Quantitative studies of the wakes of freely flying birds in a low-turbulence wind tunnel

A novel application of DPIV methods is presented for measuring velocity and vorticity distributions in vertical cross sections through the wake of a freely flying bird (thrush nightingale) in a wind tunnel. A dual-camera system is used, and successive cross-correlation operations remove lens/camera distortions, and then the undisturbed background flow, so that the final operation simply examines the disturbance effect of the bird alone. The concentration and tuning of processing methods to the disturbance quantities allows full exploitation of the correlation calculation and estimation algorithms. Since the ultimate objective is to deduce forces and power requirements on the bird itself from the wake structure, the analytical procedure is followed through an example on a fixed airfoil, before sample results from extensive bird flight tests are described. The wake structure of the thrush nightingale in slow (5-m/s) flight is qualitatively quite similar to those previously described in the literature, but certain quantitative details are different in important respects.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Aerodynamics of badminton shuttlecocks

A computational study is carried out to understand the aerodynamics of shuttlecocks used in the sport of badminton. The speed of the shuttlecock considered is in the range of 25–50 m/s. The relative contribution of various parts of the shuttlecock to the overall drag is studied. It is found that the feathers, and the net in the case of a synthetic shuttlecock, contribute the maximum. The gaps, in the lower section of the skirt, play a major role in entraining the surrounding fluid and causing a difference between the pressure inside and outside the skirt. This pressure difference leads to drag. This is confirmed via computations for a shuttlecock with no gaps. The synthetic shuttle experiences more drag than the feather model. Unlike the synthetic model, the feather shuttlecock is associated with a swirling flow towards the end of the skirt. The effect of the twist angle of the feathers on the drag as well as the flow has also been studied.     

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.      

Aerodynamics of end-wall boundary layer in a vortex chamber

The need for the inclusion of end-wall boundary layers in the study of the aerodynamics of vortex chambers has been frequently mentioned in the literature. However, owing to limited experimental data [1–3] with reliable information on the wall layers, the existing computational methods for end-wall boundary layers are not well-founded. The question of which parameters determine the formation of end-wall flow remains debatable. In some studies [4, 5], the vortex chambers are conditionally divided into short and long chambers. However, there is no unique opinion on the role of end-wall flows in vortex chambers of different lengths. It has also not been established for what geometric and flow parameters the chamber could be considered long or short. In the present study, as in [1, 5–8], solution is obtained for the end-wall boundary-layer equations using integral methods, considering the boundary layer in the radial direction in the form of a submerged wall jet. Such an approach made it possible to use the laws for the development of wall jets [9], and obtain fairly simple relations for integral parameters, skin friction, mass flow in the boundary layer, and other characteristics. Results are compared with available experimental data and computations of others authors; turbulent flow is considered; results for laminar boundary layer are given in [10].Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 5, pp. 117–126, September–October, 1986.     

昆虫飞行参数测量实验研究进展

在昆虫飞行的实验研究中,可采用活体实验、模型实验和活体模型结合三种方法。活体实验可以客观反映自然界中昆虫的飞行规律,获得真实的实验数据,但可重复性差。模型实验作为机械装置可以重复进行试验,详细描述流场结构并定量各种参数大小,但与真实飞行存在一定差距。单独使用这两种中的任一方法均可对一些现象给出了解释。二者相结合的方法更易于准确描述昆虫的运动特征,通过对比模型与活体的结果来提出机理,尽管需要的实验周期较长,但结论往往更接近真实状态,基于该方法科学家们已提出了几种飞行机理。本文结合近几年文献报道,综述了昆虫飞行参数测量方法,并对以上几种方法在研究昆虫飞行机理中的作用进行了对比分析,认为模型和活体结合的研究方法更容易为一些飞行现象提出合理解释。     

大型客机前沿气动问题研讨会会议简介

中国商用飞机公川2008年5月在上海成立,标志我国大型客机研制工作正式启动.为夯实我国大型客机研制的技术基础,提高大型客机的技术竞争力,经中国商用飞机公州陈迎春副总师提议,中国力学学会流体力学专业委员会和中国商用飞机公司上海飞机设计研究所于2008年10月27～28日在上海东方航空宾馆联合召开了大型客机前沿气动问题研讨会.     

Aerodynamics of an asymmetrically deformed body in nonstationary supersonic motion

A method for making numerical calculations of the stationary and nonstationary aerodynamic characteristics of bodies of variable shape is considered. The results of calculations of the aerodynamic coefficents are given [1]. The results of numerical calculations are compared with the results of Newton's theory.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 162–167, March–April, 1980.     

