仿生扑翼飞行机器人翅型的研制与实验研究

模仿昆虫和小鸟飞行的扑翼飞行机器人将举升、悬停和推进功能集于一个扑翼系统,与固定翼和旋翼完全不同,因此研究只能从生物仿生开始。生物飞行的极端复杂性使得进行完整和精确的扑翼飞行分析非常复杂,因此本文在仿生学进展基础上,通过一些合适的假设和简化,建立了仿生翅运动学和空气动力学模型,并以此为基础研制了多种翅型。研制了气动力测量实验平台,对各种翅型进行了实验研究。实验结果表明,研制的翅型都能产生一定的升力,其中柔性翅具有较好的运动性能和气动性能,并且拍动频率和拍动幅度对升力有较大影响。     

小型飞行器空气动力学

对小型飞行器设计中涉及的空 气动力学问题进行了综述.描述了雷诺数和展弦比对固定翼飞行器的设计以及飞行 性能的影响.在低雷诺数飞行范围,翼型上边界层的特性对飞行器的设计尤为关键. 本文讨论了大量有关层流边界层(包括层流分离泡影响)的实验,作为例子,列举了几 个此飞行雷诺数范围的小型低空无人驾驶飞行器(UAVs).此外,对扑动翼推进的理论 模型进行了简述;其范围涵盖了早期的准定常附着流模型,以及后来计及非定常尾涡、 流动分离以及气动弹性等效应的模型.文中还介绍了那些与理论互补并最终导致扑 翼机设计成功的实验.     

生物运动仿生力学与智能微型飞行器

概述了微型飞行器研究与发展现状,分析了实用化面临的主要技术关键,重点讨论了低雷诺数空气动力学、高升阻比气动布局、智能控制等问题．已有的经验和理论分析表明：主尺度小于15cm以后,用常规方法已经很难设计出具有良好飞行性能的微型飞行器,而必须采用仿生学方法．对微型飞行器仿生学设计中的一些主要问题,包括高升力、高机动性、抗干扰稳定性以及飞行过程的力能学分析等问题分别进行了讨论。     

扑翼飞行器带翼刀机翼气动特性实验研究

通过进行微型扑翼飞行器低速风洞试验,研究了带弯度机翼下翼面翼刀对扑翼飞行器升阻特性的影响。文中进行了带翼刀机翼和不带翼刀机翼在不同迎角下的风洞吹风试验。试验结果表明,带翼刀机翼升力系数大于不带翼刀机翼升力系数,从而证明了翼刀可以阻止机翼下表面气流展向流动,起到增加机翼升力的作用。当扑翼在小迎角飞行时,带翼刀机翼可以有效地提高扑翼的气动效率,改善扑翼的飞行性能。研究结果可为带翼刀机翼在扑翼飞行器上的应用提供技术支持。     

昆虫飞行的空气动力学

昆虫是最早出现、数量最多和体积最小的飞行者. 它们能悬停、跃升、急停、快速加速和转弯, 飞行技巧十分高超. 由于尺寸小, 因而翅膀的相对速度很小, 从而进行上述飞行所需的升力系数很大. 但昆虫翅膀的雷诺数又很低. 它们是如何在低雷诺数下产生高升力的, 是流体力学和生物学工作者都十分关心的问题. 近年来这一领域有了许多研究进展. 该文对这些进展进行综述, 并对今后工作提一些建议. 因2005 年前的工作已在几篇综述文章有了详细介绍, 该文主要介绍2005 年以来的工作. 首先简述昆虫翅的拍动运动及昆虫绕流的基本方程和相似参数; 然后对2005 年之前的工作做一简要回顾. 之后介绍2005 年后的进展, 依次为: 运动学观测; 前缘涡; 翅膀柔性变形及皱褶的影响; 拍动翅的尾涡结构; 翼/身、左右翅气动干扰及地面效应; 微小昆虫; 蝴蝶与蜻蜓; 机动飞行. 最后为对今后工作的建议.      

