Flying in groups saves energy and enhances wing performance

Scilight ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (48) ◽  
pp. 481103
Author(s):  
Savannah Mandel
Keyword(s):  
Wing Performance

Investigation on the effect of leading edge tubercles of sweptback wing at low reynolds number

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 621
Author(s):  
Veerapathiran Thangaraj Gopinathan ◽  
John Bruce Ralphin Rose ◽  
Mohanram Surya
Keyword(s):  
Leading Edge ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Sweep Angle ◽  
Laminar Separation ◽  
Low Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Flow Energy ◽  
Airplane Wing ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Naca 0015 ◽  
Wing Performance

Aerodynamic efficiency of an airplane wing can be improved either by increasing its lift generation tendency or by reducing the drag. Recently, Bio-inspired designs have been received greater attention for the geometric modifications of airplane wings. One of the bio-inspired designs contains sinusoidal Humpback Whale (HW) tubercles, i.e., protuberances exist at the wing leading edge (LE). The tubercles have excellent flow control characteristics at low Reynolds numbers. The present work describes about the effect of tubercles on swept back wing performance at various Angle of Attack (AoA). NACA 0015 and NACA 4415 airfoils are used for swept back wing design with sweep angle about 30°. The modified wings (HUMP 0015 A, HUMP 0015 B, HUMP 4415 A, HUMP 4415 B) are designed with two amplitude to wavelength ratios (η) of 0.1 & 0.24 for the performance analysis. It is a novel effort to analyze the tubercle vortices along the span that induce additional flow energy especially, behind the tubercles peak and trough region. Subsequently, Co-efficient of Lift (CL), Co-efficient of Drag (CD) and boundary layer pressure gradients also predicted for modified and baseline (smooth LE) models in the pre & post-stall regimes. It was observed that the tubercles increase the performance of swept back wings by the enhanced CL/CD ratio in the pre-stall AoA region. Interestingly, the flow separation region behind the centerline of tubercles and formation of Laminar Separation Bubbles (LSB) were asymmetric because of the sweep.

scholarly journals Fluid–structure interaction simulation on flight performance of a dragonfly wing under different pterostigma weights

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 216-229
Author(s):  
Yung Jeh Chu ◽  
Poo Balan Ganesan ◽  
Mohamad Azlin Ali
Keyword(s):  
Optimization Design ◽  
Fluid Structure Interaction ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Fluid Structure ◽  
Structure Interaction ◽  
Dragonfly Wing ◽  
Interaction Simulation ◽  
Wing Performance ◽  
Drag Ratio ◽  
Lift To Drag Ratio

Abstract The dragonfly wings provide insights for designing an efficient biomimetic micro air vehicle (BMAV). In this regard, this study focuses on investigating the effect of the pterostigma weight loading and its spatial location on the forewings of dragonfly by using the fluid–structure interaction simulation. This study also investigates the effect of change in the wing elasticity and density on the wing performance. The forewing, which mimics the real dragonfly wing, is flat with a 47.5 mm span and a 0.4 mm thickness. The wing was set to cruise at 3 m/s with a constant flapping motion at a frequency of 25 Hz. This study shows that a small increase of pterostigma loading (11% of wing weight) at the tip of the wing significantly improves the lift to drag ratio, CL/CD, which has 129.16% increment in comparison with no loading. The lift to drag ratio depends on the pterostigma location, pterostigma loading, elastic modulus and density. The results of this study can be used as a reference in future BMAV wing optimization design.

Broken-Wing Performance by the Eastern Willet

The Auk ◽  
1941 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-95
Author(s):  
Ivan R. Tomkins
Keyword(s):  
Wing Performance

Optimization of a Composite Morphing Wing With Shape Memory Alloy Torsional Actuators

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Saunders ◽  
Darren Hartl ◽  
Joshua Herrington ◽  
Logan Hodge ◽  
James Mabe
Keyword(s):  
Shape Memory Alloy ◽  
Shape Memory ◽  
Structural Design ◽  
Rapid Prototype ◽  
Sma Actuators ◽  
Wing Model ◽  
Induced Drag ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Wing Performance ◽  
Composite Wing

Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators have recently been developed in the form of torsional tubes that can undergo large twisting deformations. Wing twisting has been investigated as a means to reduce induced drag in cruise conditions in small aircraft, but the actuation hardware required to generate wing twist at larger scales is prohibitively cumbersome. Replacing conventional actuators with SMA torque tubes provides a way to minimize weight of the twisting system but wing structural design then becomes more challenging. This analysis-driven design study examines an SMA torque tube as applied to the twisting wing design problem. A composite skin is considered to maximize wing performance under combined twist and aerodynamic loads. The SMA has been analyzed using a 3-D thermo-mechanical constitutive model while a preliminary study was performed to determine a composite lamina with appropriate unidirectional properties. An optimization was then completed to find an ideal composite layup. This optimization also included the design of a passive torque tube used to properly balance the twist generated by the SMA against that required in the wing. Localized buckling in the twisted wing was also considered and avoided. The product of this optimization was a composite wing that twisted while considering constraints of stress on the SMA. To validate the controllable use of SMA actuators, testing was completed on a scaled wing model fitted with a rapid prototype shell.

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