The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No.

1, April 2016

Design and CFD Analysis of Parametric

Winglets
Mohd Mohiuddin Quraishi*, Mohd Abdul Razakh** & Shivasri Chithaluri***
*Student, Aero Department, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA. E-Mail: mooohi95{at}gmail{dot}com
**Student, Aero Department, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA. E-Mail: abdulj448{at}gmail{dot}com
***Student, Aero Department, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA. E-Mail: abari5856{at}gmail{dot}com

Abstract—Computational Fluid Dynamic analysis of winglets has been shown in this journal. First the wing
model is designed using CATIA V5 and its meshing is done using Gambit and finally its analysis is done in
FLUENT. When the aircraft moves through the air, it results into the production of wingtip vortices due to its
own lifting. These wingtip vortices are higher as the aircraft lift increases. If winglets are fixed to wingtips,
then such wingtip vortex goes down and the aircraft performance will turn out to be better. We have hardly
emphasized on the analyses and wingtip vortex development and performance. When winglets are used, drag
coefficient decreases since wingtip vortices are broken or reduced by winglets. The drag coefficient reduction
and why it is reduced will be the main aim to study and develop in my project. Finally, we would like to
demonstrate and prove winglet works more efficiently and, in addition, to show how drag coefficient can be
reduced. That is the main reason why aircraft’s fuel efficiency can be improved if winglets are linked to
wingtips.

Keywords—AOA; Blended Winglet; Circular Winglet; Mach Number; Wingtip Fence.

Abbreviations—Angle of Attack (AOA); Aspect Ratio (AR); Centennial of Flight Commission (CFC); Mach
Number (M); National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA); National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).

I. INTRODUCTION can be reduced with winglets. A-330 wing was built and the
winglets were fixed at the wingtip. The wing was created and

S
INCE the 1970s, when the price of aviation fuel began drawn in CATIA V5 and it was imported to Gambit 2.4.6 for
spiralling upward, airlines and Aircraft manufactures meshing the different models [Hoerner & Sighard, 1; Peter
have looked at many ways to improve the operating Masak, 4]. We would say mesh models is one of the worst
efficiency of their aircraft. Winglets have become one of the and difficult task in our project, indeed. The different types of
industry’s most visible fuel saving technologies and their use wings with winglets and without winglet were analyzed and
continues to expand. Moreover, they can reduce fuel compared in FLUENT 6.3.26.
consumption about 4% in many flights when the distance to Several tables, diagrams or figures will be used to show
crossing is more than 1800 km. Winglets are vertical the vortices magnitude, the wingtip vortices and the drag
extensions of wingtips that improve an aircraft’s fuel coefficient reduction. Blended winglet, wingtip fence and
efficiency and cruising range. Designed as small airfoils, they circular winglet have been used to demonstrate wingtip
reduced the aerodynamic drag associated with vortices that vortex and drag coefficient go down when they are used in
develop at the wingtips. If aircraft’s fuel efficiency goes the aircrafts [Richard Creek & William Conway, 2]. Airfoil
down means drag coefficient is reduced (Marty Curry, 2008). 0012 was used to create blended winglet and wingtip fence.
Drag coefficient reduction will be checked and compared That is a symmetrical airfoil so it must be used in our models
when winglets are used. For that, three wings models with since it is not able to develop a high lift coefficient which
different types of winglets will be analyzed in different angle would make it wrong to winglet performance [Ghil et al., 7].
of attack (AOA). Finally, a winglet will be chosen due to drag coefficient’s
Besides, a wing model without winglet will be studied reduction when that winglet will be working at the wingtip
and the results can be compared. The wing was made of a [George Larson, 6]. Furthermore, as this winglet has been
NACA 2415 airfoil. The drag coefficient reduction has previously picked. We will make a point linked to it, and the
similarities to wingtip vortex which is developed when the drag coefficient reduction will be showed in a final table.
aircraft moves through the air. Therefore, wingtip vortex will On the other hand, when the aircraft moves through the
be analyzed and we may check how the vortices magnitude air, it results into the production of wingtip vortices due to its

