Aerodynamic characteristics of a delta wing in hypersonic flow

Novosibirsk. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, No. 2, pp. 66–69, March–April, 1994.     

Aerodynamic calculation of normal hovering flight

The theory of a lifting surface is used to construct a model of three-dimensional unsteady flow past a pair of flapping wings in the regime of normal hovering flight. A numerical method is used to make an aero-dynamic calculation of the wings and find kinematics generating a lift sufficient for the flight of an insect.     

Aerodynamic interaction between forewing and hindwing of a hovering dragonfly

The phase change between the forewing and hindwing is a distinct feature that sets dragonfly apart from other insects.In this paper,we investigated the aerodynamic effects of varying forewing-hindwing phase di ff erence with a60 inclined stroke plane during hovering flight.Force measurements on a pair of mechanical wing models showed that in-phase flight enhanced the forewing lift by 17%and the hindwing lift was reduced at most phase differences.The total lift of both wings was also reduced at most phase di ff erences and only increased at a phase range around in-phase.The results may explain the commonly observed behavior of the dragonfly where 0 is employed in acceleration.We further investigated the wing-wing interaction mechanism using the digital particle image velocimetry（PIV）system,and found that the forewing generated a downwash flow which is responsible for the lift reduction on the hindwing.On the other hand,an upwash flow resulted from the leading edge vortex of the hindwing helps to enhance lift on the forewing.The results suggest that the dragonflies alter the phase di ff erences to control timing of the occurrence of flow interactions to achieve certain aerodynamic effects.     

Numerical simulation of flapping‐wing insect hovering flight at unsteady flow

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted to study the unsteady aerodynamics of a virtual flying bumblebee during hovering flight. The integrated geometry of bumblebee was established to define the shape of a three‐dimensional virtual bumblebee model with beating its wings, accurately mimicking the three‐dimensional movements of wings during hovering flight. The kinematics data of wings documented from the measurement to the bumblebee in normal hovering flight aided by the high‐speed video. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved numerically. The solution provides the flow and pressure fields, from which the aerodynamic forces and vorticity wake structure are obtained. Insights into the unsteady aerodynamic force generation process are gained from the force and flow‐structure information. The CFD analysis has established an overall understanding of the viscous and unsteady flow around the virtual flying bumblebee and of the time course of instantaneous force production, which reveals that hovering flight is dominated by the unsteady aerodynamics of both the instantaneous dynamics and also the past history of the wing. A coherent leading‐edge vortex with axial flow and the attached wingtip vortex and trailing edge vortex were detected. The leading edge vortex, wing tip vortex and trailing edge vortex, which caused by the pressure difference between the upper and the lower surface of wings. The axial flow, which include the spanwise flow and chordwise flow, is derived from the spanwise pressure gradient and chordwise pressure gradient, will stabilize the vortex and gives it a characteristic spiral conical shape. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of a two-dimensional flow subject to steady electromagnetic forces

A novel experimental setup is presented to study the dynamics of a two-dimensional (2D) flow formed of an electrolyte subject to steady electromagnetic forcing. A thin layer of potassium hydroxide is poured into a square-base container with a strong magnetic field ( $\vec{B}$ ) achieved by permanent neodymium magnets inserted underneath the base. The set of electrodes of alternating polarity distributed along the perimeter of the container generates currents ( $\vec{j}$ ) in opposite directions. Coherent primary vortices of scales about 2 cm are thus generated by the $\vec{j} \times \vec{B}$ force. We also show, and for the first time, that fluid motion is caused by the magnetic field gradient where the amplitude of $\vec{B}$ is equal to zero. It leads to the generation of jets with size about that of the container, that is, 25 cm. The interaction between these gradB jets and the edge vortices leads to a final flow dominated by large-scale vortices resulting from the inverse cascade process that destroys the small-scale coherent structures on one hand and on the other modifies the initial scale and direction of the gradB jets.     

