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Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control

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A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Aeronautics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 11439

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Dr. Yuguang Bai

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Interests: aeroelasticity; structure dynamics; fluid-structure coupling; flutter; vibration response

Dr. Hexia Huang

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Guest Editor

College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: aerodynamics in high-speed inlet; internal flow; shock/boundary layer interaction; flow control
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Prof. Dr. Pan Wang

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Guest Editor

Department of Automotive and Traffic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: catalytic combustion; fuel cracking; chemical reaction kinetics; pollutant emission control

Prof. Dr. Dan Zhao

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Interests: thermoacoustics; combustion instability; aeroacoustics noise; aeroelasticity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Serious flight load environments bring challenging problems for flight vehicles related to their thermal fluid, dynamics, control, etc.

Supersonic/hypersonic flows have become a popular aerodynamic part to achieve better performance of aircraft structures, e.g., wave rider vehicles or scramjet engines. In this context, a high temperature, complex fluid–structure interaction and thermal aeroelasticity have attracted significant attention in the past decade.

Advances in numerical simulations or experimental studies on fluid–structure coupling have provided promising solutions to these difficulties, but significant research remains needed in the present and future. Especially, useful multidisciplinary coupling methods are still urgently needed, e.g., effective coupling methods or achievable wind tunnel experiments.

Structural dynamic characteristics are influenced at every moment by such load environments, so how to find regular patterns in the dynamic responses of the key structures of an aircraft can explain such complex coupling problems. Both numerical and experimental methods can be used to study these problems.

This Special Issue aims to present innovative numerical and experimental investigations into aerodynamics, thermal aerodynamics and thermal aeroelasticity related to flight vehicles. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Advances in thermal fluid analysis;
advances in the aerodynamics of hypersonic flights;
advances in thermal dynamic analysis;
novel concepts and experimental methods of aerodynamics or aeroelasticity;
advanced experimental techniques in structural dynamics;
aero-thermal–mechanical analyses of aircraft systems;
advanced analytical methods in aerodynamics;
thermal aerodynamics and thermal aeroelasticity.

Dr. Yuguang Bai
Dr. Hexia Huang
Prof. Dr. Pan Wang
Prof. Dr. Dan Zhao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

thermal fluid
fluid–structure interaction
structure dynamics
aero-elasticity
advanced engine design and analysis
wind tunnel experiments
dynamic and control

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Related Special Issue

Thermal Fluid Dynamics and Control in Aerospace in Aerospace (11 articles)

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Research

19 pages, 6415 KB

Open AccessArticle

Combustion and Heat-Transfer Characteristics of a Micro Swirl Combustor-Powered Thermoelectric Generator: A Numerical Study

by Kenan Huang, Jiahao Zhang, Guoneng Li, Yiyuan Zhu, Chao Ye and Ke Li

Aerospace 2025, 12(10), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12100916 - 11 Oct 2025

