scholarly journals Model for sectional leading-edge vortex lift for the prediction of rotating samara seeds performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (1278) ◽  
pp. 1236-1261
Author(s):  
D. Rezgui ◽  
I.H. Arroyo ◽  
R. Theunissen
Keyword(s):  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Wind Tunnel Experiments ◽  
Aerodynamic Model ◽  
Numerical Predictions ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Aerodynamic Modelling ◽  
Lift Function

ABSTRACTThis article presents a development of a simple analytical aerodynamic model capable of describing the effect of leading-edge vortices (LEVs) on the lift of rotating samara wings. This analytical model is based on the adaptation of Polhamus’ method to develop a sectional two-dimensional lift function, which was implemented in a numerical blade element model (BEM) of a rotating samara blade. Furthermore, wind tunnel experiments were conducted to validate the numerical BEM and to assess the validity of the newly developed analytical lift function. The results showed good agreement between the numerical model and the experimental measurements of rotational speed and rate of descent of the samara wing. The results were also compared with numerical predictions using BEM but adopting different lift coefficient expressions available in literature. This research contributed towards efficient aerodynamic modelling of the lift generated by LEVs on rotating samara wings for performance prediction, which could potentially be used in the design of bio-inspired rotary micro-air vehicles.

Flight

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Hedenström
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Confined Spaces ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamic ◽  
Maneuvering Flight ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Lifting Surfaces ◽  
Animal Flight

Animal flight represents a great challenge and model for biomimetic design efforts. Powered flight at low speeds requires not only appropriate lifting surfaces (wings) and actuator (engine), but also an advanced sensory control system to allow maneuvering in confined spaces, and take-off and landing. Millions of years of evolutionary tinkering has resulted in modern birds and bats, which are achieve controlled maneuvering flight as well as hovering and cruising flight with trans-continental non-stop migratory flights enduring several days in some bird species. Unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms allows for hovering and slow flight in insects, birds and bats, such as for example the delayed stall with a leading edge vortex used to enhance lift at slows speeds. By studying animal flight with the aim of mimicking key adaptations allowing flight as found in animals, engineers will be able to design micro air vehicles of similar capacities.

scholarly journals On the lift-optimal aspect ratio of a revolving wing at low Reynolds number

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (143) ◽  
pp. 20170933 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Jardin ◽  
T. Colonius
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Rossby Number ◽  
Subsequent Work ◽  
High Lift ◽  
Low Aspect Ratio ◽  
Axis Of Rotation ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Convergent Solution

Lentink & Dickinson (2009 J. Exp. Biol. 212 , 2705–2719. ( doi:10.1242/jeb.022269 )) showed that rotational acceleration stabilized the leading-edge vortex on revolving, low aspect ratio (AR) wings and hypothesized that a Rossby number of around 3, which is achieved during each half-stroke for a variety of hovering insects, seeds and birds, represents a convergent high-lift solution across a range of scales in nature. Subsequent work has verified that, in particular, the Coriolis acceleration plays a key role in LEV stabilization. Implicit in these results is that there exists an optimal AR for wings revolving about their root, because it is otherwise unclear why, apart from possible morphological reasons, the convergent solution would not occur for an even lower Rossby number. We perform direct numerical simulations of the flow past revolving wings where we vary the AR and Rossby numbers independently by displacing the wing root from the axis of rotation. We show that the optimal lift coefficient represents a compromise between competing trends with competing time scales where the coefficient of lift increases monotonically with AR, holding Rossby number constant, but decreases monotonically with Rossby number, when holding AR constant. For wings revolving about their root, this favours wings of AR between 3 and 4.

Aeroelastic Analysis of Membrane Micro Air Vehicles

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Attar ◽  
Raymond E. Gordnier ◽  
Jordan W. Johnston ◽  
William A. Romberg ◽  
Ramkumar N. Parthasarathy
Keyword(s):  
Strouhal Number ◽  
Limit Cycle ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Angle Of Attack ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Wing Membrane ◽  
Reduced Frequency ◽  
Membrane Wing ◽  
Air Vehicles