Nonlinear aeroelastic analysis of a two-dimensional wing with control surface in supersonic flow

Based on the piston theory of supersonic flow and the energy method, a two dimensional wing with a control surface in supersonic flow is theoretically modeled, in which the cubic stiffness in the torsional direction of the control surface is considered. An approximate method of the cha- otic response analysis of the nonlinear aeroelastic system is studied, the main idea of which is that under the condi- tion of stable limit cycle flutter of the aeroelastic system, the vibrations in the plunging and pitching of the wing can approximately be considered to be simple harmonic excita- tion to the control surface. The motion of the control surface can approximately be modeled by a nonlinear oscillation of one-degree-of-freedom. The range of the chaotic response of the aeroelastic system is approximately determined by means of the chaotic response of the nonlinear oscillator. The rich dynamic behaviors of the control surface are represented as bifurcation diagrams, phase-plane portraits and PS diagrams. The theoretical analysis is verified by the numerical results.     

Aerodynamic forces and three-dimensional flow structures in the mean wake of a surface-mounted finite-height square prism

Different flow models have been proposed for the flow around surface-mounted finite-height square prisms, but there is still a lack of consensus about the origin and connection of the streamwise tip vortices with the other elements of the wake. This numerical study was performed to address this gap, in addition to clarifying the relationship of the near-wake structures with the far wake and the near-wall flow, which is associated with the fluid forces. A large-eddy simulation approach was adopted to solve the flow around a surface-mounted finite-height square prism with an aspect ratio of AR = 3 and a Reynolds number Re = 500. The mean drag and normal forces and the bending moment for the prism were quantitatively compared in terms of skin-friction and pressure contributions, and related to the near-wall flow. Both three-dimensional visualizations and planar projections of the time-averaged flow field were used to identify, qualitatively, the main structures of the wake, including the horseshoe vortex, corner vortices and regions of high streamwise vorticity in the upper part of the wake. These features showed the same qualitative behavior as reported in high Reynolds number studies. It was found that some regions of high streamwise vorticity magnitude, like the tip vortices, are associated with the three-dimensional bending of the flow, and the tip vortices did not continuously extend to the free end of the prism. The three-dimensional flow analysis, which integrated different observations of the flow field around surface-mounted finite-height square prisms, also revealed that the mean near-wake structure is composed of two sections of different origin and location of dominance.     

Aerodynamic and functional consequences of wing compliance

A growing body of evidence indicates that a majority of insects experience some degree of wing deformation during flight. With no musculature distal to the wing base, the instantaneous shape of an insect wing is dictated by the interaction of aerodynamic forces with the inertial and elastic forces that arise from periodic accelerations of the wing. Passive wing deformation is an unavoidable feature of flapping flight for many insects due to the inertial loads that accompany rapid stroke reversals—loads that well exceed the mean aerodynamic force. Although wing compliance has been implicated in a few lift-enhancing mechanisms (e.g., favorable camber), the direct aerodynamic consequences of wing deformation remain generally unresolved. In this paper, we present new experimental data on how wing compliance may affect the overall induced flow in the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. Real moth wings were subjected to robotic actuation in their dominant plane of rotation at a natural wing beat frequency of 25 Hz. We used digital particle image velocimetry at exceptionally high temporal resolution (2,100 fps) to assess the influence of wing compliance on the mean advective flows, relying on a natural variation in wing stiffness to alter the amount of emergent deformation (freshly extracted wings are flexible and exhibit greater compliance than those that are desiccated). We find that flexible wings yield mean advective flows with substantially greater magnitudes and orientations more beneficial to lift than those of stiff wings. Our results confirm that wing compliance plays a critical role in the production of flight forces. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The aerodynamic forces and pressure distribution of a revolving pigeon wing

The aerodynamic forces acting on a revolving dried pigeon wing and a flat card replica were measured with a propeller rig, effectively simulating a wing in continual downstroke. Two methods were adopted: direct measurement of the reaction vertical force and torque via a forceplate, and a map of the pressures along and across the wing measured with differential pressure sensors. Wings were tested at Reynolds numbers up to 108,000, typical for slow-flying pigeons, and considerably above previous similar measurements applied to insect and hummingbird wing and wing models. The pigeon wing out-performed the flat card replica, reaching lift coefficients of 1.64 compared with 1.44. Both real and model wings achieved much higher maximum lift coefficients, and at much higher geometric angles of attack (43°), than would be expected from wings tested in a windtunnel simulating translating flight. It therefore appears that some high-lift mechanisms, possibly analogous to those of slow-flying insects, may be available for birds flapping with wings at high angles of attack. The net magnitude and orientation of aerodynamic forces acting on a revolving pigeon wing can be determined from the differential pressure maps with a moderate degree of precision. With increasing angle of attack, variability in the pressure signals suddenly increases at an angle of attack between 33° and 38°, close to the angle of highest vertical force coefficient or lift coefficient; stall appears to be delayed compared with measurements from wings in windtunnels.     

