A fluid–structure interaction model of insect flight with flexible wings

We present a fluid–structure interactions (FSI) model of insect flapping flight with flexible wings. This FSI-based model is established by loosely coupling a finite element method (FEM)-based computational structural dynamic (CSD) model and a computational fluid dynamic (CFD)-based insect dynamic flight simulator. The CSD model is developed specifically for insect flapping flight, which is capable to model thin shell structures of insect flexible wings by taking into account the distribution and anisotropy in both wing morphology involving veins, membranes, fibers and density, and in wing material properties of Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratios. The insect dynamic flight simulator that is based on a multi-block, overset grid, fortified Navier–Stokes solver is capable to integrate modeling of realistic wing-body morphology, realistic flapping-wing and body kinematics, and unsteady aerodynamics in flapping-wing flights. Validation of the FSI-based aerodynamics and structural dynamics in flexible wings is achieved through a set of benchmark tests and comparisons with measurements, which contain a heaving spanwise flexible wing, a heaving chordwise-flexible wing with a rigid teardrop element, and a realistic hawkmoth wing rotating in air. A FSI analysis of hawkmoth hovering with flapping flexible wings is then carried out and discussed with a specific focus on the in-flight deformation of the hawkmoth wings and hovering aerodynamic performances with the flexible and rigid wings. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of the present FSI model in accurately modeling and quantitatively evaluating flexible-wing aerodynamics of insect flapping flight in terms of the aerodynamic forces, the power consumption and the efficiency.     

Numerical Study of Two-Winged Insect Hovering Flight

The two-winged insect hovering flight is investigated numerically using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). A virtual model of two elliptic foils with flapping motion is used to study the aerodynamic performance of the insect hovering flight with and without the effect of ground surface. Systematic studies have been carried out by changing some parameters of the wing kinematics, including the stroke amplitude, attack angle, and the Reynolds number for the insect hovering flight without ground effect, as well as the distance between the flapping foils and the ground surface when the ground effect is considered. The influence of the wing kinematic parameters and the effect of the ground surface on the unsteady forces and vortical structures are analyzed. The unsteady forces acting on the flapping foils are verified to be closely associated with the time evolution of the vortex structures, foil translational and rotational accelerations, and interaction between the flapping foils and the existed vortical flow. Typical unsteady mechanisms of lift production are identified by examining the vortical structures around the flapping foils. The results obtained in this study provide some physical insight into the understanding of the aerodynamics and flow structures for the insect hovering flight.     

Integrated modeling of insect flight: From morphology,kinematics to aerodynamics

An integrated and rigorous model for the simulation of insect flapping flight is addressed. The method is very versatile, easily integrating the modeling of realistic wing–body morphology, realistic flapping-wing and body kinematics, and unsteady aerodynamics in insect flight. A morphological model is built based on an effective differential geometric method for reconstructing geometry of and a specific grid generator for the wings and body; and a kinematic model is constructed capable to mimic the realistic wing–body kinematics of flapping flight. A fortified FVM-based NS solver for dynamically moving multi-blocked, overset-grid systems is developed and verified to be self-consistent by a variety of benchmark tests; and evaluation of flapping energetics is established on inertial and aerodynamic forces, torques and powers. Validation of this integrated insect dynamic flight simulator is achieved by comparisons of aerodynamic force-production with measurements in terms of the time-varying and mean lift and drag forces. Results for three typical insect hovering flights (hawkmoth, honeybee and fruitfly) over a wide rang of Reynolds numbers from O(10²) to O(10⁴) demonstrate its feasibility in accurately modeling and quantitatively evaluating the unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms in insect flapping flight.     

弹性拍翼悬停时的流固耦合效应

自然界中的昆虫和鸟类大都采用拍翼飞行的策略，其优越的气动表现使拍动飞行方式备受关注.值得注意的是，拍动飞行昆虫和鸟类在实现高机动性的同时，产生的噪音并不十分显著.因此，对拍翼飞行的流固声耦合问题进行研究，揭示其飞行动力学和声学特性，对于应用这类飞行技术具有重要的指导意义.文章采用一种浸入边界法对拍翼悬停时的流固声耦合问题进行数值模拟研究.具体针对刚性拍翼和不同刚度、质量比的柔性拍翼进行了数值模拟，分析了拍翼刚度和质量比对拍翼悬停时的升力和声学特性的影响.结果表明拍翼的转动能有效增加升力，提高效率并降低拍翼运动产生的声音；同时悬停拍翼的近场声受涡的影响明显，尤其是在较大的转动角度时；引入适当的弹性可有效提高拍翼在悬停时的气动表现，包括提高升力系数和效率；综合考虑气动和声学表现，可以看出当无量纲拍动频率在0.3~0.4时，低质量的拍翼（拍翼-流体质量比为1.0）产生的声音较小，同时又具备较高的效率.      

