EFFECT OF LEADING EDGE PROTUBERANCE ON THRUST PRODUCTION OF A DYNAMICALLY PITCHING AEROFOIL

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Benaissa ◽  
I. H. Ibrahim ◽  
T. H. New ◽  
W. H. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Leading Edge ◽  
Thrust Production

Leading edge strengthening and the propulsion performance of flexible ray fins

2012 ◽  
Vol 693 ◽  
pp. 402-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kourosh Shoele ◽  
Qiang Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Phase Difference ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Immersed Boundary ◽  
Propulsion Performance ◽  
Thrust Generation ◽  
Generation Capacity ◽  
Effective Angle ◽  
Edge Separation ◽  
Thrust Production

AbstractA numerical model of a ray-reinforced fin is developed to investigate the relation between its structural characteristics and its force generation capacity during flapping motion. In this two-dimensional rendition, the underlying rays are modelled as springs, and the membrane is modelled as a flexible but inextensible plate. The fin kinematics is characterized by its oscillation frequency and the phase difference between different rays (which generates a pitching motion). An immersed boundary method (IBM) is applied to solve the fluid–structure interaction problem. The focus of the current paper is on the effects of ray flexibility, especially the detailed distribution of ray stiffness, upon the capacity of thrust generation. The correlation between thrust generation and features of the surrounding flow (especially the leading edge separation) is also examined. Comparisons are made between a fin with rigid rays, a fin with identical flexible rays, and a fin with flexible rays and strengthened leading edge. It is shown that with flexible rays, the thrust production can be significantly increased, especially in cases when the phase difference between different rays is not optimized. By strengthening the leading edge, a higher propulsion efficiency is observed. This is mostly attributed to the reduction of the effective angle of attack at the leading edge, accompanied by mitigation of leading edge separation and dramatic changes in characteristics of the wake. In addition, the flexibility of the rays causes reorientation of the fluid force so that it tilts more towards the swimming direction and the thrust is thus increased.

Scaling laws for the thrust production of flexible pitching panels

2013 ◽  
Vol 732 ◽  
pp. 29-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Dewey ◽  
Birgitt M. Boschitsch ◽  
Keith W. Moored ◽  
Howard A. Stone ◽  
Alexander J. Smits
Keyword(s):  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Power Input ◽  
Elastic Force ◽  
Global Maximum ◽  
Propulsive Efficiency ◽  
Fluid Force ◽  
Power Measurements ◽  
Flexible Panels ◽  
Thrust Production

AbstractWe present experimental results on the role of flexibility and aspect ratio in bio-inspired aquatic propulsion. Direct thrust and power measurements are used to determine the propulsive efficiency of flexible panels undergoing a leading-edge pitching motion. We find that flexible panels can give a significant amplification of thrust production of $\mathscr{O}(100{\unicode{x2013}} 200\hspace{0.167em} \% )$ and propulsive efficiency of $\mathscr{O}(100\hspace{0.167em} \% )$ when compared to rigid panels. The data highlight that the global maximum in propulsive efficiency across a range of panel flexibilities is achieved when two conditions are simultaneously satisfied: (i) the oscillation of the panel yields a Strouhal number in the optimal range ($0. 25\lt \mathit{St}\lt 0. 35$) predicted by Triantafyllou, Triantafyllou & Grosenbaugh (J. Fluid Struct., vol. 7, 1993, pp. 205–224); and (ii) this frequency of motion is tuned to the structural resonant frequency of the panel. In addition, new scaling laws for the thrust production and power input to the fluid are derived for the rigid and flexible panels. It is found that the dominant forces are the characteristic elastic force and the characteristic fluid force. In the flexible regime the data scale using the characteristic elastic force and in the rigid limit the data scale using the characteristic fluid force.

scholarly journals Effect of Nonuniform Flexibility on Hydrodynamic Performance of Pitching Propulsors

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samane Zeyghami ◽  
Keith W. Moored
Keyword(s):  
Structural Model ◽  
Fluid Model ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Functionally Graded ◽  
Hydrodynamic Performance ◽  
Propulsive Efficiency ◽  
Fluid Structure ◽  
Structure System ◽  
Torsional Spring ◽  
Thrust Production

