scholarly journals Aerodynamic investigation on shifted-back vertical stroke plane of flapping wing in forward flight

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 064001
Author(s):  
Jong-Seob Han ◽  
Christian Breitsamter
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Forward Flight ◽  
Blade Element Theory ◽  
Aerodynamic Model ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Perpendicular Component ◽  
Semi Empirical

Abstract In order to properly understand aerodynamic characteristics in a flapping wing in forward flight, additional aerodynamic parameters apart from those in hover—an inclined stroke plane, a shifted-back stroke plane, and an advance ratio—must be comprehended in advance. This paper deals with the aerodynamic characteristics of a flapping wing in a shifted-back vertical stroke plane in freestream. A scaled-up robotic arm in a water towing tank was used to collect time-varying forces of a model flapping wing, and a semi-empirical quasi-steady aerodynamic model, which can decompose the forces into steady, quasi-steady, and unsteady components, was used to estimate the forces of the model flapping wing. It was found that the shifted-back stroke plane left a part of freestream as a non-perpendicular component, giving rise to a time-course change in the aerodynamic forces during the stroke. This also brought out two quasi-steady components (rotational and added-mass forces) apart from the steady one, even the wing moved with a constant stroke velocity. The aerodynamic model underestimated the actual forces of the model flapping wing even it can cover the increasingly distributed angle of attack of the vertical stroke plane with a blade element theory. The locations of the centers of pressure suggested a greater pressure gradient and an elongated leading-edge vortex along a wingspan than that of the estimation, which may explain the higher actual force in forward flight.

scholarly journals Aerodynamic Analysis of a Flapping Wing Aircraft for Short Landing

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3404
Author(s):  
Bing Ji ◽  
Zenggang Zhu ◽  
Shijun Guo ◽  
Si Chen ◽  
Qiaolin Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Aerodynamic Analysis ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
Wing Model ◽  
Aerodynamic Model ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Cfd Method ◽  
Lift And Drag

An investigation into the aerodynamic characteristics has been presented for a bio-inspired flapping wing aircraft. Firstly, a mechanism has been developed to transform the usual rotation powered by a motor to a combined flapping and pitching motion of the flapping wing. Secondly, an experimental model of the flapping wing aircraft has been built and tested to measure the motion and aerodynamic forces produced by the flapping wing. Thirdly, aerodynamic analysis is carried out based on the measured motion of the flapping wing model using an unsteady aerodynamic model (UAM) and validated by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The difference of the average lift force between the UAM and CFD method is 1.3%, and the difference between the UAM and experimental results is 18%. In addition, a parametric study is carried out by employing the UAM method to analyze the effect of variations of the pitching angle on the aerodynamic lift and drag forces. According to the study, the pitching amplitude for maximum lift is in the range of 60°~70° as the flight velocity decreases from 5 m/s to 1 m/s during landing.

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 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

scholarly journals Unsteady Aerodynamic Characteristics Simulations of Rotor Airfoil under Oscillating Freestream Velocity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1822
Author(s):  
Qing Wang ◽  
Qijun Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Grid Method ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Critical Value ◽  
Dynamic Stall ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Freestream Velocity ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamic ◽  
Edge Vortex

The dynamic stall characteristics of rotor airfoil are researched by employing unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method under oscillating freestream velocity conditions. In order to simulate the oscillating freestream velocity of airfoil under dynamic stall conditions, the moving-embedded grid method is employed to simulate the oscillating velocity. By comparing the simulated dynamic stall characteristics of two-dimensional airfoil and three-dimensional rotor, it is indicated that the dynamic stall characteristics of airfoil under oscillating freestream velocity reflect the actual dynamic stall characteristics of rotor airfoil in forward flight more accurately. By comparing the simulated results of OA209 airfoil under coupled freestream velocity/pitching oscillation conditions, it is indicated that the dynamic stall characteristics of airfoil associate with the critical value of Cp peaks (i.e., the dynamic stall characteristics of OA209 airfoil would be enhanced when the maximum negative pressure is larger than −1.08, and suppressed when this value is smaller than −1.08). By comparing the characteristics of vortices under different oscillating velocities, it indicates that the dissipation rate of leading edge vortex presents as exponent characteristics, and it is not sensitive to different oscillating velocities.