Interferometry and reconstruction of strongly refracting fields in two-dimensional boundary layer flow

 Optical methods like interferometry as non-intrusive experimental techniques are used for fine analysis of flowfields. The accuracy of the measuring method is very important for the applicability of its results to CFD validation. A common evaluation method to reconstruct interferograms is based on the assumption, that the object ray propagates along a straight line. But the strong bending of rays that occurs, e.g. in supersonic boundary layer flow, cannot be neglected without losses in reconstruction quality. Since the reconstruction of a two-dimensional boundary layer flow can be considered as an one-dimensional problem, the phase difference of the object and reference ray at the interferogram can be related analytically to the refractive-index distribution using a Taylor series expansion. The resulting interferometric equation is an ordinary non-linear second-order differential equation, which can be integrated by numerical methods. By application of this interferometric equation on the one hand, the error in the “classical” interferometry resulting from the ray bending neglection can be estimated. On the other hand, the accuracy in evaluation of interferograms of two-dimensional boundary layer flow can be improved by solving this equation. Received: 23 May 1996 / Accepted: 21 September 1996     

Delta wing in a subsonic flow

On the basis of experimental wind tunnel research, a topological classification of possible delta wing flow regimes is given and a diagram in angle of attack-sweep angle coordinates is constructed. A regime with two pairs of symmetrically disposed whirlwind like vortices formed on the surface of the wing is detected. The effect of the V-shape of the wing is considered. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.2, pp. 161–164, March–April, 1994.     

Aerodynamic improvement of a delta wing in combination with leading edge flaps

Recently, various studies of micro air vehicle(MAV) and unmanned air vehicle(UAV) have been reported from wide range points of view. The aim of this study is to research the aerodynamic improvement of delta wing in low Reynold's number region to develop an applicative these air vehicle. As an attractive tool in delta wing, leading edge flap(LEF) is employed to directly modify the strength and structure of vortices originating from the separation point along the leading edge. Various configurations of LEF such as drooping apex flap and upward deflected flap are used in combination to enhance the aerodynamic characteristics in the delta wing. The fluid force measurement by six component load cell and particle image velocimetry(PIV) analysis are performed as the experimental method. The relations between the aerodynamic superiority and the vortex behavior around the models are demonstrated.     

Aerodynamic forces on a tall building in a turbulent boundary layer

The model studies were designed to obtain information concerning wind loads on a tall building by placing the model in a turbulent shear flow simulating expected atmospheric boundary-layer winds. Since current design codes are inadequate for predicting all possible motions of tall buildings, it is important that better knowledge of mean and fluctuating loadings and their distributions becomes available. Experiments were conducted to determine the mean and fluctuating forces and twisting moments at several levels over the surface of a model. By determining the effects at several levels simultaneously, it was possible to correlate forces and moments at five levels with one common level. A single model was tested at varying orientations. Tests were also conducted with an identical model placed upstream so that its wake influenced the flow around the instrumented model. Results are presented in terms of distributions of force and moment coefficients and correlations at different levels. The spectral character of the force and moment components is illustrated for one case. Paper was presented at 1977 SESA Spring Meeting held in Dallas, TX on May 15–20.     

Aerodynamic optimization of 3D wing based on iSIGHT

A method for combining the CFD software,Fluent,with the iSIGHT design platform is presented to optimize a three-dimensional wing to ameliorate its aerodynamics performance.In the optimization design,two kinds of genetic algorithms,the Neighborhood Cultivation Genetic Algorithm（NCGA）and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm（NSGAII）,are employed and the Navier-Stoke（N-S）equations are adopted to derive the aerodynamics functions of the 3D wing.The aerodynamic performance of the optimized wing has been significantly improved,which shows that the approach can be extended and employed in other cases.