The evolution of two distinct strategies of moth flight

Across insects, wing shape and size have undergone dramatic divergence even in closely related sister groups. However, we do not know how morphology changes in tandem with kinematics to support body weight within available power and how the specific force production patterns are linked to differences in behaviour. Hawkmoths and wild silkmoths are diverse sister families with divergent wing morphology. Using three-dimensional kinematics and quasi-steady aerodynamic modelling, we compare the aerodynamics and the contributions of wing shape, size and kinematics in 10 moth species. We find that wing movement also diverges between the clades and underlies two distinct strategies for flight. Hawkmoths use wing kinematics, especially high frequencies, to enhance force and wing morphologies that reduce power. Silkmoths use wing morphology to enhance force, and slow, high-amplitude wingstrokes to reduce power. Both strategies converge on similar aerodynamic power and can support similar body weight ranges. However, inter-clade within-wingstroke force profiles are quite different and linked to the hovering flight of hawkmoths and the bobbing flight of silkmoths. These two moth groups fly more like other, distantly related insects than they do each other, demonstrating the diversity of flapping flight evolution and a rich bioinspired design space for robotic flappers.

Gliding in the Amazonian canopy: adaptive evolution of flight in Morpho butterflies

The diversity of flying animals suggests that countless combinations of morphologies and behaviors have evolved with specific lifestyles, thereby exploiting diverse aerodynamic mechanisms. Elucidating how morphology, flight behavior and aerodynamic properties together diversify with contrasted ecologies remains however seldom accomplished. Here, we studied the adaptive co-divergence in wing shape, flight behavior and aerodynamic efficiency among Morpho butterflies living in different forest strata, by combining high-speed videography in the field with morphometric analyses and aerodynamic modelling. By comparing canopy and understory species, we show that adaptation to an open canopy environment resulted in increased glide efficiency. Moreover, this enhanced glide efficiency was achieved by different canopy species through strikingly distinct combinations of flight behavior, wing shape and aerodynamic mechanisms, highlighting the multiple pathways of adaptive evolution.

Employing Computational Fluid Dynamics to Derive Beddoes–Leishman Model Airfoil Parameters for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

The blades of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) experience large variations in the angle of attack at low tip-speed ratios and induce blade force oscillation. These unsteady aerodynamic effects must be considered in the VAWT aerodynamic modelling methodology by utilizing a dynamic stall model. The Beddoes–Leishman (B–L) dynamic stall model is a popular method to simulate the unsteady VAWT blade dynamic stall aerodynamics. However, a limitation of the B–L dynamic stall model is the number of the airfoil dependent parameters derived from both steady and unsteady experimental measurements. In this paper, a methodology is described to compute these B–L dynamic stall model airfoil coefficients utilizing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. This method permits the calculation of the blade dynamic stall characteristics over a range of reduced pitch rates by employing a user-defined sliding mesh motion technique. Furthermore, the variation in the blade Reynolds number is accounted for by conducting simulations at the maximum and minimum VAWT envelope operating limits. Aerodynamic blade force experimental measurements are used to compare the predictions from a low-order model with airfoil data extracted CFD and experiments. This approach expands the applicability of the B–L dynamic stall model for large-scale VAWTs.

Assessment of Impact of Aerodynamic Loads on the Stability and Control of the Gyrocopter Model

Aerodynamic modelling currently relates to development of mathematical models to describe the aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the aircraft. It is a challenging part of aerodynamics that defines a comprehensive approach to using traditional methods and modern techniques to obtain relevant data. The most complicated task for the aerodynamics and flight dynamics is definition, computation and quantification of the aerodynamic description of an object. This paper presents how to determine the aerodynamic load on a gyrocopter and defines the effect on its stability and control. The first step to solution is to develop simpler approximate aerodynamic model - a model that can be used in analysis of aerodynamic load and can represent the aerodynamic properties of the gyrocopter with an acceptable degree of accuracy. Control and stability are very important parts of aircraft characteristics and therefore those characteristics were analyzed in simulation. Finally, the aerodynamic data outputs are assessed in terms of impact of aerodynamic loads on stability and control of the gyrocopter model.

Aerodynamic Modelling of Unmanned Aerial System through Nonlinear Vortex Lattice Method, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Experimental Validation - Application to the UAS-S45 Bàlaam: Part 2.

This paper presents a comparison of a new non-linear formulation of the classical Vortex Lattice Method and a Computation Fluid Dynamics analysis in predicting the aerodynamic behaviour of an Unmanned Aerial System. The Computation Fluid Dynamics analysis used structured grid, for the airfoil, study and unstructured grid obtained from a grid convergence study, for the entire Unmanned Aerial System, that are needed to predict the aerodynamic coefficients. The Spalart-Allmaras and the k-ω models were used as turbulence models. The results have shown a close agreement between the methods presents and have indicated that the new formulation is adequate for aerodynamic model estimation.

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

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.

Aerodynamic control of a diffusion flame to optimize materials' transition in a rotary cement kiln

The aim of this work is to deepen the understanding of the aerodynamics of a diffusion flame in a rotary cement kiln. The kiln is a rotary with a cylindrical shaped, long and equipped with a burner, and it is the seat of a diffusion flame with an axisymmetric turbulent jet. The kiln has a capacity of 8,000 Nm3 to 13,000 Nm3 of natural gas and primary air at T = 25 °C which interacts with a secondary hot air volume at T = 800 °C. The aerodynamic modelling of the furnace is achieved using the turbulence model RNG k–ε, which is able to handle the turbulence and capture the vortex shedding process. The Ansys/Fluent code, based on the finite volume approach to solve the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS), was used in this study. The interactions between turbulence and diffusion flame were handled by the PDF (Probability Density Function) approach. The numerical simulations have been validated by experiments from the kiln considered. Based on the findings obtained, it is concluded that the recirculation zone seems of paramount importance when combustion is taken into account because the reverse flow improves the flame stability and affects the combustion efficiency. In addition, limiting the secondary air flow through the furnace is major to improve combustion and avoid disturbing the advancement of the material along the kiln.