scholarly journals Research on the forward flight performance of rotor based on variable-droop leading edge

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 668-674
Author(s):  
Congcong Li ◽  
Yongjie SHI ◽  
Guohua Xu ◽  
Xingliang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Integral Form ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Control Effect ◽  
Forward Flight ◽  
Force Coefficient

Aiming at the dynamic stall phenomenon of the retreating side of the rotor in forward flight, the existing flow control method of dynamic leading edge droop was applied to the flow control of forward-flying rotor at three-dimensional scale. A numerical simulation method based on variable droop leading edge is established in this paper. The seesaw rotor is taken as the research object, the moving overset mesh method and RBF grid deformation technology are used, the integral form of Reynolds average N-S equation is the main control equation. The influence of the dynamic leading edge at r/R=0.75~1 on the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor when the forward ratio is 0.3 is investigated. It is found that variable droop leading edge on the retreating side can effectively inhibit the generation and development of separation vortices near the trailing edge, and has a significant effect on lifting lift coefficient and section normal force coefficient, reducing torque coefficient, and thus improving the equivalent lift-drag ratio of the rotor. In a certain range, the control effect is better with the increase of the droop amplitude under the leading edge.

Wake Behavior Around Flapping Wings of Model Hawkmoth Moving Sideways

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong-Seob Han ◽  
Jae-Hung Han
Keyword(s):  
Particle Image ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Digital Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Flapping Wings ◽  
Windward Side ◽  
Leeward Side ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Wake Interaction ◽  
Edge Vortex

Abstract This study investigated nearwake behaviors around flapping wings moving sideways. A dynamically scaled-up flapping manipulator was installed on a servo-driven towing carriage to give the sideways movement. In the single wing configuration, the wing in the windward side did not encounter any noticeable effects on the aerodynamic characteristics. The wing in the leeward side, on the other hand, experienced a substantial lift augmentation. We found a stretched leading-edge vortex (LEV) on the wing in the leeward side, implying the additional feeding flux into the LEV. In this case, the moving sideways gave a continuous lateral wind, which became the source to maintain the lift augmentation with the less downward component. We also found that the moving sideways rather intensified the interaction between the wake of the wing in the windward side and the contralateral wing, i.e., the wing-wake interaction. Accordingly, the lift augmentation on the wing in the leeward side practically disappeared by the wing-wake interaction. A digital particle image velocimetry for nearwake behaviors found the less developed trailing-edge shear layer and wingroot vortex traces. This implied that the massive downwash induced by the wing in the windward side was the main source to neutralize the lift augmentation on the contralateral wing.

A simple vortex-loop-based model for unsteady rotating wings

2019 ◽  
Vol 880 ◽  
pp. 1020-1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhi Chowdhury ◽  
Matthew J. Ringuette
Keyword(s):  
Lift Force ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Tip Vortex ◽  
Vortex Loop ◽  
Edge Vortex ◽  
Semi Empirical ◽  
And Control ◽  
Angular Impulse

An analytical model is developed for the lift force produced by unsteady rotating wings; this configuration is a simple representation of a flapping wing. Modelling this is important for the aerodynamic and control-system design for bio-inspired drones. Such efforts have often been limited to being two-dimensional, semi-empirical, sometimes computationally expensive, or quasi-steady. The current model is unsteady and three-dimensional, yet simple to implement, requiring knowledge of only the wing kinematics and geometry. Rotating wings produce a vortex loop consisting of the root vortex, leading-edge vortex, tip vortex and trailing-edge vortex, which grows with time. This is modelled as a tilted planar loop, geometrically specified by the wing size, orientation and motion. By equating the angular impulse of the vortex loop to that of the fluid volume driven by the wing, the circulatory lift force is derived. Potential flow theory gives the fluid-inertial lift. Adding these two contributions yields the total lift formula. The model shows good agreement with a range of experimental and computational cases. Also, a steady-state lift model is developed that compares well with previous work for various angles of attack.

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.

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.

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