Numerical simulations of flow-induced vibrations on Orion P-3C

Abstract

The radome mounted on the Orion P-3C has a significant adverse impact on the performance of the aircraft. Measurements have revealed low-frequency vibrations so severe that operational restrictions have been imposed. This report gives a preliminary assessment of the fluid dynamical implications of the radome at different freestream velocities, based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The low-frequency vibrations are captured by the numerical simulations, and the results are in good agreement with existing literature with respect to the dominant flow field features. CFD is therefore believed to be a viable tool for improved design of the radome with the objective to reduce the amplitude of the unsteady fluid forcing.