Viewed by 305

Abstract

Micro-combustion-powered thermoelectric generators (μ-CPTEGs) combine the high energy density of hydrocarbons with solid-state conversion, offering compact and refuelable power for long-endurance electronics. Such characteristics make μ-CPTEGs particularly promising for aerospace systems, where conventional batteries face serious limitations. Their achievable performance hinges on how a swirl-stabilized flame transfers heat into the hot ends of thermoelectric modules. This study uses a conjugate CFD framework coupled with a lumped parameter model to examine how input power and equivalence ratio shape the flame/flow structure, temperature fields, and hot-end heating in a swirl combustor-powered TEG. Three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed for the swirl combustor-powered TEG, varying the input power from 1269 to 1854 W and the equivalence ratio from φ = 0.6 to 1.1. Results indicate that the combustor exit forms a robust “annular jet with central recirculation” structure that organizes a V-shaped region of high modeled heat release responsible for flame stabilization and preheating. At φ = 1.0, increasing Q_in from 1269 to 1854 W strengthens the V-shaped hot band and warms the wall-attached recirculation. Heating penetrates deeper into the finned cavity, and the central-plane peak temperature rises from 2281 to 2339 K (≈2.5%). Consistent with these field changes, the lower TEM pair near the outlet heats more strongly than the upper module (517 K to 629 K vs. 451 K to 543 K); the inter-row gap widens from 66 K to 86 K, and the incremental temperature gains taper at the highest power, while the axial organization of the field remains essentially unchanged. At fixed Q_in = 1854 W, raising φ from 0.6 to 1.0 compacts and retracts the reaction band toward the exit and weakens axial penetration; the main-zone temperature increases up to φ = 0.9 and then declines for richer mixtures (peak 2482 K at φ = 0.9 to 2289 K at φ = 1.1), cooling the fin section due to reduced transport, thereby identifying φ = 0.9 as the operating point that best balances axial penetration against dilution/convective-cooling losses and maximizes the TEM hot-end temperature at the fixed power. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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24 pages, 13649 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Influence of Cracked Control Surface on the Gust Response of High-Aspect-Ratio Flying Wing

by Mingdong Wang, Xiangmian He, Yuguang Bai and Sheng Zhang

Aerospace 2025, 12(9), 807; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12090807 - 8 Sep 2025

Viewed by 687

Abstract

Flying-wing aircraft based on high-aspect-ratio wings are a popular configuration for many aerospace engineering applications. Cracked (or cross) control surface structures can adjust the aerodynamic characteristics of flying-wing aircraft. Deep investigations into the effects of such a control surface can provide a helpful design foundation. This paper investigates the mass distribution influences of cracked control surfaces on gust responses of high-aspect-ratio flying wings. Validated finite element modelling, revised by detailed ground vibration test (GVT) with a frequency error of less than 10%, reveals that root boundary conditions significantly affect the natural modes and frequencies of present wings with cracked control surfaces. Changes in control surface (CS) mass have a critical impact on gust response: a 150 g increase in CS mass results in a 15–22% increase in peak response acceleration and a 25–30% increase in response duration, while redistributing mass to the outboard CS reduces the peak response by 18–26% while keeping the total mass consistent. The results can provide an effective suppression strategy for the gust responses of flying-wing configurations without redesigning the main structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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20 pages, 13166 KB

Open AccessArticle

Flow and Flame Stabilization in Scramjet Engine Combustor with Two Opposing Cavity Flameholders

by Jayson C. Small, Liwei Zhang, Bruce G. Crawford and Valerio Viti

Aerospace 2025, 12(8), 723; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12080723 - 13 Aug 2025

Viewed by 978

Abstract

Scramjet operation requires a comprehensive understanding of the internal flowfield, encompassing fuel–air mixing and combustion. This study investigates transient flow and flame development within a HIFiRE-2 scramjet engine combustor, which features two opposing cavities and dual sets of fuel injectors—the upstream (primary) and downstream (secondary) injectors. These cavities function as flameholders, creating circulating flows with elevated temperatures and pressures. Shock waves form both ahead of fuel plumes and at the diverging and converging sections of the flowpath. Special attention is given to the interactions among these shock waves and the shear layers along the supersonic core flow as the system progresses towards a quasi-steady state. Driven by increased backpressure, bow shocks and disturbances induced by the normal, secondary fuel injection and the inclined, primary fuel injection move upstream, amplifying the cavity pressure. These shocks generate adverse pressure gradients, causing near-wall flow separation adjacent to both injector sets, which enhances the penetration and dispersion of fuel plumes. Once a quasi-steady state is achieved, a feedback loop is established between dynamic wave motions and combustion processes, resulting in sustained entrainment of reactive mixtures into the cavities. This mechanism facilitates stable combustion in the cavities and near-wall separation zones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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28 pages, 7775 KB

