XFLR5 and Stability Analysis
XFLR5 and Stability Analysis
XFLR5 and Stability Analysis
The pressure
forces drive the
vane back in the
wind direction
Unstable
CG behind the NP
Cm
Note : Valid only for a whole plane or a flying wing
Cm
Cl
Cm = 0 = balance
= plane's operating point
Negative slope = Stability
The curve's slope is also the strength of the
stabilizing force
High slope = Stable sailplane !
For information only :
Cm0 = Moment
coefficient at zero-lift
Cm = 0 balance
Cl > 0 the model flies !
Cm0
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
How to use XFLR5 to find the Neutral Point
Cm
Polar curve for X
CG
< X
NP
The CG is forward of the NP
The plane is stable
Cm
Cm
Polar curve for X
CG
= X
NP
Cm does not depend on
The plane is unstable
Polar curve for X
CG
> X
NP
The CG is behind the NP
The plane is stable
The wrong way
By trial and error, find the X
CG
value which
gives the middle curve
For this value, X
NP
= X
CG
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The tail volume (1) : a condition for stability ?
First the definition
LA
Elev
: The elevator's Lever Arm measured at the wing's and elevator's quarter
chord point
MAC : The main wing's Mean Aerodynamic Chord
Area
Wing
: The main wing's area
Area
Elev
: The elevator's area
Wing Wing
Elev Elev
Area MAC
Area LA
TV
=
LA
Elev
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Tail Volume (2)
Let's write the balance of moments at the wing's quarter chord
point, ignoring the elevator's self-pitching moment
M
Wing
+ LA
Elev
x Lift
Elev
= 0
M
Wing
is the wing's pitching moment around its root chord point
We develop the formula using Cl and Cm coefficients :
q x Area
Wing
x MAC
Wing
Cm
Wing
= - LA
Elev
x q x Area
Elev
x Cl
Elev
where q is the dynamic pressure.
Thus :
Elev Elev
Wing Wing
Elev Elev
Wing
Cl TV Cl
Area MAC
Area LA
Cm =
=
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Tail Volume (3)
Elev Elev
Wing Wing
Elev Elev
Wing
Cl TV Cl
Area MAC
Area LA
Cm =
=
The elevator's
influence increases
with the lever arm
The elevator's
influence increases
with its area
The elevator has less influence
as the main wing grows wider
and as its surface increases
We understand now that the tail volume is a measure of
the elevator's capacity to balance the wing's self
pitching moment
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Tail Volume (4)
Elev Elev
Wing Wing
Elev Elev
Wing
Cl TV Cl
Area MAC
Area LA
Cm =
The formula above tells us only that the higher the TV, the greater
the elevator's influence shall be
Projected area
Projected Lift
Wing Wing
2
Elev Elev
Area MAC
cos Area LA
TV
=
Lift
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The Static Margin : a useful concept
The greater is the static margin, the more stable the sailplane will be
We won't say here what levels of static margin are acceptable too
risky plenty of publications on the matter also
Knowing the NP position and the targeted SM, the CG position can be
deduced= X
NP
- MAC x SM
=
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
How to use XFLR5 to position the CG
Cl
Cm
Depending on the
CG position, get
the balance angle
e
such that Cm = 0
Check that Cl>0
for =
e
XCP
It is also possible to
check that
XCP =XCmRef
for =
e
0
Singularity
for the zero-
lift angle
0
Cl/Cd
e
Unfortunately, no
reason for the
performance to
be optimal
Iterations are required to find the best compromise
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Consequences of the incidence angle
Neutral elevator
Lifting elevator
No elevator
Two options
The consequence of the negative lift at the tip is that the total lift will be less than
with the classic wing
e
=1.7
Consider a static margin = 10%
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Lift at the balanced a.o.a
Positive lift at the root
Negative lift at the tip
Part of the wing lifts the wrong way : a flying wing exhibits low lift
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Stability and Control analysis
So much for performance but what about
stability and control ?