近空间高超声速飞行器气动特性研究的若干关键问题

在30$\sim$70km空域机动飞行的高超声速飞行器的优点是可以耦合利用所处空域的空气产生的升力和高速飞行的离心力进行远距离机动滑翔飞行,具有重要的实用价值.尽管过去数十年在高超声速流动研究方面取得显著进展,但在设计研究近空间远程滑翔的高超声速飞行器方面仍然存在许多挑战,特别是对特定飞行条件下的流动机理了解不清楚.本文介绍了作者研究团队在开展近空间高超声速飞行器有关的关键气动问题方面的研究进展,主要包括:建立了近空间高超声速飞行的流动模型,发展了系统的相关计算空气动力学方法,针对高空高速飞行条件下稀薄气体效应和真实气体效应的耦合作用影响研究了合适的滑移边界条件,考虑了不同组分存在条件下的温度、速度和压力的滑移效应影响;提出了飞行器气动外形的动态优化方法,获得了可工程实用化的高升阻比飞行器气动外形;建立了高速飞行器动稳定性理论,在实现高超声速飞行器动态稳定飞行方面取得重大进展;最后讨论了高超声速飞行器设计中进一步需要关注的若干关键技术和科学问题、可能解决的途径及其所涉及的学科发展方向.      

昆虫飞行的空气动力学

昆虫是最早出现、数量最多和体积最小的飞行者,它们能悬停、跃升、急停、快速加速和转弯,飞行技巧十分高超,由于尺寸小,因而翅膀的相对速度很小,从而进行上述飞行所需的升力系数很大,但昆虫翅膀的雷诺数又很低。它们是如何在低雷诺数下产生高升力的,是流体力学和生物学工作者都十分关心的问题,近年来这一领域有了许多研究进展。该文对这些进展进行综述,并对今后工作提一些建议。因2005年前的工作已在几篇综述文章有了详细介绍,该文主要介绍2005年以来的工作。首先简述昆虫翅的拍动运动及昆虫绕流的基本方程和相似参数;然后对2005年之前的工作做一简要回顾。之后介绍2005年后的进展,依次为:运动学观测;前缘涡;翅膀柔性变形及皱褶的影响;拍动翅的尾涡结构;翼/身、左右翅气动干扰及地面效应;微小昆虫;蝴蝶与蜻蜓;机动飞行。最后为对今后工作的建议。     

柔性扑翼的气动特性研究

以往扑翼的气动力计算研究都很少考虑扑翼的柔性,而在鸟的扑翼动作中,在外加气动力和鸟自身的扑动力作用下,扑翼的柔性变形相当大。本文在原有匀速刚性模型的基础上,提出考虑了扑翼扑动速率变化和形状变化的扑翼分析模型,使之更接近鸟翼柔性扑动真实情况。通过计算分析气动特性发现,控制适当的话,柔性变形能大大改善扑翼的气动性能。本文通过模拟鸟扑翼的柔性运动,计算了时柔性扑翼气动力以及平均升力系数和平均推力系数随着扑动角、倾斜角等参数变化的情况,从而从气动的角度解释了为什么鸟在不同的飞行阶段扑翼规律各不相同,并为柔性扑翼飞行器的设计提供了理论依据。     

昆虫拍翼方式的非定常流动物理再探讨

基于提出的理论模化方法来探讨昆虫拍翼方式的非定常流动物理. 以悬停飞行为 例,通过对拍翼运动的分析,不仅解释了昆虫利用高频拍翼的方式为何能够克服低雷诺数带 来的气动局限性(St \gg 1/Re),而且还指出高升力产生和调节的3个流动 控制因素：(1) 由于拍翼的变速运动即时引起了流体动力响应,这种附加惯性效应 可产生瞬时的高升力; (2) 保持前缘涡不脱离翼面有助于减少升力的下降; (3) 增大后缘涡的强度并加速其脱离后缘能够有效地提高升力.     

