. This data will then be compared to the flight data gained during the planned test launch.

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