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

own lifting. These wingtip vortices are higher as the aircraft applied to the fluid; lift is simply the reaction force of the
lift increases. If winglets are fixed to wingtips, then such fluid acting on the wing.
wingtip vortex goes down and the aircraft performance will When producing lift, air below the wing is generally at a
turn out to be better. We have hardly emphasized on the higher pressure than the air pressure above the wing, while
analyses and wingtip vortex development and performance. air above the wing is generally at a lower than atmospheric
When winglets are used, drag coefficient decreases since pressure. On a wing of finite span, this pressure difference
wingtip vortices are broken or reduced by winglets. The drag causes air to flow from the lower surface wing root, around
coefficient reduction and why it is reduced will be the main the wingtip, towards the upper surface wing root. This span
aim to study and develop in my project. wise flow of air combines with chord wise flowing air,
Finally, we would like to demonstrate and prove winglet causing a change in speed and direction, which twists the
works more efficiently and, in addition, to show how drag airflow and produces vortices along the wing trailing edge.
coefficient can be reduced. That is the main reason why The vortices created are unstable, and they quickly combine
aircraft’s fuel efficiency can be improved if winglets are to produce wingtip vortices. The resulting vortices change the
linked to wingtips. speed and direction of the airflow behind the trailing edge,
deflecting it downwards, and thus inducing downwash behind
the wing.
II. OBJECTIVE Wingtip vortices modify the airflow around a wing.
The main objective of our project is to reduce the drag force Compared to a wing of infinite span, vortices reduce the
which is produce due to the generation of wingtip vortices. effectiveness of the wing to generate lift, thus requiring a
For this purpose, we design four different wing models with higher angle of attack to compensate, which tilts the total
different types of winglets and did analysis on each of the aerodynamic force rearwards. The angular deflection is small
model at different environmental conditions. Finally, by and has little effect on the lift. However, there is an increase
comparing the results of all wing models we got to know in the drag equal to the product of the lift force and the angle
which wing model gives least drag force. through which it is deflected. Since the deflection is itself a
function of the lift, the additional drag is proportional to the
square of the lift [Green, 5].
III. PROBLEM SPECIFICATION The total aerodynamic force is usually thought of as two
components, lift and drag. By definition, the component of
When the aircraft moves through the air, it results into the
force parallel to the oncoming flow is called drag; and the
production of wingtip vortices due to its own lifting. These
component perpendicular to the oncoming flow is
wingtip vortices are higher as the aircraft lift increases. If
called lift. At practical angles of attack the lift greatly
winglets are fixed to wingtips, then such wingtip vortex goes
exceeds the drag [Robert Faye et al., 15].
down and the aircraft performance will turn out to be better.
We have hardly emphasized on the analyses and wingtip 3.2. Reducing Induced Drag
vortex development and performance. When winglets are
According to the equations below, a wing of infinite aspect
used, drag coefficient decreases since wingtip vortices are
ratio (wingspan/chord length) and constant airfoil section
broken or reduced by winglets [Langevin & Overbey, 8]. The
would produce no induced drag. The characteristics of such a
drag coefficient reduction and why it is reduced will be the
wing can be measured on a section of wing spanning the
main aim to study and develop in our project.
width of a wind tunnel, since the walls block span wise flow
These vortices led to the development of induced drag.
and create what is effectively two-dimensional flow.
In aerodynamics, lift-induced drag, induced drag, vortex
A rectangular wing produces stronger wingtip vortices
drag, or sometimes drag due to lift, is an aerodynamic drag
than a tapered or elliptical wing, therefore many modern
force that occurs whenever a moving object redirects the
wings are tapered. However, an elliptical plan form is more
airflow coming at it [Clancy, 3]. This drag force occurs in
efficient as the induced downwash (and therefore the
airplanes due to wings or a lifting body redirecting air to
effective angle of attack) is constant across the whole of the
cause lift and also in cars with airfoil wings that redirect air to
wingspan. Few aircraft have this plan form because of
cause a down force. With other parameters remaining the
manufacturing complications — the most famous examples
same, induced drag increases as the angle of attack increases
being the World War II Spitfire and Thunderbolt. Tapered
[John D. Anderson, 10; Clayton Bargsten & Malcolm T.
wings with straight leading and trailing edges can
Gibson, 16].
approximate to elliptical lift distribution. Typically, straight
3.1. Source of Induced Drag wings produce between 5–15% more induced drag than an
elliptical wing.
Lift is produced by the changing direction of the flow around
Similarly, a high aspect ratio wing will produce less
a wing. The change of direction results in a change of
induced drag than a wing of low aspect ratio because there is
velocity (even if there is no speed change, just as seen in
less air disturbance at the tip of a longer, thinner wing
uniform circular motion), which is an acceleration. To change
[Langevin & Overbey, 8] Induced drag can therefore be said
the direction of the flow therefore requires that a force be
to be inversely proportional to aspect ratio. The lift

