Effect of chordwise deformation on propulsive performance of flapping wings in forward flight

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (1284) ◽  
pp. 430-451
Author(s):  
T. Lin ◽  
W. Xia ◽  
S. Hu
Keyword(s):  
Energy Dissipation ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Phase Lag ◽  
Thrust Coefficient ◽  
Propulsive Efficiency ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Propulsive Performance ◽  
Edge Vortex

ABSTRACTLack of flexibility limits the performance enhancement of man-made flapping wing Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). Active chordwise deformation (bending) is introduced into the flapping wing model at low Reynolds number of Re = 200 in the present study. The lattice Boltzmann method with immersed boundary is adopted in the numerical simulation. The effects of the bending amplitude, bending frequency and phase lag between bending and flapping on the propulsive performance are analysed. The numerical results show that all the chordwise deformation parameters including the bending amplitude, bending frequency and phase lag have a great influence on the flow field, Leading-Edge Vortex (LEV), Trailing-Edge Vortex (TEV) and previous Leading-Edge Vortex (pLEV) of the deformable flapping wing, which leads to the variation of the propulsive performance. With decreasing bending amplitude and increasing bending frequency, both the thrust and energy dissipation coefficients increase. The highest thrust coefficient and highest energy dissipation coefficient occur at a phase lag of 180°. On the other hand, strong dependence of the propulsive efficiency on the vortex tangle is found. The highest propulsive efficiency is obtained for the present model at a dimensionless bending amplitude of 0.2, bending frequency of 0.7Hz, and phase lag of 0°.

The leading-edge vortex and aerodynamics of insect-based flapping-wing micro air vehicles

2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (1142) ◽  
pp. 253-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Wilkins ◽  
K. Knowles
Keyword(s):  
Entire Range ◽  
Angle Of Attack ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Computational Method ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Air Vehicle ◽  
Edge Vortex

AbstractThe aerodynamics of insect-like flapping are dominated by the production of a large, stable, and lift-enhancing leading-edge vortex (LEV) above the wing. In this paper the phenomenology behind the LEV is explored, the reasons for its stability are investigated, and the effects on the LEV of changing Reynolds number or angle-of-attack are studied. A predominantly-computational method has been used, validated against both existing and new experimental data. It is concluded that the LEV is stable over the entire range of Reynolds numbers investigated here and that changes in angle-of-attack do not affect the LEV’s stability. The primary motivation of the current work is to ascertain whether insect-like flapping can be successfully ‘scaled up’ to produce a flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FMAV) and the results presented here suggest that this should be the case.

scholarly journals Influence of Thickness Variation on the Flapping Performance of Symmetric NACA Airfoils in Plunging Motion

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liangyu Zhao ◽  
Shuxing Yang
Keyword(s):  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Parametric Method ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Thickness Variation ◽  
Thrust Coefficient ◽  
Propulsive Efficiency ◽  
Maximum Thickness ◽  
Class Function ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
The Impact

In order to investigate the impact of airfoil thickness on flapping performance, the unsteady flow fields of a family of airfoils from an NACA0002 airfoil to an NACA0020 airfoil in a pure plunging motion and a series of altered NACA0012 airfoils in a pure plunging motion were simulated using computational fluid dynamics techniques. The “class function/shape function transformation“ parametric method was employed to decide the coordinates of these altered NACA0012 airfoils. Under specified plunging kinematics, it is observed that the increase of an airfoil thickness can reduce the leading edge vortex (LEV) in strength and delay the LEV shedding. The increase of the maximum thickness can enhance the time-averaged thrust coefficient and the propulsive efficiency without lift reduction. As the maximum thickness location moves towards the leading edge, the airfoil obtains a larger time-averaged thrust coefficient and a higher propulsive efficiency without changing the lift coefficient.

scholarly journals The effect of aspect ratio on the leading-edge vortex over an insect-like flapping wing

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 056020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Phillips ◽  
Kevin Knowles ◽  
Richard J Bomphrey
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Edge Vortex

Aerodynamic forces and flow structures of the leading edge vortex on a flapping wing considering ground effect

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 036007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tien Van Truong ◽  
Doyoung Byun ◽  
Min Jun Kim ◽  
Kwang Joon Yoon ◽  
Hoon Cheol Park
Keyword(s):  
Leading Edge ◽  
Ground Effect ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Flow Structures ◽  
Aerodynamic Forces ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Edge Vortex

