Design and Aerothermal Simulation of Radar Ventilation Ducts in Aircraft Environmental Control and Cooling Systems

Abstract

Radar ventilation ducts in aircraft environmental control and cooling systems operate under complex aerodynamic and thermal conditions. The duct geometry usually includes a diffuser section, a straight transition section, and a curved outlet, which may cause non-uniform pressure distribution and local flow separation. In this paper, a three-dimensional model of a radar ventilation duct is established, and the internal flow field is simulated by computational fluid dynamics. The static pressure distribution, velocity field, and convergence behavior of the numerical solution are analyzed. The simulation results show that the static pressure decreases gradually from the inlet to the curved outlet, and a low-pressure region appears near the bend. The pressure difference between the inlet and outlet is significant under the present boundary conditions, which indicates that the duct configuration has a considerable influence on the aerothermal performance. The residual curves show that the solution converges after a certain number of iterations, and the continuity and momentum residuals remain at a low level. A table of key aerodynamic parameters is provided, and several governing equations are used to describe the flow and heat transfer behavior. The results can provide reference for the design and optimization of radar ventilation ducts in aircraft environmental control systems.