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

distribution may also be modified by the use of washout, a And next go to startmechanical designand open
span wise twist of the wing to reduce the incidence towards wireframe and surface design.
the wingtips, and by changing the airfoil section near the In this go to toolsoptionsvolumejoin edges. By
wingtips. This allows more lift to be generated at the wing this we can combine the two airfoils and can create the wing
root and less towards the wingtip, which causes a reduction in required.
the strength of the wingtip vortices.
Some early aircraft had fins mounted on the tips of the
tail plane which served as endplates. More recent aircraft
have wingtip mounted winglets to reduce the intensity of
wingtip vortices. Wingtip mounted fuel tanks may also
provide some benefit, by preventing the span wise flow of air
around the wingtip [Gareth Harvey, 9; Mark D. Maughmer,
12]. Figure 1: Airbus A330 Wing without Winglet
In the same way the wings with winglets are also created
IV. DESIGN AND ANALYSIS just by creating planes and rotating them to the required angle
and extruding the previous airfoil and reducing its size by
4.1. CATIA V5 ratios.
CATIA V5 is a kind of software created and dedicated to Next coming to the blended airfoil, here in this we
draw very easy in 3D. The wing model without winglet and created the winglet as mentioned above. Simply by creating
the three wings models with winglets have been designed in the planes at required angle and projecting the airfoil and
CATIA V5. Circular winglet, blended winglet and wingtip adjusting the size.
fences have also been built. In order to do that, an airfoil
section was picked as well as a data file was created with the
airfoil points. To work in CATIA V5, it was previously
necessary to create a excel table with the lower and upper
surfaces airfoil points. By the time where the wings were
finished, they were automatically exported to Gambit 2.4.6 in
―step‖ format. When you export into ―iges‖ format, volumes
cannot be exported; therefore you need to get them generated
in Gambit 2.4.6. A NACA 2415 airfoil was chosen to develop Figure 2: Airbus A330 Wing with Blended Winglet
my wings. Later on, I used that airfoil at the wing root airfoil For the wing fence, the plane at the tip is rotated
and at the wing tip airfoil. I found it impossible to make a normally 90 degrees and planes are shifted or offset is done
research regarding the A330 airfoil so I chose that type of to top and bottom and the extrusion is done in the same way.
NACA airfoil, especially since it is used in similar aircrafts. And is joined in the same way as blended winglet.
After that, a symmetrical NACA airfoil 0012 was used to
drawn blended winglets and wingtip fences. A symmetrical
airfoil must be used because we do not want a high drag
coefficient linked to the winglet. So I finally tried to draw an
Airbus 330-300 wing.

4.2. Designing of Wing Models

We designed various models of wing and wing tip devices by
the use of CATIA-V5 software. Here we designed, airbus Figure 3: Airbus A330 Wing with Wingtip Fence Winglet
A330 wing without winglet, with blended winglet, with wing The circular winglet is created by creating the circular
fence, and with circular winglets [Davies R. Irving, 11]. airfoils with different cross section and is joined in the same
The wing is designed by taking the wing airfoil co- way from volume combining.
ordinates from NACA series 2415 A330. By the use of this This part files are saved as .cat or .prt formats in CATIA-
co-ordinates we copied to the GSD point spline loft from V5 and are exported to analysing software for analysis.
excel and copied these points to CATIA-V5 software by
opening the part design module in software.
As this is the project for parametric winglets and the
software is also parametric, we designed the other airfoil, i.e.
mid airfoil with extrusion. And the tip airfoil, which is
located at the end of the airfoil is also created in the same
way [Marty Curry, 13].