Open AccessArticle

Uncertainty Modeling of Fouling Thickness and Morphology on Compressor Blade

by Limin Gao, Panpan Tu, Guang Yang and Song Yang

Aerospace 2025, 12(6), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12060547 - 16 Jun 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 423

Abstract

To describe the fouling characteristics of compressor blades, fouling is categorized into dense and loose layers to characterize thickness and rough structures. An uncertainty model for dense fouling layer thickness distribution is constructed using the numerical integration and the Karhunen–Loève (KL) expansion method, while the Fouling Longuet-Higgins (FLH) model is proposed to address the uncertainty of loose fouling layer roughness. The FLH model effectively simulates the morphology characteristics of actual blade fouling and elucidates how parameters influence fouling roughness, morphology, and randomness. Based on the uncertainty modeling method, models for dense fouling layer thickness and loose fouling layer morphology are constructed, followed by numerical calculations and aerodynamic performance uncertainty quantification. Results indicate a 75.8% probability of aerodynamic performance degradation due to a dense fouling layer and a 97.2% probability related to the morphology uncertainty of a loose fouling layer when the roughness is 50 μm. This underscores that a mere focus on roughness is inadequate for characterizing blade fouling, and a comprehensive evaluation must also incorporate the implications of rough structures on aerodynamic performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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22 pages, 7152 KB

Open AccessArticle

Finite Element Analysis of Structural Parameter Effects on Stiffness Nonlinearity Behavior in Aero-Engine Elastic Rings

by Yihang Shi, Jiaqi Li, Zhongyu Yang and Yinli Feng

Aerospace 2025, 12(4), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12040338 - 14 Apr 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 903

Abstract

Elastic rings are extensively utilized in aero-engine rotor systems owing to their compact size and ease of assembly, where they play a critical role in vibration suppression during engine operation. The dynamic behavior of elastic rings is governed by their structural parameters, with stiffness being a pivotal factor influencing the rotor system’s performance. This study employs finite element methods to investigate the effects of elastic ring structural parameters, particularly the geometric features of bosses and internal/external assembly clearances, on stiffness nonlinearity, with a focus on its mechanisms and contributing factors. The results reveal that stiffness nonlinearity emerges when the whirling radius exceeds a critical threshold. Specifically, increasing the boss width, reducing the boss height, or augmenting the number of bosses all attenuate stiffness nonlinearity under identical whirling radii. Furthermore, external clearances exhibit a stronger capability to suppress stiffness nonlinearity compared to internal clearances. Engineering insights suggest that maintaining a small clearance fit during assembly effectively mitigates stiffness nonlinearity, thereby enhancing the rotor’s dynamic performance. This study elucidates the stiffness nonlinearity behavior of elastic rings in practical applications and provides actionable guidance for their design and operational optimization in rotor systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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16 pages, 11698 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Optimization Design of Dynamic Similarity for the Ground Experimental System of an Aircraft Launch Unit

by Sheng Zhang, Lin Cai, Yushun Cao, Yuguang Bai, Xiaoshi Zhang and Hu Huang

Aerospace 2025, 12(4), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12040276 - 26 Mar 2025

Viewed by 509

Abstract

With the development and exploration of the aircraft missile launch system, more and more new launchers are being investigated to improve the aircraft launch capability. It is not possible that all designs of aircraft weapon systems can be manufactured for testing with actual aircraft. Therefore, the ground launch test system, which can reproduce dynamic characteristics of the actual airborne launcher, is necessary. The design of the experimental system of the ground launcher is limited by the conditions of the ground support and installation, and the comprehensive dynamic characteristics of the whole system need to be simulated. This paper proposed an optimization design method based on multivariable optimization, which can adjust dynamic characteristics of the ground launch test system similarly to the actual airborne state. Through the simulations of the basic dynamic characteristics and the calculation of the dynamic response of the initial and optimized ground experimental system, it can be found that the proposed method can effectively control dynamic characteristics of the launch unit in the ground launcher experimental system similarly to the airborne state. This method can greatly reduce the difficulty in the verification of airborne weapon experiments and improve the effectiveness of such ground experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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21 pages, 6517 KB