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
What it's all about
Difficult to imagine
time
Response
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The short period mode
C
C
C
C
Rear view
Top view
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Modal response for a reduced scale plane
Phugoid,
Short period
Dutch roll
Roll damping
Spiral
Defined by
1. a "mode shape" or eigenvector
2. a natural frequency
3. a damping factor
Defined by
1. a "mode shape" or eigenvector
2. a damping factor
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The eigenvector
The axial and vertical speed variation about the steady state
value V
inf
= (U
0
,0,0)
u = dx/dt - U
0
w = dz/dt
Under-damped ( < 1) and over-damped ( > 1) modes return to steady state slower
than a critically damped mode
The "natural frequency" is the frequency of the response on that specific mode
The "undamped natural frequency" is a virtual value, if the mode was not damped
For very low damping, i.e. << 1, the natural frequency is close to the undamped
natural frequency
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
=0.15
=0.5
=1
=2
Underdamped
Critically
damped
Overdamped
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The root locus graph
This graphic view provides a visual interpretation of the frequency and damping of a mode
with eigenvalue =
1
+ i
N
The time response of a mode component such as u, w, or q, is
N
is the natural circular frequency and
N
/2 is the mode's natural frequency
is the undamped natural circular frequency
1
is the damping constant and is related to the damping ratio by
1
= -
1
/2
Imaginary part /2
Real part
2
N
2
1 1
+ =
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The root locus interpretation
corresponds to a damped oscillatory mode
corresponds to an un-damped, non-oscillatory mode
Negative damping constant = dynamic stability
The more negative, the higher the damping
Positive damping constant
= dynamic instability
/2
The further away
from the =0 axis,
the higher the mode's
frequency
Eigenvalues on the =0
axis are non-oscillatory
Imaginary part /2
Real part
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
The typical root locus graphs
Imaginary part /2
Real part
Longitudinal
Two symmetric
short period
modes
Two symmetric
phugoid modes
Imaginary part /2
Real part
Lateral
Two
symmetric
Dutch roll
modes
One roll
damping mode
One spiral
mode
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Stability analysis in XFLR5
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
One analysis, three output
Open loop dynamic
response
Forced input
dynamic response
Natural modes
"Hands off" control
Provides the plane's
response to a
perturbation such as a
gust of wind
Provides the plane's
response to the
actuation of a control
such as the rudder or
the elevator
Describe the
plane's response
on its natural
frequencies
Stability
Analysis
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Pre-requisites for the analysis
Note :
=
MAC . S .
m 2
m
m
C
C
z
z
C
C
C
m
and C
z
are the slopes of the curves
Cm = f() and Cz = f(). The slopes can be
measured on the polar graphs in XFLR5
*
z
t 2
C
B
y
2 *
m
I
t
C
C
=
C 4 B
2
1
F
2
2
+
=
Despite their complicated appearance, these formula can
be implemented in a spreadsheet, with all the input values
provided by XFLR5
u
0
= horizontal speed
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Lanchester's approximation for the Phugoid
=
g is the gravitational constant, i.e. g = 9.81 m/s
u
0
is the plane's speed
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Numerical example from a personal model sailplane
Results
u0 = 16.20 m/s
= 1.05
q = 160.74 Pa
Cx = 0.0114
Cz = 0.1540
dCm/d = -1.9099
dCz/d =
-5.3925
Graphic Analysis
F1 F2 XFLR5 v6 Fph XFLR5 v6
Frequency (Hz) = 4.45 4.12 3.86 0.136 0.122
Period (s) = 0.225 0.243 0.259 7.3 8.2
Short Period Phugoid
MAC = 0.1520 m
Mass = 0.5250 kg
Iyy = 0.0346 kg.m
S = 0.2070 m
= 1.225 kg/m3
Revision 2.1 Copyright A. Deperrois - November 2010
Time response
The plane can react and reorient itself along the trajectory
direction, providing