Visualization of flapping wing of the drone beetle

Investigation of flapping wings of insect are focused on low Reynolds number effect and the unsteady aerodynamic properties. Interaction between flapping wing of insects and the air flow became one of important and fundamental research topics in micro air vehicle. The present work is aim to investigate the flow behavior of flapping wings of tethered scarab beetle. The generation mechanisms of velocity field and vortex formation are visualized with smoke-wire method. Tethered flight of the drone beetle shows the motion with elastic deformation of flapping wing. Measured flapping frequency is about 71 Hz and its frequency is higher than for dragonfly and butterfly. Beetle decreases negative lift by feathering motion in the upstroke process and increase positive lift by effect of wake capture in the downstroke process.     

Paddling mode of forward flight in insects

By analyzing high-speed video of the fruit fly, we discover a swimminglike mode of forward flight characterized by paddling wing motions. We develop a new aerodynamic analysis procedure to show that these insects generate drag-based thrust by slicing their wings forward at low angle of attack and pushing backwards at a higher angle. Reduced-order models and simulations reveal that the law for flight speed is determined by these wing motions but is insensitive to material properties of the fluid. Thus, paddling is as effective in air as in water and represents a common strategy for propulsion through aquatic and aerial environments.     

A study of a three-dimensional self-propelled flying bird with flapping wings

In this paper, a study of a three-dimensional(3D) self-propelled bionic flying bird in a viscous flow is carried out. This bionic bird is propelled and lifted through flapping and rotating wings, and better flying can be achieved by adjusting the flapping and rotation motion of wings. In this study, we found that the bird can fly faster forward and upward with appropriate center of rotation and oscillation without more energy consumption and have perfect flight performance at a certain angle of attack by adjusting the center of oscillation. The study utilizes a 3D computational fluid dynamics package which constitutes combined immersed boundary method and the volume of fluid method. In addition, it includes adaptive multigrid finite volume method and control strategy of swimming and flying.     

Sound radiation around a flying fly

Many insects produce sounds during flight. These acoustic emissions result from the oscillation of the wings in air. To date, most studies have measured the frequency characteristics of flight sounds, leaving other acoustic characteristics--and their possible biological functions--unexplored. Here, using close-range acoustic recording, we describe both the directional radiation pattern and the detailed frequency composition of the sound produced by a tethered flying (Lucilia sericata). The flapping wings produce a sound wave consisting of a series of harmonics, the first harmonic occurring around 190 Hz. In the horizontal plane of the fly, the first harmonic shows a dipolelike amplitude distribution whereas the second harmonic shows a monopolelike radiation pattern. The first frequency component is dominant in front of the fly while the second harmonic is dominant at the sides. Sound with a broad frequency content, typical of that produced by wind, is also recorded at the back of the fly. This sound qualifies as pseudo-sound and results from the vortices generated during wing kinematics. Frequency and amplitude features may be used by flies in different behavioral contexts such as sexual communication, competitive communication, or navigation within the environment.     

Aerodynamic sound generation of flapping wing

The unsteady flow and acoustic characteristics of the flapping wing are numerically investigated for a two-dimensional model of Bombus terrestris bumblebee at hovering and forward flight conditions. The Reynolds number Re, based on the maximum translational velocity of the wing and the chord length, is 8800 and the Mach number M is 0.0485. The computational results show that the flapping wing sound is generated by two different sound generation mechanisms. A primary dipole tone is generated at wing beat frequency by the transverse motion of the wing, while other higher frequency dipole tones are produced via vortex edge scattering during a tangential motion. It is also found that the primary tone is directional because of the torsional angle in wing motion. These features are only distinct for hovering, while in forward flight condition, the wing-vortex interaction becomes more prominent due to the free stream effect. Thereby, the sound pressure level spectrum is more broadband at higher frequencies and the frequency compositions become similar in all directions.     

Shape reconstructions and morphing kinematics of an eagle during perching manoeuvres

The key to high manoeuvre ability in bird flight lies in the combined morphing of wings and tail.The perching of a wild Haliaeetus Albicilla without running or wing flapping is recorded and investigated using a high-speed digital video.A shape reconstruction method is proposed to describe wing contours and tail contours during perching.The avian airfoil geometries of the Aquila Chrysaetos are extracted from noncontact surface measurements using a ROMBER 3 D laser scanner.The wing planform,chord distribution and twist distribution are fitted in convenient analytical expressions to obtain a 3 D wing geometry.A three-jointed arm model is proposed to associate with the 3 D wing geometry,while a one-joint arm model is proposed to describe the kinematics of tail.Therefore,a 3 D bird model is established.The perching sequences of the wild eagle are recaptured and regenerated with the proposed 3 D bird model.A quasi-steady aerodynamic model is applied in the aerodynamic predictions,a four-step Adams-Bashforth method is used to calculate the ordinary differential equations,thus a BFGS based optimization method is established to predict the perching motions.     

