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SDI Engineering has developed an aerial refueling modeling and simulation tool using multi-body dynamics methods in MATLAB, Simulink, and Simscape Multibody.

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ARES is the ideal software tool to better understand the dynamics of the hose and drogue, reeling mechanism, probe, and the resulting loads during aerial refueling operations.

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The software can be used in the detailed analysis of aerial refueling operations for new technologies, incident investigations, evaluations of flight control or maneuver strategies, and probe loads predictive analysis for design, flight testing and certification.  

Capabilites

  • Lumped-parameter models of the hose, drogue and probe allow simulation of structural behavior including temperature dependent non-linear stiffness and damping

  • Structural models can be modified to simulate refueling events using flying boom and boom-to-drogue adapters

  • Hose aerodynamic model included to capture aeroelastic behavior during hose whip events

  • Hydraulic reeling mechanism model allows regulation of hose tension during aerial refueling

  • Probe-drogue engagement model allows simulation of all phases of aerial refueling

Technologies & Tools

  • Nonlinear multi-body dynamics simulation

  • Aerial refueling subsystem modeling including hydraulics and electronics

  • Based in MATLAB / Simulink / Simscape Multibody

  • User-friendly commercial interface developed and tailorable to unique customer requirements

  • Can interface with existing flight simulator technologies to provide realistic hose performance

Anticipated Benefits

  • Cost and timescale savings with increased safety from reduced testing requirements and avoidance of hazardous test cases

  • Enables assessment of many scenarios that were not previously amenable to reliable evaluations

  • Certification support

Validation Efforts

  • Hose structural model validated through tests of hose stiffness and damping characteristics

  • Hose aerodynamic model validated through comparison to other commercial and academic aerodynamic models

  • Probe structural model validated through FEA in Nastran and probe static and dynamic deflection tests

  • Hose reeling subsystem validated against flight and ground test data from modern reeling systems

Simscape Simulation

  • Nonlinear, geometrically exact hose model

  • 3D aerodynamics

  • 3D DOF Probe model

  • Reduced order engagement contact modeling

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