Publication Date

Spring 5-4-2026

School

School of Engineering and Computational Sciences

Major

Engineering: Mechanical

Disciplines

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

Flaps are used in almost all aircraft to increase the amount of lift the wings can produce at low speeds. However, the flaps also increase the amount of drag experienced by the aircraft. The drag induced by the flaps causes energy loss and is unfavorable for aircraft effectiveness. In recent years, grid fins have become a popular choice for aircraft and armaments to control their orientation. First developed for launch escape towers, grid fins are made up of lines that cut the fin into many quadrants, leaving the fin with multiple rectangular shaped open areas. The aim of this study was to investigate if grid fins could increase lift without a commensurate increase in drag. To analyze this, ANSYS Fluent was utilized to determine the drag and lift forces at different velocities, angles of attack, and grid fin angles. It was found that the grid fins created increased lift at higher angles of attack. At the same time, the grid fins caused the boundary layer flow to separate at a lower angle of attack than usual. The research showed that there could be certain use cases where the grid fin is an effective flap.

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