昆虫自由飞行时翅膀攻角的光学测量

昆虫运动空气动力学研究需要测量昆虫运动的多种参数。其中 ,翅膀攻角是主要参数 ,是流体分析时主要的边界条件之一。由于昆虫的运动参数的测量同一般的测量相比具有一些特殊要求 ,它要求一定是非接触测量 ,因此成功的测量方法大都集中在光学测量方法上。本文以近年来有关昆虫自由飞行的实验为基础 ,着重介绍几种比较有特色的翅膀攻角的光学测量方法     

Experimental investigations of the functional morphology of dragonfly wings

Nowadays, the importance of identifying the flight mechanisms of the dragonfly, as an inspiration for designing flapping wing vehicles, is well known. An experimental approach to understanding the complexities of insect wings as organs of flight could provide significant outcomes for design purposes. In this paper, a comprehensive investigation is carried out on the morphological and microstructural features of dragonfly wings. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and tensile testing are used to experimentally verify the functional roles of different parts of the wings. A number of SEM images of the elements of the wings, such as the nodus, leading edge, trailing edge, and vein sections, which play dominant roles in strengthening the whole structure, are presented. The results from the tensile tests indicate that the nodus might be the critical region of the wing that is subjected to high tensile stresses. Considering the patterns of the longitudinal corrugations of the wings obtained in this paper, it can be supposed that they increase the load-bearing capacity, giving the wings an ability to tolerate dynamic loading conditions. In addition, it is suggested that the longitudinal veins, along with the leading and trailing edges, are structural mechanisms that further improve fatigue resistance by providing higher fracture toughness, preventing crack propagation, and allowing the wings to sustain a significant amount of damage without loss of strength.     

A novel virtual four-ocular stereo vision system based on single camera for measuring insect motion parameters

A novel virtual four-ocular stereo measurement system based on single high speed camera is proposed for measuring double beating wings of a high speed flapping insect. The principle of virtual monocular system consisting of a few planar mirrors and a single high speed camera is introduced. The stereo vision measurement principle based on optic triangulation is explained. The wing kinematics parameters are measured. Results show that this virtual stereo system not only decreases system cost extremely but also is effective to insect motion measurement.     

扑翼尾流脱落涡特性的PIV实验研究

通过色流实验和粒子成像测速技术(particle image velocimetry, PIV)对扑翼近场尾流脱落涡的结构轨迹和能量进行了定性及定量研究.结果表明:因展向流动充分性的不同, 存在两种牛角型涡系结构; 上下扑时翅翼交替产生顺时针和逆时针脱落涡, 两涡运动轨迹呈近似弧形对称, 对称轴的仰角略大于攻角; 脱落涡的涡心涡量在上下扑极点达到最大值, 环量最大值出现在到达极点前的1/5~2/5周期之间; 产生脱落涡的半周期内, 涡的平均环量都随减缩频率的增大而增大, 减缩频率较低时, 下扑平均环量大于上扑平均环量, 减缩频率较高时则相反; 振幅对涡能量影响明显, 减缩频率为2~2.5时, 振幅±40°时的涡平均环量约是振幅±30°时的两倍, 减缩频率越大振幅影响越明显.      

Biomechanical behaviors of dragonfly wing:relationship between configuration and deformation

In this paper,the natural structures of a dragonfly wing,including the corrugation of the chordwise cross-section,the sandwich microstructure veins,and the junctions between the vein and the membrane,have been investigated with experimental observations,and the morphological parameters of these structural features are measured.The experimental result indicates that the corrugated angle among the longitudinal veins ranges from 80 to 150,and the sandwiched microstructure vein mainly consists of chitin and protein layers.Meanwhile,different finite element models,which include models I and I for the planar forewings,models II and II for the corrugated forewings,and a submodel with solid veins and membranes,are created to investigate the effects of these structural features on the natural frequency/modal,the dynamical behaviors of the flapping flight,and the deformation mechanism of the forewings.The numerical results indicate that the corrugated forewing has a more reasonable natural frequency/modal,and the first order up-down flapping frequency of the corrugated wing is closer to the experimental result(about 27.00 Hz),which is significantly larger than that of the planar forewing(10.94 Hz).For the dynamical responses,the corrugated forewing has a larger torsional angle than the planar forewing,but a lower flapping angle.In addition,the sandwich microstructure veins can induce larger amplitudes of torsion deformation,because of the decreasing stiffness of the whole forewing.For the submodel of the forewing,the average stress of the chitin layer is much larger than that of the protein layer in the longitudinal veins.These simulative methods assist us to explain the flapping flight mechanism of the dragonfly and to design a micro aerial vehicle by automatically adjusting the corrugated behavior of the wing.     