近空间高超声速飞行器气动特性研究的若干关键问题

在30～70 km空域机动飞行的高超声速飞行器的优点是可以耦合利用所处空域的空气产生的升力和高速飞行的离心力进行远距离机动滑翔飞行,具有重要的实用价值.尽管过去数十年在高超声速流动研究方面取得显著进展,但在设计研究近空间远程滑翔的高超声速飞行器方面仍然存在许多挑战,特别是对特定飞行条件下的流动机理了解不清楚.本文介绍了作者研究团队在开展近空间高超声速飞行器有关的关键气动问题方面的研究进展,主要包括:建立了近空间高超声速飞行的流动模型,发展了系统的相关计算空气动力学方法,针对高空高速飞行条件下稀薄气体效应和真实气体效应的耦合作用影响研究了合适的滑移边界条件,考虑了不同组分存在条件下的温度、速度和压力的滑移效应影响;提出了飞行器气动外形的动态优化方法,获得了可工程实用化的高升阻比飞行器气动外形;建立了高速飞行器动稳定性理论,在实现高超声速飞行器动态稳定飞行方面取得重大进展;最后讨论了高超声速飞行器设计中进一步需要关注的若干关键技术和科学问题、可能解决的途径及其所涉及的学科发展方向.     

昆虫飞行的高升力机理

对近年来关于昆虫产生非定常高升力的研究进行了综述和归纳.这方面的工作对生物学研究和微型飞行器等微型机械的仿生设计有重要意义.研究表明:果蝇等昆虫翅膀的拍动运动可产生很大的非定常升力,其平均值是定常值的2~3倍,足够平衡昆虫的重量,并有较大的富余用于机动飞行;产生高升力有三个因素:一是拍动开始阶段翅的快速加速运动,二是拍动中的不失速机制,三是拍动结束阶段翅的快速上仰运动.人们从能耗的角度考察了这些非定常高升力机制的正确性和可行性.当作悬停飞行的果蝇用以上机制产生平衡其重量的升力时,其比功率(支持单位身体质量所需的功率)约为29W/kg, 生化/机械效率约为17%. 这些值与人们基于对昆虫肌肉力学特性的研究所预估的值接近.果蝇前飞时,其比功率随速度变化的曲线是一J形曲线,而不是象飞机或鸟的那样是一U形曲线;这与人们基于昆虫新陈代谢率的测量数据所推断的结果一致.对于蜻蜒等(功能上)有前、后两对翅膀的昆虫,有以下初步结果:翅的下拍主要产生升力,上挥主要产生推力;下拍时的平均升力系数可达2~3,十分大,上挥时的平均推力系数可达1~2, 也很大,它们主要由非定常效应产生;前、后翅的相互干扰并未起增大升力和推力的作用,反而有一定的不利作用.      

Effects of a dynamic trailing-edge flap on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures in hovering flight

To examine the effects of wing morphing on unsteady aerodynamics, deformable flapping plates are numerically studied in a low-Reynolds-number flow. Simulations are carried out using an in-house immersed-boundary-method-based direct numerical simulation (DNS) solver. In current work, chord-wise camber is modeled by a hinge connecting two rigid components. The leading portion is driven by a biological hovering motion along a horizontal stroke plane. The hinged trailing-edge flap (TEF) is controlled by a prescribed harmonic deflection motion. The effects of TEF deflection amplitude, deflection phase difference, hinge location, and Reynolds number on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures are investigated. The results show that the unsteady aerodynamic performance of deformable flapping plates is dominated by the TEF deflection phase difference, which directly affects the strength of the leading-edge vortex (LEV) and thus influences the entire vortex shedding process. The overall lift enhancement can reach up to 26% by tailoring the deflection amplitude and deflection phase difference. It is also found that the role of the dynamic TEF played in the flapping flight is consistent over a range of hinge locations and Reynolds numbers. Results from a low aspect-ratio (AR=2) deformable plate show the same trend as those of 2-D cases despite the effect of the three-dimensionality.     