Figure 4: Airbus A330 Wing with Circular Winglet

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

4.3. Meshing and Analysis compute drag coefficient and lift coefficient I have to go to
Gambit is modeling software that is capable of creating reference values into Fluent and the length will be 29.05 m
meshed geometries that can be read into FLUENT and other and the area depends on the winglet. Basically, vortices
analysis software. The different wings have been created. magnitude and drag coefficient must be calculated to
Importing the wings is the next step. When the wings are into compare the performance wing model without winglet and
Gambit 2.4.6 the control volume can be defined. The control with winglets. The solution is converged as a result of among
volume will be wind tunnel. The dimensions control volume 140 and 200 iterations.
are; 50 m in x, 30 m in y and 40 m in z. To measure vortices
magnitude seven control zones will be created. Those control V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
zones are circular and there is a space of three meters
between each circle. The radius circle is five meters. The In this section, results from Fluent will be shown and
control zones are located at the same distance in all my wings discussed. Wingtip vortex development and performance will
models. That distance is 2 m from wingtip. be checked in the first part of this section. To do that, we are
First, we had to split control zones from control volume going to study the different wings from several angles of
and second, we had to subtract wing models from control attack between 0 and 16 degrees. In addition to that, an
volume. The rest of the wings are placed in the same place attempt to explain why wingtip vortices are broken or
and the control zones and wind tunnel have the same reduced will be made. We know wingtip vortex is turning
dimensions. At this point, we discretized our geometry: This around on its own axis and that axis begins to nearby the
is the process known as meshing. What we can finally get is wingtip. Furthermore, wingtip vortices spin anticlockwise in
to move from a continuous to a discrete volume on which to my models and the axis in which wingtip vortex is developed
solve the equations necessary to find the problem solution. moves down and laterally when the vortices are away from
To create the mesh, tet/hybrid elements were used. First, wingtip. Vortices magnitude is related to lift so the wingtip
we meshed the wing (face) with tri/pave elements. Second, vortex intensity will be checked when the lift increases.
zone controls (face) were meshed with tri/pave elements too. Finally, a summary table will be showed in which the drag
Between one control zone and seven control zone (volume) I coefficient improvement can be compared. The set of results
meshed with tet/hybrid elements, and finally wind tunnel will be given in several tables, diagrams or figures.
were meshed with tet/hybrid again. On the blended winglet
5.1. CFD Analysis of Wingtip Vortices Development
and wingtip fence, we used a very fine mesh since the faces
of these winglets are small and thin. The number totals of To study wingtip vortices development, wing model without
elements are about 1500000 depending on the type of winglet will be used with an angle of attack of 0 degrees and
winglet. The aspect ratio is between 1 and 4 in all my models. with angle of attack of 4 degrees. With an angle of attack of 0
The desired mesh can now be read into FLUENT which degrees, our wing model without winglet is not able to
will then run the geometry through the numerical analysis. generate an enough lift coefficient to develop wingtip vortex.
Different angles of attack will be analyzed in Fluent 6.3.26. In fact, the drag coefficient is higher than the lift coefficient
The maximum wingtip vortex is produced when the aircraft’s at 0 degrees. Lift coefficient, Cl, at 0 degrees is equal to
velocity is low, therefore the winglets will be studied when 0.0006456 and drag coefficient, Cd, at 0 degrees is equal to
the aircraft is taking off with different angles of attack 0.009584, therefore the ratio Cl/Cd is equal to 0.06736.
between 0 and 16 degrees. To measure vortices magnitude Despite the fact Cd is higher than Cl, the aircraft will not
behind wing, seven control zones have been created. have any problems to start out taking off, especially since
spoilers and flaps are used by aircraft’s pilots to improve
wing’s Cl at that moment [Tom Bensom, 14].
Moreover, an aircraft flies just when it can produce
enough lift force to win gravity force. As we can see that
wingtip vortex development tend to form vortices, thanks to
the difference in pressure between the upper and lower
surfaces of a wing, which is operating at a positive lift. Thus,
there will not be vortices behind my wing at 0 degrees.
Vortices magnitude in control zones with an angle of
attack of 4 degrees. With that angle of attack, the value of Cl
equals 0.16036 and the value of Cd equals 0.01461 and then,
Figure 5: Meshed Wing Models the value of Cl/Cd equals 10.974. Our wing model without
We are ready to start our CFD analysis of winglets. It is winglet is able to generate a positive lift and therefore,
necessary to talk about the set of values used in Fluent 6.3.26. wingtip vortices can be developed. With the rest of the wings
K-epsilon viscous models was picked since it is a two models takes place in the same way, we mention that to show
equation model that works very well in these kinds of that, at 0 degrees there is no wingtip vortices, since the wings
problems. The velocity inlet is 77.78 m/s (M=0.228). To are not operating at positive lift. Besides, the ratio Cl/Cd is
less than 1. From 0 degrees, as the ratio Cl/Cd is higher than