Many aquatic animals propel themselves efficiently through the water by oscillating flexible fins. These fins are, however, not homogeneously flexible, but instead their flexural stiffness varies along their chord and span. Here, we develop a simple model of these functionally graded materials where the chordwise flexibility of the foil is modeled by one or two torsional springs along the chord line. The torsional spring structural model is then strongly coupled to a boundary element fluid model to simulate the fluid–structure interactions. We show that the effective flexibility of the combined fluid–structure system scales with the ratio of the added mass forces acting on the passive portion of the foil and the elastic forces defined by the torsional spring hinge. Importantly, by considering this new scaling of the effective flexibility, the propulsive performance is then detailed for a foil with a flexible hinge that is actively pitching about its leading edge. The scaling allows for the resonance frequency of the fluid–structure system and the bending pattern of the propulsor to be independently varied by altering the effective flexibility and the location of a single torsional spring along the chord, respectively. It is shown that increasing the flexion ratio, by moving the spring away from the leading edge, leads to enhanced propulsive efficiency, but compromises the thrust production. Proper combination of two flexible hinges, however, can result in a gain in both the thrust production and propulsive efficiency.

Investigating the Thrust Production of a Myliobatoid-Inspired Oscillating Wing

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith W. Moored ◽  
W. Smith ◽  
J.M. Hester ◽  
W. Chang ◽  
Hilary Bart-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Turn On ◽  
Biological Perspective ◽  
High Speeds ◽  
Steady State Oscillation ◽  
Undulatory Swimming ◽  
Thrust Production

Myliobatidae is a family of large pelagic rays including cownose, eagle and manta rays. They are extremely efficient swimmers, can cruise at high speeds and can perform turn-on-a-dime maneuvering, making these fishes excellent inspiration for an autonomous underwater vehicle. Myliobatoids have been studied extensively from a biological perspective; however the fluid mechanisms that produce thrust for their large-amplitude oscillatory-style pectoral fin flapping are unknown. An experimental robotic flapping wing has been developed that closely matches the camber and planform shapes of myliobatoids. The wing can produce significant spanwise curvature, phase delays down the span, and oscillating frequencies of up to 1 Hz, capturing the dominant kinematic modes of flapping for myliobatoids. This paper uses dye flow visualization to qualitatively characterize the fluid mechanisms at work during steady-state oscillation. It is shown that oscillatory swimming uses fundamentally different fluid mechanisms than undulatory swimming by the generation of leading-edge vortices. Lessons are distilled from studying the fluid dynamics of myliobatoids that can be applied to the design of biomimetic underwater vehicles using morphing wing technology.

scholarly journals A Comparative Numerical Study on the Performances and Vortical Patterns of Two Bioinspired Oscillatory Mechanisms: Undulating and Pure Heaving

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Ebrahimi ◽  
Madjid Abbaspour
Keyword(s):  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Volume Method ◽  
Thrust Production ◽  
High Thrust

The hydrodynamics and energetics of bioinspired oscillating mechanisms have received significant attentions by engineers and biologists to develop the underwater and air vehicles. Undulating and pure heaving (or plunging) motions are two significant mechanisms which are utilized in nature to provide propulsive, maneuvering, and stabilization forces. This study aims to elucidate and compare the propulsive vortical signature and performance of these two important natural mechanisms through a systematic numerical study. Navier-Stokes equations are solved, by a pressure-based finite volume method solver, in an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) framework domain containing a2D NACA0012foil moving with prescribed kinematics. Some of the important findings are (1) the thrust production of the heaving foil begins at lower St and has a greater growing slope with respect to the St; (2) the undulating mechanism has some limitations to produce high thrust forces; (3) the undulating foil shows a lower power consumption and higher efficiency; (4) changing the Reynolds number (Re) in a constant St affects the performance of the oscillations; and (5) there is a distinguishable appearance of leading edge vortices in the wake of the heaving foil without observable ones in the wake of the undulating foil, especially at higher St.

The leading edge

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca A. Clay
Keyword(s):  
Leading Edge
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