Open AccessArticle

Direct Numerical Simulation of Boundary Layer Transition Induced by Roughness Elements in Supersonic Flow

by Haiyang Wang, Zaijie Liu, Hexia Huang, Huijun Tan and Dan Zhao

Aerospace 2025, 12(3), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12030242 - 15 Mar 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 940

Abstract

Current research on the transition mechanisms induced by moderate-height roughness elements remains insufficiently explored. Hence, direct numerical simulation (DNS) and BiGlobal stability analysis are employed in this study to investigate boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow induced by moderate-height isolated roughness elements and roughness strips under a supersonic freestream at Mach 3.5. Analysis of DNS results reveals that the isolated roughness element induces transition within the boundary layer, characterized by two high-speed streaks in the wake. This transition is attributed to the coupling between the separated shear layer at the roughness apex and the downstream counter-rotating vortex pair (CVP). BiGlobal stability analysis further identifies that symmetric eigenmodes dominate the transition process in the wake, actively promoting flow destabilization. Conversely, the roughness strip configuration suppresses transition, with only attenuated high-speed streaks persisting in the near wake before complete dissipation. The wake flow exhibits multiple CVPs and adjacent horseshoe vortex pairs interacting with the shear layer, with antisymmetric modes dominating this process. These findings provide technical foundations and theoretical frameworks for predicting and controlling roughness-induced transition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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27 pages, 3974 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Turbojet Engine with Water Injection for Aircraft Use as Controlled Object

by Alexandru-Nicolae Tudosie and Mihai Lungu

Aerospace 2025, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12010013 - 30 Dec 2024

Viewed by 1549

Abstract

This study addresses an under-represented topic in turbojets’ design—the characterizing of this type of engine as an entity subject to automatic control. This study’s subject is a medium-size turbojet, improved with a water injection system for thrust augmentation, and evaluated as a controlled object. The method of coolant injection in the compressor and/or in the combustion chamber of the aviation engine has been intensively studied and applied for the temporary increase in thrust. After a period of abandonment, the method seems to be returning in a version that also produces a reduction in pollutant emissions. Starting from determining turbojet performances on the test rig and establishing the equations that define the turbojet as a system, the mathematical model for both versions (basic and with a water injection) was issued. In order to correlate the basic engine operation with the water injection, a version of control architecture was designed, containing two controllers (for engine’s speed and for the injected water flow rate). An embedded control system was described by its mathematical model; based on its equations, its block diagram with transfer functions was issued. The system’s quality was evaluated by performing studies that concern the turbojet’s main parameters (speed and combustor temperature) and time behavior (system response at step input), which led to some results and conclusions regarding how the water injection changed the properties of the engine as a controlled object: the engine has become slower with bigger static errors for the studied parameters (affecting the stabilization at their values imposed by the new operating regime). The proposed method, based on the characterization of the engine as a controlled object (with and without coolant injection), can be very useful as a method of predicting the behavior of any turbojet when the addition of coolant injection system is desired; obviously, the appropriate modeling of both the turbojet and the injection system is necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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13 pages, 9839 KB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlinear Aero-Thermo-Elastic Stability Analysis of a Curve Panel in Supersonic Flow Based on Approximate Inertial Manifolds

by Wei Kang, Kang Liang, Bingzhou Chen and Shilin Hu

Aerospace 2024, 11(12), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11120992 - 30 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1017

