- 期刊
- OpenAccess
Effect of the Number of Cooling Ducts on the Aerodynamic Performance of Solar Powered UAV Wings
摘要
To date, solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have garnered significant interest due to their exclusive reliance on solar energy. Using only solar energy for propulsion enables diverse applications in both military and civilian contexts, with minimal to no environmental impact. Nonetheless, the performance of solar cells is influenced by environmental factors, particularly temperature. These solar cells generate higher voltage at lower temperatures and lose voltage as the temperature increases. This project aims to investigate the aerodynamic performance of cooling ducts on a solar-powered UAV wing as thermal management technique to enhance efficiency. These cooling ducts will provide convective cooling for the backside of solar cells. Four Clark Y airfoils have been designed using CATIA, with three of incorporating 8, 14 and 20 cooling ducts. The airfoils are then simulated using Cradle CFD software at different angles of attack, with a velocity set at 15 m/s for all simulations. Overall, the results indicate that the model with 14 ducts is the best cooling duct design based on its high lift coefficient and lift-to-drag ratio.