Title: Aerodynamic analysis and optimisation of the futuristic Box-wing type Aircraft configuration

A conceptual design optimization was carried out for a long-range Box-wing aircraft. A baseline conventional cantilever wing aircraft was selected for the mission requirements as baseline box wing aircraft. Lift and drag coefficients for the fore and aft wings of the box wing aircraft was calculated and compared with the conventional cantilever wing aircraft. The results indicate that the box wing aircraft would generate less induced drag and greater lift than the conventional cantilever wing aircraft. Theoretical calculations were carried out to investigate the take-off and landing distance for box wing configuration and compared to that of conventional cantilever wing. Induced drag was calculated for box wing and cantilever wing by varying the geometric parameters like aspect ratio, span, surface area and sweep angle to achieve the best possible dimensions. CFD studies were carried out to investigate the effect of stagger and gap and to optimize them. Numerical simulation was also carried out to study the static pressure and velocity distribution over the box wing. Thus, it is observed that overall flight performance of the box wing seemed to be better than the conventional cantilever wing aircraft. Box wing type of futuristic aircraft configuration seemed to be fuel efficient as compared to the conventional cantilever wing type of aircraft configuration.