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

1 there is wingtip vortices development. A wing generates reproduced below, shows the values of total sum of vortices
wingtip vortices, as it is able to produce a ratio Cl/Cd higher magnitude in control zones. The maximum total sum of
than 1. vortices magnitude value is produced by wing model without
Vortices form due to the difference pressure between the winglet and, the minimum value by wingtip fence. However,
lower and upper surface in a wing. As my wing model works the minimum value of vortices magnitude occurs with
at 0 degrees, there is no difference pressure between lower blended winglet.
and upper surface and so there is no lift and no wingtip
vortices. The difference pressure between lower and upper
surface in a wing generates lift and therefore wingtip vortices.
A new surface has been created to calculate the pressure
difference in the wingtip. The following figures show the new
surface created and the difference pressure in the wing model,
when it is working at 16 degrees. At 4 degrees, the wingtip
vortices causes difference in pressure between lower and
upper surface is higher than at 0 degrees, and that difference
pressure gets higher at 8 degrees. Of course, when the angle
of attack increases the difference pressure goes up too.

5.2. Winglets Performance at 16º Angle of Attack Figure 7: Contours of Vortices Magnitude at 16° Angle of Attack of
Aircrafts of all types and sizes are flying with winglets. When Circular Winglet Model
winglets are linked to wingtips, aircraft designers are looking
for drag coefficient reduction and therefore, fuel consumption
decreases. The wingtip vortices are responsible for the
appearance of a drag coefficient component, induced drag
coefficient Cdi. In this section, we are going to demonstrate
how wingtips vortices are reduced when winglets are used. In
order to do that, control zones will be used to measure the
vortices magnitude in my four wing models. The models will
be analyzed in different angles of attack, between 4 and 16
degrees. Below are the figures shown for 16 degrees of angle
of attack for different wing models.

Figure 8: Contours of Vortices Magnitude at 16° Angle of Attack of

Wing Tip Fence Model

Figure 6: Contours of Vortices Magnitude at 16° Angle of Attack of

No Winglet Model
The images, reproduced here, shows the maximum value
of vortices magnitude decreases when winglets are fixed to
Figure 9: Contours of Vortices Magnitude at 16° Angle of Attack of
wingtips. It is absolutely important to measure vortices
Blended Winglet Model
magnitude, the control zones are the same distance from
wingtip. The control zones must be located at the same
distance from wingtip in grid X-coordinate. The table 1,
Table 1: Vortices Magnitude at 16° in Control Zones
Wing Model Zone-1 Zone-2 Zone-3 Zone-4 Zone-5 Zone-6 Zone-7
Without Winglet 7853.65 6321.48 5124.34 5074.47 4921.21 4769.54 4525.36
Circular Winglet 6987.68 5834.71 5637.58 5324.87 5210.37 4951.03 4827.54
Wingtip Fence 6542.38 5720.41 5647.09 5423.64 5329.591 5186.75 4938.76
Blended Winglet 6365.71 5478.46 5231.49 5185.04 4976.44 4851.57 4518.97

