Recent developments of blended wing body aircraft: experimental, numerical and theoretical approaches

Blended wing body (BWB) is a new design in which both the fuselage and the wings form the lifting surface of the body. Due to this design, the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft is enhanced as a result there is reduction in noise and fuel consumption. The major two drawbacks of this design are the handling and the complex design. Due to these issues, this design cannot be used predominantly in the aircraft industry. This paper gives a holistic review of various experimental, numerical, and theoretical studies done on the topic along with the basic analysis and study along various recent developments like geometric alterations such as canard or gurney flaps. The studies done in implementing the advantages of BWB in UAVs and under water bodies are also mentioned in this review. The BWB is a new revolutionary concept that can find its way into the modern aircraft design, but it has certain limitations that need to be addressed before using this design commercially or in military aircraft. It is likely that the information acquired in this paper could be useful to the future BWB aircraft design and study along with its various geometric alterations and uses.