Role of wing morphing in thrust generation

In this paper, we investigate the role of morphing on flight dynamics of two birds by simulating the flow over rigid and morphing wings that have the characteristics of two different birds, namely the Giant Petrel and Dove Prion. The simulation of a flapping rigid wing shows that the root of the wing should be placed at a specific angle of attack in order to generate enough lift to balance the weight of the bird. However, in this case the generated thrust is either very small, or even negative, depending on the wing shape. Further, results show that morphing of the wing enables a significant increase in the thrust and propulsive efficiency. This indicates that the birds actually utilize some sort of active wing twisting and bending to produce enough thrust. This study should facilitate better guidance for the design of flapping air vehicles.     

Characterization of vortical structures and loads based on time-resolved PIV for asymmetric hovering flapping flight

Flight agility, resistance to gusts, capability to hover coupled with a low noise generation might have been some of the reasons why insects are among the oldest species observed in nature. Biologists and aerodynamicists focused on analyzing such flight performances for diverse purposes: understanding the essence of flapping wings aerodynamics and applying this wing concept to the development of micro-air vehicles (MAVs). In order to put into evidence the fundamentally non-linear unsteady mechanisms responsible for the amount of lift generated by a flapping wing (Dickinson et al. in Science 284:1954–1960, 1999), experimental and numerical studies were carried out on typical insect model wings and kinematics. On the other hand, in the recent context of MAVs development, it is of particular interest to study simplified non-biological flapping configurations which could lead to lift and/or efficiency enhancement. In this paper, we propose a parametrical study of a NACA0012 profile undergoing asymmetric hovering flapping motions at Reynolds 1000. On the contrary to normal hovering, which has been widely studied as being the most common configuration observed in the world of insects, asymmetric hovering is characterized by an inclined stroke plane. Besides the fact that the vertical force is hence a combination of both lift and drag (Wang in J Exp Biol 207:1137–1150, 2004), the specificity of such motions resides in the vortex dynamics which present distinct behaviours, whether the upstroke angle of attack leads to a partially attached or a strong separated flow, giving more or less importance to the wake capture phenomenon. A direct consequence of the previous remarks relies on the enhancement of aerodynamic efficiency with asymmetry. If several studies reported results based on the asymmetric flapping motion of dragonfly, only few works concentrated on parametrizing asymmetric motions (e.g. Wang in Phys Rev Lett 85:2216–2219, 2000). The present study relies on TR-PIV measurements which allow determination of the vorticity fields and provide a basis to evaluate the resulting unsteady forces through the momemtum equation approach.     

A simulation-based study on longitudinal gust response of flexible flapping wings

Winged animals such as insects are capable of flying and surviving in an unsteady and unpredictable aerial environment. They generate and control aerodynamic forces by flapping their flexible wings. While the dynamic shape changes of their flapping wings are known to enhance the efficiency of their flight, they can also affect the stability of a flapping wing flyer under unpredictable disturbances by responding to the sudden changes of aerodynamic forces on the wing. In order to test the hypothesis, the gust response of flexible flapping wings is investigated numerically with a specific focus on the passive maintenance of aerodynamic forces by the wing flexibility. The computational model is based on a dynamic flight simulator that can incorporate the realistic morphology, the kinematics, the structural dynamics, the aerodynamics and the fluid–structure interactions of a hovering hawkmoth. The longitudinal gusts are imposed against the tethered model of a hovering hawkmoth with flexible flapping wings. It is found that the aerodynamic forces on the flapping wings are affected by the gust, because of the increase or decrease in relative wingtip velocity or kinematic angle of attack. The passive shape change of flexible wings can, however, reduce the changes in the magnitude and direction of aerodynamic forces by the gusts from various directions, except for the downward gust. Such adaptive response of the flexible structure to stabilise the attitude can be classified into the mechanical feedback, which works passively with minimal delay, and is of great importance to the design of bio-inspired flapping wings for micro-air vehicles.     