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

As can be seen from table 1, the minimum total sum of Table 3: Aerodynamic Coefficients of Circular Winglet Model
vortices magnitude value is produced in wing models with Angle
wingtip fence or blended winglet. The maximum value of Drag
of Lift (KN) Cd CL CL/Cd
(KN)
total sum of vortices magnitude is always produced in wing Attack
model without winglet. Furthermore, the second maximum 4° 193.70024 17.9516 0.014727 0.158912 10.7901
value of total sum of vortices magnitude is always produced 8° 374.85585 36.9668 0.030380 0.308125 10.1429
12° 527.00923 69.6431 0.057239 0.433225 7.56861
by wing model with circular winglet. With an angle of attack
16° 634.46797 118.0409 0.097027 0.521512 5.37489
of 4 degrees, wingtip fence is able to get the highest wingtip
vortex reduction in control zones. Nevertheless, blended Table 4: Aerodynamic Coefficients of Wingtip Fence Model
winglet works better at 8 and 12 degrees. Blended winglet Angle
Lift Drag
works better at 16º again, table not reproduced. To measure of Cd CL CL/Cd
(KN) (KN)
Attack
sum of vortices magnitude, we must use report → surface 191.9359 17.4708 0.014578 0.160070 10.9802
4°
integrals option into Fluent. Once there, report type → sum, 8° 373.5895 36.3083 0.030299 0.311754 10.2892
field variable → velocity → vortices magnitude and finally, 12° 524.6641 67.8154 0.056512 0.437215 7.73667
surfaces → control zones. It is clear; winglets are able to 16° 636.0733 115.8315 0.096661 0.530792 5.49133
reduced wingtip vortex vortices magnitude. If wingtip vortex
Table 5: Aerodynamic Coefficients of Blended Winglet Model
is reduced, the induced drag associated with wingtip vortices Angle
development goes down and therefore, drags decreases and Lift Drag
of Cd CL CL/Cd
aircraft’s performance is improved. (KN) (KN)
Attack
We saw winglets reduce wingtip vortices (George 4° 192.7925 17.6652 0.014625 0.159613 10.9136
Larson, 2001), the twin tornados formed by the difference 8° 370.9876 36.0023 0.029759 0.307142 10.3209
between the pressure on the upper surface of an airplane's 12° 524.2974 67.2123 0.055641 0.434069 7.80122
wing and that on the lower surface. High pressure on the 16° 635.7335 113.5871 0.094039 0.526329 5.59682
lower surface creates a natural airflow that makes its way to In the tables reproduced above, we can see drag
the wingtip and curls upward around it. When flow around coefficient decreases with wing model wingtip fence and
the wingtips streams out behind the airplane, a vortex is blended winglet. That drag coefficient decrease is measured
formed. These twisters represent an energy loss and are respect to wing model without winglet. At 4º, the smallest
strong enough to flip airplanes that blunder into them. drag coefficient is equal to 0.014578, wingtip fence. At 8º, it
At the wing front, along the upper surface of the wing is equal to 0.029759, blended winglet. At 12º, it equals
are small vortices along the wing surface, that as a result of 0.434069, blended winglet. Finally, it is equal to 0.094039 at
right wing and gets higher as you reach the end of the wing. 16º in blended winglet.
When you get there, this vortex generates suction, which in Also, we can see circular winglet drag coefficient is
turn creates resistance. The function of the winglet is to higher than wing model no winglet drag coefficient. Circular
reduce the size of the vortex. Thus, it is strongly suitable to winglet is able to reduce vortices magnitude behind wingtips.
link a barrier (winglet) at wingtips. That is the concept of Therefore, it is able to reduce induced drag coefficient, Cdi.
winglets. Winglet attracted to him the vortex and the vortex is However, induced drag coefficient is one of drag coefficient
deflected far over the wing. components. The wing model with circular winglet reference
area is larger than without winglet and that is why circular
5.3. Lift Coefficient Improvement winglet Cd is higher. Thus, the circular winglet shape is not
The main aim of our project is to check how winglets are able very correct and appropriate. It is not very difficult to reduce
to reduced drag coefficient. The following tables show wing wingtip vortex (circular winglet) although to get Cd reduction
models drag coefficient is reduced when winglets are linked is much complex.
to wingtips with different angles of attack, between 4º and Table 6: Drag Coefficient Reduction
16º. Angle Cd of no
Cd of Best
Table 2: Aerodynamic Coefficients of Without Winglet Model of Winglet Winglet Improvement
Winglet
Angle Attack Model
Drag Wingtip
of Lift (KN) Cd CL CL/Cd 4° 0.014612 0.014578 0.232%
(KN) fence
Attack
Blended
4° 191.31111 17.4328 0.014612 0.160368 10.9745 8° 0.030215 0.029759 1.509%
winglet
8° 373.99611 36.0350 0.030215 0.313499 10.3807 Blended
12° 0.056377 0.055641 1.305%
12° 523.08733 67.2566 0.056377 0.438477 7.77742 winglet
Blended
16° 633.51104 113.1905 0.094881 0.531038 5.59968 16° 0.094881 0.094039 0.887%
winglet