Aerodynamics of an outgassing sphere in a rarefied gas flow

The flow of rarefied gas past a sphere with no-flow condition on the surface has been well studied both experimentally and numerically. In the presence of blowing on the sphere into the oncoming flow, the reflection of the main flow from the body introduces new features. This problem has been considered in the continuum regime [1–3] and, in a kinetic approach, in a regime close to the free-molecule regime [4, 5]. In the present paper, a study is made in the transition regime on the basis of a system of two model kinetic equations of Krook. The first equation determines the distribution function of the molecules of the oncoming flow; the second describes the distribution function of the molecules flowing from the surface of the body. The introduction of the two gas species makes it possible to follow the spatial distribution of the outgassing molecules and determine what fraction of them returns to the body as a result of collisions. The drag coefficient of the sphere and the energy flux to it are determined numerically as functions of the blowing intensity, and approximate similarity laws are found.     

Aerodynamics of axisymmetric bodies in supersonic flow with local blowing

Journal of Applied Mechanics and Technical Physics -     

Edge Singularities and Kutta Condition in 3D Aerodynamics

This review paper presents a unified formulation of the Kutta condition for steady and unsteady flows, implemented by removing all unbounded velocity singularities (of powerlaw and logarithmic type) at the trailing edge, and including nonlinear wakes and thick sweptback wings. A suitable boundary integral approach is adopted and the uniqueness issue is discussed for several wing configurations of interest in aerodynamics.Sommario. Si presenta una formulazione unificata della condizione di Kutta per flussi stazionari e non stazionari, ottenuta imponendo la limitatezza della velocità al bordo d'uscita, e valida nel caso nonlineare anche per ali a freccia. Si utilizza un opportuno approccio integrale al contorno e si discute il problema dell'unicità per svariate configurazioni alari di interesse nelle applicazioni.     

Energetic bounds in finite elasticity

Summary We study the conditions under which the internal work of deformation in an elastic isotropic body in finite deformations may be bounded by results obtained from a suitably defined linear infinitesimal problem. The values of the constants appearing in the principal inequalities are calculated and discussed for a certain class of extensional deformations.     

Unsteady bio-fluid dynamics in flying and swimming

Flying and swimming in nature present sophisticated and exciting ventures in biomimetics, which seeks sustainable solutions and solves practical problems by emulating nature's time-tested patterns, functions, and strategies. Bio-fluids in insect and bird flight, as well as in fish swimming are highly dynamic and unsteady; however, they have been studied mostly with a focus on the phenomena associated with a body or wings moving in a steady flow. Characterized by unsteady wing flapping and body undulation, fluid-structure interactions, flexible wings and bodies, turbulent environments, and complex maneuver, bio-fluid dynamics normally have challenges associated with low Reynolds number regime and high unsteadiness in modeling and analysis of flow physics. In this article, we review and highlight recent advances in unsteady bio-fluid dynamics in terms of leading-edge vortices, passive mechanisms in flexible wings and hinges, flapping flight in unsteady environments, and micro-structured aerodynamics in flapping flight, as well as undulatory swimming, flapping-fin hydrodynamics, body–fin interac-tion, C-start and maneuvering, swimming in turbulence,collective swimming, and micro-structured hydrodynamics in swimming. We further give a perspective outlook on future challenges and tasks of several key issues of the field.     

Effects of Body Cross-sectional Shape on Flying Snake Aerodynamics

Despite their lack of appendages, flying snakes (genus Chrysopelea) exhibit aerodynamic performance that compares favorably to other animal gliders. We wished to determine which aspects of Chrysopelea’s unique shape contributed to its aerodynamic performance by testing physical models of Chrysopelea in a wind tunnel. We varied the relative body volume, edge sharpness, and backbone protrusion of the models. Chrysopelea’s gliding performance was surprisingly robust to most shape changes; the presence of a trailing-edge lip was the most significant factor in producing high lift forces. Lift to drag ratios of 2.7–2.9 were seen at angles of attack (α) from 10–30°. Stall did not occur until α > 30° and was gradual, with lift falling off slowly as drag increased. Chrysopelea actively undulates in an S-shape when gliding, such that posterior portions of the snake’s body lie in the wake of the more anterior portions. When two Chrysopelea body segment models were tested in tandem to produce a two dimensional approximation to this situation, the downstream model exhibited an increased lift-to-drag ratio (as much as 50% increase over a solitary model) at all horizontal gaps tested (3–7 chords) when located slightly below the upstream model and at all vertical staggers tested (±2 chords) at a gap of 7 chords.