ON THE PROLONG ATTACHMENT OF LEADING EDGE VORTEX ON A FLAPPING WING

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (03) ◽  
pp. 357-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. LIM ◽  
C. J. TEO ◽  
K. B. LUA ◽  
K. S. YEO
Keyword(s):  
Constant Velocity ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Constant Acceleration ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Velocity Flow ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Spanwise Flow ◽  
Negligible Influence

In this paper, we take a fundamental approach to investigate the effect of spanwise flow on the prolonged attachment of leading edge vortex (LEV) on a flapping wing. By imposing a constant acceleration-constant velocity flow on elliptic wings of various sweep angles and angles of attack, our experimental and numerical results show that while spanwise flow per se has negligible influence on the prolong attachment of the LEV, vortex stretching can significantly delay detachment of the LEV, even for a small spanwise flow.

scholarly journals Leading-Edge Vortex Characteristics of Low-Aspect-Ratio Sweptback Plates at Low Reynolds Number

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2450
Author(s):  
Jong-Seob Han ◽  
Christian Breitsamter
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Flat Plates ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Low Aspect Ratio ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Edge Vortex

A sweptback angle can directly regulate a leading-edge vortex on various aerodynamic devices as well as on the wings of biological flyers, but the effect of a sweptback angle has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Here, we thoroughly investigated the effect of the sweptback angle on aerodynamic characteristics of low-aspect-ratio flat plates at a Reynolds number of 2.85 × 104. Direct force/moment measurements and surface oil-flow visualizations were conducted in the wind-tunnel B at the Technical University of Munich. It was found that while the maximum lift at an aspect ratio of 2.03 remains unchanged, two other aspect ratios of 3.13 and 4.50 show a gradual increment in the maximum lift with an increasing sweptback angle. The largest leading-edge vortex contribution was found at the aspect ratio of 3.13, resulting in a superior lift production at a sufficient sweptback angle. This is similar to that of a revolving/flapping wing, where an aspect ratio around three shows a superior lift production. In the oil-flow patterns, it was observed that while the leading-edge vortices at aspect ratios of 2.03 and 3.13 fully covered the surfaces, the vortex at an aspect ratio of 4.50 only covered up the surface approximately three times the chord, similar to that of a revolving/flapping wing. Based on the pattern at the aspect ratio of 4.50, a critical length of the leading-edge vortex of a sweptback plate was measured as ~3.1 times the chord.

scholarly journals Evolution of the leading-edge vortex over a flapping wing mechanism

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 6888-6894
Author(s):  
Muhamad Ridzuan Arifin ◽  
A.F.M. Yamin ◽  
A.S. Abdullah ◽  
M.F. Zakaryia ◽  
S. Shuib ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerodynamic Force ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Unsteady State ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Advance Ratio ◽  
Lift Enhancement ◽  
Lift And Drag

Leading-edge vortex governs the aerodynamic force production of flapping wing flyers. The primary factor for lift enhancement is the leading-edge vortex (LEV) that allows for stall delay that is associated with unsteady fluid flow and thus generating extra lift during flapping flight. To access the effects of LEV to the aerodynamic performance of flapping wing, the three-dimensional numerical analysis of flow solver (FLUENT) are fully applied to simulate the flow pattern. The time-averaged aerodynamic performance (i.e., lift and drag) based on the effect of the advance ratio to the unsteadiness of the flapping wing will result in the flow regime of the flapping wing to be divided into two-state, unsteady state (J<1) and quasi-steady-state(J>1). To access the benefits of aerodynamic to the flapping wing, both set of parameters of velocities 2m/s to 8m/s at a high flapping frequency of 3 to 9 Hz corresponding to three angles of attacks of α = 0o to α = 30o. The result shows that as the advance ratio increases the generated lift and generated decreases until advance ratio, J =3 then the generated lift and drag does not change with increasing advance ratio. It is also found that the change of lift and drag with changing angle of attack changes with increasing advance ratio. At low advance ratio, the lift increase by 61% and the drag increase by 98% between α =100 and α =200. The lift increase by 28% and drag increase by 68% between α = 200 and α = 300. However, at high advance ratio, the lift increase by 59% and the drag increase by 80% between α =100 and α = 200, while between α =200 and α =300 the lift increase by 20% and drag increase by 64%. This suggest that the lift and drag slope decreases with increasing advance ratio. In this research, the results had shown that in the unsteady state flow, the LEV formation can be indicated during both strokes. The LEV is the main factor to the lift enhancement where it generated the lower suction of negative pressure. For unsteady state, the LEV was formed on the upper surface that increases the lift enhancement during downstroke while LEV was formed on the lower surface of the wing that generated the negative lift enhancement. The LEV seem to breakdown at the as the wing flap toward the ends on both strokes.      