The fluid and structural response of two different membrane wing Micro Air Vehicles is studied through computation and experiment. A (three) batten-reinforced fixed wing membrane micro air vehicle is used to determine the effect of membrane prestrain and fixed angle of attack on flutter and limit cycle behavior of fixed wing membrane Micro Air Vehicles. For each configuration tested, flutter and subsequent limit cycle oscillations are measured in wind tunnel tests and predicted using an aeroelastic computational model consisting of a nonlinear finite element model coupled to a vortex lattice solution of the Laplace equation and boundary conditions. Correlation between the predicted and measured onset of limit cycle oscillation is good as is the prediction of the amplitude of the limit cycle at the trailing edge of the lower membrane. A direct correlation between levels of strain and the phase of the membranes during the limit cycle is found in the computation and thought to also occur in the experiment. The second membrane wing micro air vehicle configuration is that of a plunging membrane airfoil model. This model is studied computationally using a sixth-order finite difference solution of the Navier-Stokes equations coupled to a nonlinear string finite element model. The effect, on the structural and fluid response, of plunging Strouhal number, reduced frequency and static angle of attack is examined. At two degree angle of attack, and Strouhal number of 0.2, the effect of increasing the plunging reduced frequency is to decrease the sectional lift coefficient and increase the sectional drag coefficient. At this angle of attack, minimal change in the sectional lift coefficient is found when increasing from a Strouhal number of 0.2 to 0.5 at reduced frequencies of 0.5 and 5.903, the lowest and highest values of this parameter which are studied in this work. For this angle of attack the maximum change which occurs when increasing the Strouhal number from 0.2 to 0.5 is at a reduced frequency of 1.5. When the effect of angle of attack is studied, it is found that at a Strouhal number of 0.5 and reduced frequency of 1.5 the plunging flexible model demonstrates improved lift characteristics over the fixed flexible airfoil case. The greatest improvement occurs at an angle of attack of 2 degrees followed by 10 degrees and then 6 degrees. Finally the effect on the flow characteristics of airfoil flexibility is investigated by increasing the membrane pre-strain from a nominal value of 5 percent to that of 20 percent. This increase in pre-strain results in a reduced value of sectional lift coefficient as compared the 5 percent pre-strain case at the same fixed angle of attack, Strouhal number and reduced frequency.

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.

Scaling law for the lift force of autorotating falling seeds at terminal velocity

2017 ◽  
Vol 835 ◽  
pp. 406-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Injae Lee ◽  
Haecheon Choi
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Lift Force ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Scaling Law ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Terminal Velocity ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Actuator Disk ◽  
Vortex Theory ◽  
Edge Vortex

We provide a scaling law for the lift force of autorotating falling seeds at terminal velocity to describe the relation among the lift force, seed geometry and terminal descending and rotating velocities. Two theories, steady wing-vortex theory and actuator-disk theory, are examined to derive the scaling law. In the steady wing-vortex theory, the strength of a leading-edge vortex is scaled with the circulation around a wing and the lift force is modelled by the time derivative of vortical impulse, whereas the conservations of mass, linear and angular momentum, and kinetic energy across the autorotating falling seed are applied in the actuator-disk theory. To examine the validity of the theoretical results, an unsteady three-dimensional numerical simulation is conducted for flow around an autorotating seed (Acer palmatum) during free fall. The sectional lift coefficient predicted from the steady wing-vortex theory reasonably agrees with that from the numerical simulation, whereas the actuator-disk theory fails to provide an estimation of the sectional lift coefficient. The weights of 11 different species of autorotating falling seeds fall on the scaling law derived from the steady wing-vortex theory, suggesting that even a simple theoretical approach can explain how falling seeds support their weights by autorotation once the circulation from a leading-edge vortex is properly included in the theory.

scholarly journals Genetic Algorithm Based Optimization of Wing Rotation in Hover

Fluids ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Gehrke ◽  
Guillaume Guyon-Crozier ◽  
Karen Mulleners
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Angle Of Attack ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Airfoil Surface ◽  
Pitching Motion ◽  
Leading Edge Vortex ◽  
Final Population ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Effective Angle

The pitching kinematics of an experimental hovering flapping wing setup are optimized by means of a genetic algorithm. The pitching kinematics of the setup are parameterized with seven degrees of freedom to allow for complex non-linear and non-harmonic pitching motions. Two optimization objectives are considered. The first objective is maximum stroke average efficiency, and the second objective is maximum stroke average lift. The solutions for both optimization scenarios converge within less than 30 generations based on the evaluation of their fitness. The pitching kinematics of the best individual of the initial and final population closely resemble each other for both optimization scenarios, but the optimal kinematics differ substantially between the two scenarios. The most efficient pitching motion is smoother and closer to a sinusoidal pitching motion, whereas the highest lift-generating pitching motion has sharper edges and is closer to a trapezoidal motion. In both solutions, the rotation or pitching motion is advanced with respect to the sinusoidal stroke motion. Velocity field measurements at selected phases during the flapping motions highlight why the obtained solutions are optimal for the two different optimization objectives. The most efficient pitching motion is characterized by a nearly constant and relatively low effective angle of attack at the start of the half stroke, which supports the formation of a leading edge vortex close to the airfoil surface, which remains bound for most of the half stroke. The highest lift-generating pitching motion has a larger effective angle of attack, which leads to the generation of a stronger leading edge vortex and higher lift coefficient than in the efficiency optimized scenario.