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The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

The table 6 shows the best Cd improvement occurs at 8º We confirm that blended winglet and wingtip fence are
with blended winglet. The wingtips vortices intensity is tools that improve aircraft’s performance when the aircraft is
related to lift. If the wing is working with high angles of taking off.
attack the lift is increased. Therefore, we can expect winglet It is highly recommended that blended winglet model
works better with large angles of attach, since the wingtip and wingtip fence model should be made of different airfoil
vortex reduction will be higher. Wingtip fence works better and then, drag coefficient reduction could be compared.
with low angles of attack and blended winglet works better Furthermore, circular winglet model should be re-designed
with high angles of attack. The best winglet is blended due to its design’s fail. On the other hand, it would be highly
winglet because of it is able to reduced Cd conveniently, and interesting to end up by doing my computational fluids
the best drag coefficient reduction occurs when it is working. dynamics analysis when the aircraft is flying at cruise
velocity.
VI. CONCLUSION REFERENCES
The wingtips vortex are developed as a wing is able to [1] Hoerner & Dr. Sighard (1952), ―Aerodynamic Shape of the
produce a ratio Cl/Cd higher than 1. If ratio Cl/Cd is less than Wing Tips‖, United States Air Force Technical Report, Vol.
1, there are no wingtip vortices since the wing is not 25, No. 15, Pp. 54–68.
operating a positive lift. To produce a ratio Cl/Cd higher than [2] J. Richard Creek & William Conway (1972), ―The Heinkel He
1, the pressure of the lower surface must be higher than the 162 (Aircraft in Profile Number 203)‖ Leatherhead, Surrey
UK: Profile Publications Ltd, Vol. 23, No. 8, Pp. 52–64.
pressure of the upper surface. The difference pressure
[3] L.J. Clancy (1975), ―Aerodynamics‖, URL:
between lower and upper surface in a wing generates lift and http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/wing.html.
therefore wingtip vortices. The vortices magnitude increases [4] Peter Masak (1992), ―Winglet Design for Sailplanes‖,
respect to angle of attack due to the lift increases as the angle URL:http://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/forces.html
of attack goes up. [5] S. Green (1995), ―Wingtip Vortices‖, Pitman Publishing
Our wing models are placed on the right of the aircraft, Limited London, Vol. 40, No. 21, Pp. 427–470.
[6] George Larson (2001), ―How Things Work: Winglets‖,
so the vortex rotation moves anticlockwise from a front view.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, Vol. 3, No. 1, Pp. 35–43.
Lower surface is the zone where the pressure takes its highest [7] M. Ghil, M.R. Allen, M. Dettinger & A.W. Robertson (2002),
value, and also in the upper surface the value of pressure is ―Winglets Performance‖, Air & Space Magazine, Vol. 40, No.
smaller than lower surface. The air goes up from the lower 5, Pp. 1052–1064.
and upper surface and then, the wingtips vortices spin [8] G.S. Langevin & P. Overbey (2003), ―To Reality: Winglets‖,
anticlockwise. The vortex axis starts out at the same height as NASA Langley Research Center, Vol. 15, No. 11, Pp. 133–151.
[9] Gareth Harvey (2005), ―Super Chopper: Life-Saving Features
the wingtip or winglet tip and its axis moves down and up. Winged-tip‖, Engineering Archives, Vol. 7, No. 6, Pp. 45–49.