Abstract

The stability of a nonlinear aero-thermo-elastic panel in supersonic flow is analyzed numerically. In light of Hamilton’s principle, the governing equation of motion for a two-dimensional aero-thermo-elastic panel is established taking geometric nonlinearity and curvature effect into account. Coupling with the panel vibration, aerodynamic pressure is evaluated by first order supersonic piston theory and aerothermal load is approximated by the quasi-steady theory of thermal stress. A Galerkin method based on approximate inertial manifolds is deduced for low-dimensional dynamic modeling. The efficiency of the method is discussed. Finally, the complex stability regions of the system are presented within the parametric space. The Hopf bifurcation is found during the onset of flutter as the dynamic pressure increases. The temperature rise imposes a significant effect on the stability region of the panel. Since the material parameters of the panel (elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient in this case) are the function of temperature, the panel tends to lose its stability as the temperature gets higher. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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26 pages, 12380 KB

Open AccessArticle

Winch Traction Dynamics for a Carrier-Based Aircraft Under Trajectory Control on a Small Deck in Complex Sea Conditions

by Guofang Nan, Sirui Yang, Yao Li and Yihui Zhou

Aerospace 2024, 11(11), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11110885 - 27 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1451

Abstract

When the winch traction system of a carrier-based aircraft works under complex sea conditions, the rope and the tire forces are greatly changed compared with under simple sea conditions, and it poses a potential threat to the safety and stability of the aircraft’s traction system. The accurate calculation of the rope and tire forces of a carrier-based aircraft’s winch traction under complex sea conditions is an arduous problem. A novel method of dynamic analysis of the aircraft-winch-ship whole system under complex sea conditions is proposed. A multiple-frequency excitation is adopted to describe the complex sea conditions and the influences of pitching amplitude, and the rolling frequency on the traction dynamics of a carrier-based aircraft along the setting trajectory under complex sea conditions are studied. The advantages and disadvantages of a winch traction system with trajectory control and without trajectory control in complex sea conditions are analyzed. For realizing the trajectory control of the aircraft, the vector difference between the center of mass for the carrier-based aircraft and the position on the predetermined Bessel curve is calculated, so as to obtain the azimuth vector in the aircraft coordinate system. This research is innovative in the modeling of the whole system and the trajectory control of a carrier-based aircraft’s winch traction system under the complicated sea condition of the multi-frequency excitation. ADAMS (Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical System) is used to verify the correctness of the theoretical calculation for the winch traction. The results show that the complex sea environment has a certain influence on the winch traction safety of the aircraft; in the range of 10–15 s for the traction, the rope force amplitude of complex sea conditions under the multi-frequency excitation is 29.5% larger than that of the single-frequency amplitude, while the vertical force amplitude of the tire is 201.1% larger than that of the single-frequency amplitude. This research has important guiding significance for the selection of rope and tire models for a carrier-borne aircraft’s winch traction in complex sea conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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19 pages, 5665 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Objective Optimization of the Pre-Swirl System in a Twin-Web Turbine Disc Cavity

by Yueteng Guo, Suofang Wang and Wenjie Shen

Aerospace 2024, 11(9), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11090761 - 17 Sep 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1318

Abstract

Enhancing thermal efficiency and minimizing weight are prevailing issues in aero engines. Owing to its hollow structure, the twin-web turbine disc exhibits remarkable weight reduction properties, while its enhanced cooling constitutes a novel challenge. In this study, a twin-web turbine disc cavity system is numerically investigated. To enhance the cooling effect and minimize pressure loss, a multi-objective genetic algorithm and Kriging surrogate model are employed to optimize the radial height of the pre-swirl nozzle and receiver hole in the disc cavity system. The results indicate that the overall performance of Opt-3, derived from the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution method within the Pareto frontier, is superior. This configuration achieves a uniform low distribution of rotor temperatures while maintaining moderate pressure losses. Notably, the maximum temperature is reduced by 21.1 K compared to the basic model, with pressure losses remaining largely unchanged. Additionally, an increase in the flow ratio leads to a reduction in both the maximum temperature and average temperature of the back web while simultaneously increasing the temperature of the front web and augmenting pressure losses. However, it is important to note that the degree of variation in these parameters diminishes with increasing flow ratios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control)

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