Vortex structure analysis of unsteady cloud cavitating flows around a hydrofoil

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (02) ◽  
pp. 1550275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhao ◽  
Guoyu Wang ◽  
Biao Huang
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Structure ◽  
Cavity Growth ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Lower Surface ◽  
Cavitating Flows ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Numerical Predictions ◽  
Moderate Reynolds Number ◽  
Edge Vortex

In this paper, time dependent vortex structures are numerically analyzed for both noncavitating and cloud cavitating flows around a Clark-Y hydrofoil with angle of attack [Formula: see text] at a moderate Reynolds number, [Formula: see text]. The numerical simulations are performed using a transport equation-based cavitation model and the large eddy simulation (LES) approach with a classical eddy viscosity subgrid scale (SGS) model. Compared with experimental results, present numerical predictions are capable of capturing the initiation of cavity, growth toward the trailing edge and subsequent shedding process. Results indicate that in noncavitating conditions, the trailing edge vortex and induced positive vortex shed periodically into the wake region to form the vortex street. In cloud cavitating conditions, interrelations between cavity and vortex induce different vortex dynamics at different cavity developing stages. (i) As attached cavity grows, vorticity production is greatly enhanced by the favorable pressure gradient at the leading edge. The trailing edge flow does not have a direct impact on the attached cavity expansion process. Furthermore, the liquid–vapor interface that moves toward the trailing edge enhances the vorticity in the attached cavity closure region. (ii) When the stable attached sheet cavity grows to its maximum length, the accumulation process of vorticity is eventually interrupted by the formation of the re-entrant jet. Re-entrant jet’s moving upstream leads to a higher spreading rate of the attached cavity and the formation of a large coherent structure inside the attached cavity. Moreover, the wavy/bubbly cavity interface enhances the vorticity near the trailing edge. (iii) As the attached sheet cavity breaks up, this large vortex structure converts toward the trailing edge region, which will eventually couple with a trailing edge vortex shedding from the lower surface to form the cloud cavity. The breakup of the stable attached cavity is the main reason for the vorticity enhancement near the suction surface.

scholarly journals A scaling law for the lift of hovering insects

2015 ◽  
Vol 782 ◽  
pp. 479-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeongsu Lee ◽  
Haecheon Choi ◽  
Ho-Young Kim
Keyword(s):  
Scaling Law ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Structure Comparison ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Vortical Structures ◽  
Insect Wings ◽  
Simple Scaling ◽  
Edge Vortex

Insect hovering is one of the most fascinating acrobatic flight modes in nature, and its aerodynamics has been intensively studied, mainly through computational approaches. While the numerical analyses have revealed detailed vortical structures around flapping wings and resulting forces for specific hovering conditions, theoretical understanding of a simple unified mechanism enabling the insects to be airborne is still incomplete. Here, we construct a scaling law for the lift of hovering insects through relatively simple scaling arguments of the strength of the leading edge vortex and the momentum induced by the vortical structure. Comparison of our theory with the measurement data of 35 species of insects confirms that the scaling law captures the essential physics of lift generation of hovering insects. Our results offer a simple yet powerful guideline for biologists who seek the evolutionary direction of the shape and kinematics of insect wings, and for engineers who design flapping-based micro air vehicles.

scholarly journals Aerodynamic Performance of a Passive Pitching Model on Bionic Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinjing Hao ◽  
Jianghao Wu ◽  
Yanlai Zhang
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Aerodynamic Force ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Micro Air Vehicles ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Torsional Stiffness ◽  
Important Goal ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Yaw Moment ◽  
Air Vehicles

Reducing weight and increasing lift have been an important goal of using flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs). However, FWMAVs with mechanisms to limit the angle of attack (α) artificially by active force cannot meet specific requirements. This study applies a bioinspired model that passively imitates insects’ pitching wings to resolve this problem. In this bionic passive pitching model, the wing root is equivalent to a torsional spring. α obtained by solving the coupled dynamic equation is similar to that of insects and exhibits a unique characteristic with two oscillated peaks during the middle of the upstroke/downstroke under the interaction of aerodynamic, torsional, and inertial moments. Excess rigidity or flexibility deteriorates the aerodynamic force and efficiency of the passive pitching wing. With appropriate torsional stiffness, passive pitching can maintain a high efficiency while enhancing the average lift by 10% than active pitching. This observation corresponds to a clear enhancement in instantaneous force and a more concentrated leading edge vortex. This phenomenon can be attributed to a vorticity moment whose component in the lift direction grows at a rapid speed. A novel bionic control strategy of this model is also proposed. Similar to the rest angle in insects, the rest angle of the model is adjusted to generate a yaw moment around the wing root without losing lift, which can assist to change the attitude and trajectory of a FWMAV during flight. These findings may guide us to deal with various conditions and requirements of FWMAV designs and applications.

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