On the Thrust Generation from an Elliptic Airfoil in Plunging and Translating Motion at Low Reynolds Numbers

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1261-1271
Author(s):  
Syed Fahad Anwer ◽  
Syed Mohammed Yahya ◽  
Mohammad Athar Khan ◽  
Saif Masood

In this paper, numerical simulation elliptic airfoil model, which mimics the biological locomotion, is studied. Elliptic airfoil undergoes a combined plunging and translating at low Reynolds number is simulated by using body fitted coordinate system. The moving mesh in the physical domain is mapped to a regular fixed mesh in the computational domain through a time dependent transformation between the physical and computational co-ordinates. The governing equations of laminar incompressible flow are transformed in the computational plane by incorporating the time dependent transformation, which naturally accounts for the mesh velocities. The transformed equations are discretized on the structured, collocated, o-type elliptic grid using the finite difference methodology. The unsteady equations are marched in time by using a semi-implicit pressure correction (projection) scheme. Along with the time marching of the governing equations, utilizing the mesh velocities and the forward Eulertime integration also moves the mesh points. The effect of Reynolds number (Re) is investigated on the flapping flight propulsion is investigated. It is found that there exists a critical Reynolds number (Rec) for every frequency after which there exists a thrust force. The effect of Rec is related to transformation of neutral wake to thrust generating wake. It is also found that the optimal frequency corresponds to a reduced frequency parameter of 0.7 where a lock in exists. It is also found that this Stc is independent of Re and the mode of vortex shedding is same at Re = 100 and 200 for Stc = 0.7. Further, it is shown that the mode of vortex shedding present is always helpful in thrust generation.

2017 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 357-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Yao ◽  
R. K. Jaiman

We present an effective reduced-order model (ROM) technique to couple an incompressible flow with a transversely vibrating bluff body in a state-space format. The ROM of the unsteady wake flow is based on the Navier–Stokes equations and is constructed by means of an eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). We investigate the underlying mechanism of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a circular cylinder at low Reynolds number via linear stability analysis. To understand the frequency lock-in mechanism and self-sustained VIV phenomenon, a systematic analysis is performed by examining the eigenvalue trajectories of the ERA-based ROM for a range of reduced oscillation frequency $(F_{s})$, while maintaining fixed values of the Reynolds number ($Re$) and mass ratio ($m^{\ast }$). The effects of the Reynolds number $Re$, the mass ratio $m^{\ast }$ and the rounding of a square cylinder are examined to generalize the proposed ERA-based ROM for the VIV lock-in analysis. The considered cylinder configurations are a basic square with sharp corners, a circle and three intermediate rounded squares, which are created by varying a single rounding parameter. The results show that the two frequency lock-in regimes, the so-called resonance and flutter, only exist when certain conditions are satisfied, and the regimes have a strong dependence on the shape of the bluff body, the Reynolds number and the mass ratio. In addition, the frequency lock-in during VIV of a square cylinder is found to be dominated by the resonance regime, without any coupled-mode flutter at low Reynolds number. To further discern the influence of geometry on the VIV lock-in mechanism, we consider the smooth curve geometry of an ellipse and two sharp corner geometries of forward triangle and diamond-shaped bluff bodies. While the ellipse and diamond geometries exhibit the flutter and mixed resonance–flutter regimes, the forward triangle undergoes only the flutter-induced lock-in for $30\leqslant Re\leqslant 100$ at $m^{\ast }=10$. In the case of the forward triangle configuration, the ERA-based ROM accurately predicts the low-frequency galloping instability. We observe a kink in the amplitude response associated with 1:3 synchronization, whereby the forward triangular body oscillates at a single dominant frequency but the lift force has a frequency component at three times the body oscillation frequency. Finally, we present a stability phase diagram to summarize the VIV lock-in regimes of the five smooth-curve- and sharp-corner-based bluff bodies. These findings attempt to generalize our understanding of the VIV lock-in mechanism for bluff bodies at low Reynolds number. The proposed ERA-based ROM is found to be accurate, efficient and easy to use for the linear stability analysis of VIV, and it can have a profound impact on the development of control strategies for nonlinear vortex shedding and VIV.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastav Borah ◽  
Anand Verma ◽  
Vinayak Kulkarni ◽  
Ujjwal K. Saha

Abstract Vortex shedding phenomenon leads to a number of different features such as flow induced vibrations, fluid mixing, heat transfer and noise generation. With respect to aerodynamic application, the intensity of vortex shedding and the size of vortices play an essential role in the generation of lift and drag forces on an airfoil. The flat plates are known to have a better lift-to-drag ratio than conventional airfoils at low Reynolds number (Re). A better understanding of the shedding behavior will help aerodynamicists to implement flat plates at low Re specific applications such as fixed-wing micro air vehicle (MAV). In the present study, the shedding of vortices in the wake of a flat plate at low incidence has been studied experimentally in a low-speed subsonic wind tunnel at a Re of 5 × 104. The velocity field in the wake of the plate is measured using a hot wire anemometer. These measurements are taken at specific points in the wake across the flow direction and above the suction side of the flat plate. The velocity field is found to oscillate with one dominant frequency of fluctuation. The Strouhal number (St), calculated from this frequency, is computed for different angles of attack (AoA). The shedding frequency of vortices from the trailing edge of the flat plate has a general tendency to increase with AoA. In this paper, the generation and subsequent shedding of leading edge and trailing edge vortices in the wake of a flat plate are discussed.


Author(s):  
László Baranyi

Two-dimensional flow around a circular cylinder forced to follow an elliptical path at low Reynolds numbers is investigated numerically using a thoroughly tested in-house code based on the finite difference method. Time-mean (TM) and rms values of lift, drag and base pressure coefficients are investigated within the lock-in region against the transverse oscillation amplitude for Reynolds number Re = 150 at frequency ratios of 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0 while the ratio of in-line and transverse cylinder oscillation amplitudes is kept at six different values yielding slender elliptical cylinder paths. The objective of the paper is to investigate the effect of the shape of the path, or amplitude ratio, on force coefficients. Findings show that for the cases investigated the rms of lift and TM of drag and base pressure are hardly affected by the amplitude ratio, while its effects are pronounced on the TM of lift and rms of drag and base pressure.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 013603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatef A. Khaledi ◽  
Vagesh D. Narasimhamurthy ◽  
Helge I. Andersson

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