On the aerodynamic characteristics of hovering rigid and flexible hawkmoth-like wings

Insect wings are subjected to fluid, inertia and gravitational forces during flapping flight. Owing to their limited rigidity, they bent under the influence of these forces. Numerical study by Hamamoto et al. (Adv Robot 21(1–2):1–21, 2007) showed that a flexible wing is able to generate almost as much lift as a rigid wing during flapping. In this paper, we take a closer look at the relationship between wing flexibility (or stiffness) and aerodynamic force generation in flapping hovering flight. The experimental study was conducted in two stages. The first stage consisted of detailed force measurement and flow visualization of a rigid hawkmoth-like wing undergoing hovering hawkmoth flapping motion and simple harmonic flapping motion, with the aim of establishing a benchmark database for the second stage, which involved hawkmoth-like wing of different flexibility performing the same flapping motions. Hawkmoth motion was conducted at Re = 7,254 and reduced frequency of 0.26, while simple harmonic flapping motion at Re = 7,800 and 11,700, and reduced frequency of 0.25. Results show that aerodynamic force generation on the rigid wing is governed primarily by the combined effect of wing acceleration and leading edge vortex generated on the upper surface of the wing, while the remnants of the wake vortices generated from the previous stroke play only a minor role. Our results from the flexible wing study, while generally supportive of the finding by Hamamoto et al. (Adv Robot 21(1–2):1–21, 2007), also reveal the existence of a critical stiffness constant, below which lift coefficient deteriorates significantly. This finding suggests that although using flexible wing in micro air vehicle application may be beneficial in term of lightweight, too much flexibility can lead to deterioration in flapping performance in terms of aerodynamic force generation. The results further show that wings with stiffness constant above the critical value can deliver mean lift coefficient almost the same as a rigid wing when executing hawkmoth motion, but lower than the rigid wing when performing a simple harmonic motion. In all cases studied (7,800 ≤ Re ≤ 11,700), the Reynolds number does not alter the force generation significantly.     

Aerodynamic mechanism of forces generated by twisting model-wing in bat flapping flight

The aerodynamic mechanism of the bat wing membrane Mong the lateral border of its body is studied. The twist-morphing that alters the angle of attack （AOA） along the span-wise direction is observed widely during bat flapping flight. An assumption is made that the linearly distributed AOA is along the span-wise direction. The plate with the aspect ratio of 3 is used to model a bat wing. A three-dimensional （3D） unsteady panel method is used to predict the aerodynamic forces generated by the flapping plate with leading edge separation. It is found that, relative to the rigid wing flapping, twisting motion can increase the averaged lift by as much as 25% and produce thrust instead of drag. Furthermore, the aerodynamic forces （lift/drag） generated by a twisting plate-wing are similar to those of a pitching rigid-wing, meaning that the twisting in bat flight has the same function as the supination/pronation motion in insect flight.     

Micro air vehicle-motivated computational biomechanics in bio-flights: aerodynamics, flight dynamics and maneuvering stability

Aiming at developing an effective tool to unveil key mechanisms in bio-flight as well as to provide guidelines for bio-inspired micro air vehicles（MAVs） design,we propose a comprehensive computational framework,which integrates aerodynamics,flight dynamics,vehicle stability and maneuverability.This framework consists of（1） a Navier-Stokes unsteady aerodynamic model;（2） a linear finite element model for structural dynamics;（3） a fluidstructure interaction（FSI） model for coupled flexible wing aerodynamics aeroelasticity;（4） a free-flying rigid body dynamic（RBD） model utilizing the Newtonian-Euler equations of 6DoF motion;and（5） flight simulator accounting for realistic wing-body morphology,flapping-wing and body kinematics,and a coupling model accounting for the nonlinear 6DoF flight dynamics and stability of insect flapping flight.Results are presented based on hovering aerodynamics with rigid and flexible wings of hawkmoth and fruitfly.The present approach can support systematic analyses of bio- and bio-inspired flight.