Furthermore, the vortex axis moves away sideways from the [10] Jr. John D. Anderson (2005), ―Fundamentals of
wingtip. The maximum value is placed into the wingtip Aerodynamics‖, McGraw Hill Education Private Limited, Vol.
vortex axis and wingtip vortex is turning around on its own 1, No. 5, Pp. 391–400.
axis. Also, vortex widens as it moves away from the wingtip. [11] Jr. Davies R. Irving (2005), ―Wing Tip Device‖, Patent
The vortex lost intensity as we move away from the wingtip. Application 0326228 United States Patent and Trademark
Office, Vol. 2, No. 1, Pp. 14–29.
The function of the winglet is to reduce the size of the [12] Mark D. Maughmer (2007), ―About Winglets by Mark D.
vortex. Winglet attracted to him the vortex and the vortex is Maughmer‖, Vol. 1 No. 2, Pp. 53–66, URL:
deflected far over the wing. The three wing models with http://www.b737.org.uk/winglets.htm#newstories,.
winglet are able to reduce the vortices magnitude in control [13] Marty Curry (2008), ―Winglets‖, URL: http://www.nasa.
zones. gov/centers/dryden/about/Organizations/Technology/Facts/TF-
Therefore, the induced drag Cdi goes down in all my 2004-15-DFRC.html.
[14] Tom Bensom (2009), ―The Lift Coefficient‖ & ―The Drag
wing models with winglet. However, wing model with
Coefficient‖, Journal of Fluid Properties, Vol. 2, No. 1, Pp.
circular winglet is not able to reduce drag coefficient Cd. 10–15.
Circular winglet design was not suitable and acceptable. It is [15] Robert Faye, Robert Lapetre & Michael Winter (2012), ―Four
not very difficult to reduce wingtip vortex (circular winglet) Forces on an Airplane‖, Vol. 5, No. 4, Pp. 27–39.
although to get Cd reduction is much complex. On the other [16] Jr. Clayton Bargsten & Malcolm T. Gibson (2014), ―NASA
hand, wingtip fence and blended winglet are able to reduce Innovation in Aeronautics‖, Select Technologies that have
Shaped Modern Aviation, Vol. 7, No. 3, Pp. 47–53.
wing model without winglet drag coefficient. Wingtip fence
model works at 4 degrees correctly. The vortices magnitude Mohd Mohiuddin Quraishi is currently
is not very large at 4 degrees, so wingtip fence model works studying in the final year of his graduation in
Aeronautical Engineering at Institute of
better at low angles of attack. The best winglet is blended Aeronautical Engineering, Dundigal,
winglet model since, it is able to reduce drag coefficient as Hyderabad. He has completed industrial
vortices magnitude is higher. With an angle of attack of 8 oriented project and internship in Defence
degrees, the drag coefficient reduction is 1.509 %. Research and Development Organization of
India (DRDO) in 2015.

ISSN: 2347-6087 © 2016 | Published by The Standard International Journals (The SIJ) 13
The SIJ Transactions on Advances in Space Research & Earth Exploration (ASREE), Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2016

Mohd Abdul Razakh is presently studying in Shivasri Chithaluri is currently studying in

the final year of his graduation in the final year of her graduation in
Aeronautical Engineering at Institute of Aeronautical Engineering at Institute of
Aeronautical Engineering, Dundigal, Aeronautical Engineering, Dundigal,
Hyderabad. He is the student ambassador of Hyderabad. She has completed Master
NASA space app challenge in Hyderabad. Diploma in Aerospace Design at CADD
Centre Training Services in 2015.

ISSN: 2347-6087 © 2016 | Published by The Standard International Journals (The SIJ) 14