scholarly journals A computational fluid dynamic study of hawkmoth hovering

1998 ◽  
Vol 201 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Liu ◽  
C P Ellington ◽  
K Kawachi ◽  
C van den Berg ◽  
A P Willmott
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Translational Motion ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamics ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Rotational Motions

A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling approach is used to study the unsteady aerodynamics of the flapping wing of a hovering hawkmoth. We use the geometry of a Manduca sexta-based robotic wing to define the shape of a three-dimensional 'virtual' wing model and 'hover' this wing, mimicking accurately the three-dimensional movements of the wing of a hovering hawkmoth. Our CFD analysis has established an overall understanding of the viscous and unsteady flow around the flapping wing and of the time course of instantaneous force production, which reveals that hovering flight is dominated by the unsteady aerodynamics of both the instantaneous dynamics and also the past history of the wing. &lt;P&gt; A coherent leading-edge vortex with axial flow was detected during translational motions of both the up- and downstrokes. The attached leading-edge vortex causes a negative pressure region and, hence, is responsible for enhancing lift production. The axial flow, which is derived from the spanwise pressure gradient, stabilises the vortex and gives it a characteristic spiral conical shape. &lt;P&gt; The leading-edge vortex created during previous translational motion remains attached during the rotational motions of pronation and supination. This vortex, however, is substantially deformed due to coupling between the translational and rotational motions, develops into a complex structure, and is eventually shed before the subsequent translational motion. &lt;P&gt; Estimation of the forces during one complete flapping cycle shows that lift is produced mainly during the downstroke and the latter half of the upstroke, with little force generated during pronation and supination. The stroke plane angle that satisfies the horizontal force balance of hovering is 23.6 degrees , which shows excellent agreement with observed angles of approximately 20-25 degrees . The time-averaged vertical force is 40 % greater than that needed to support the weight of the hawkmoth.

The Influence of the Flight Aerodynamic for Interactions of Wings and Body of the Honeybee

2014 ◽  
Vol 670-671 ◽  
pp. 700-704
Author(s):  
Hong Yan Zhao ◽  
Peng Fei Zhang ◽  
Yun Ma
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Wing Model ◽  
Circulation Mechanism ◽  
Rotation Phase ◽  
Edge Vortex

The flight mechanism of flapping-wing was studied by using the translation-rotation model. We established the flapping-coordinate of the wing, gave the equation of the motion, and simplified the flapping-wing model. The aerodynamic and vortices were simulated by the CFD software of Fluent. The leading-edge vortex generated in the translation phase, and delayed stall mechanism had an important effect on the high lift. In the rotation phase, lift peaks appear due to the wing rapidly rotating and rotational circulation mechanism. The aerodynamics were obtained in different amplitudes, frequencies, angles of attack, the locations of rotating axis and timings of rotation. The influence of these parameters on average lift coefficient is obvious, while it can be ignored to average drag coefficient. Keywords: wing, aerodynamics, vortices, numerical simulation.

Formation of vortices and spanwise flow on an insect-like flapping wing throughout a flapping half cycle

2013 ◽  
Vol 117 (1191) ◽  
pp. 471-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Phillips ◽  
K. Knowles
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Breakdown ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Tip Vortex ◽  
Half Cycle ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Spanwise Flow

AbstractThis paper presents an experimental investigation of the evolution of the leading-edge vortex and spanwise flow generated by an insect-like flapping-wing at a Reynolds number relevant to flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FMAVs) (Re = ~15,000). Experiments were accomplished with a first-of-its-kind flapping-wing apparatus. Dense pseudo-volumetric particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements from 18% – 117% span were taken at 12 azimuthal positions throughout a flapping half cycle. Results revealed the formation of a primary leading-edge vortex (LEV) which saw an increase in size and spanwise flow (towards the tip) through its core as the wing swept from rest to the mid-stroke position where signs of vortex breakdown were observed. Beyond mid-stroke, spanwise flow decreased and the tip vortex grew in size and exhibited a reversal in its axial direction. At the end of the flapping half cycle, the primary LEV was still present over the wing surface, suggesting that the LEV remains attached to the wing throughout the entire flapping half cycle.

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