Biomechanical behaviors of dragonfly wing: relationship between configuration and deformation

In this paper, the natural structures of a dragonfly wing, including the corrugation of the chordwise cross-section, the sandwich microstructure veins, and the junctions between the vein and the membrane, have been investigated with experimental observations, and the morphological parameters of these structural features are measured. The experimental result indicates that the corrugated angle among the longitudinal veins ranges from 80° to 150°, and the sandwiched microstructure vein mainly consists of chitin and protein layers. Meanwhile, different finite element models, which include models I and I^* for the planar forewings, models II and II^* for the corrugated forewings, and a submodel with solid veins and membranes, are created to investigate the effects of these structural features on the natural frequency/modal, the dynamical behaviors of the flapping flight, and the deformation mechanism of the forewings. The numerical results indicate that the corrugated forewing has a more reasonable natural frequency/modal, and the first order up-down flapping frequency of the corrugated wing is closer to the experimental result (about 27.00 Hz), which is significantly larger than that of the planar forewing (10.94 Hz). For the dynamical responses, the corrugated forewing has a larger torsional angle than the planar forewing, but a lower flapping angle. In addition, the sandwich microstructure veins can induce larger amplitudes of torsion deformation, because of the decreasing stiffness of the whole forewing. For the submodel of the forewing, the average stress of the chitin layer is much larger than that of the protein layer in the longitudinal veins. These simulative methods assist us to explain the flapping flight mechanism of the dragonfly and to design a micro aerial vehicle by automatically adjusting the corrugated behavior of the wing.     

Flow visualization and aerodynamic-force measurement of a dragonfly-type model

An unsteady flow visualization and force measurement were carried out in order to investigate the effects of the reduced frequency of a dragonfly-type model. The flow visualization of the wing wake region was conducted by using a smoke-wire technique. An electronic device was mounted below the test section in order to find the exact position angle of the wing for the visualization. A load-cell was employed in measuring aerodynamic forces generated by a plunging motion of the experimental model. To find the period of the flapping motion in real time, trigger signals were also collected by passing laser beam signals through the gear hole. Experimental conditions were as follows: the incidence angles of the foreand hind-wing were 0° and 10°, respectively, and the reduced frequencies were 0.150 and 0.225. The freestream velocities of the flow visualization and force measurement were 1.0 and 1.6m/sec, respectively, which correspond to Reynolds numbers of 3.4 × 10³ and 2.9 × 10³. The variations of the flow patterns and phase-averaged lift and the thrust coefficients during one cycle of the wing motion were presented. Results showed that the reduced frequency was closely related to the flow pattern that determined flight efficiency, and the maximum lift coefficient and lift coefficient per unit of time increased with reduced frequency.     

Torque scaling in turbulent Taylor-Couette flow with co- and counterrotating cylinders

We analyze the global transport properties of turbulent Taylor-Couette flow in the strongly turbulent regime for independently rotating outer and inner cylinders, reaching Reynolds numbers of the inner and outer cylinders of Re(i) = 2×10(6) and Re(o) = ±1.4×10(6), respectively. For all Re(i), Re(o), the dimensionless torque G scales as a function of the Taylor number Ta (which is proportional to the square of the difference between the angular velocities of the inner and outer cylinders) with a universal effective scaling law G ∝ Ta(0.88), corresponding to Nu(ω) ∝ Ta(0.38) for the Nusselt number characterizing the angular velocity transport between the inner and outer cylinders. The exponent 0.38 corresponds to the ultimate regime scaling for the analogous Rayleigh-Bénard system. The transport is most efficient for the counterrotating case along the diagonal in phase space with ω(o) ≈ -0.4ω(i).     

Deformation measurements of dragonfly's wings in free flight by using Windowed Fourier Transform

Grating Projection method was used to measure the height distribution of dragonfly's wings in free flight. Then the fringe patterns on the dragonfly were recorded by a high-speed CCD camera. Since the fringe patterns recorded in such a way have poor contrast and brightness, Windowed Fourier Transform (WFT), which is insensitive to noise and fringe amplitude, was used to process the fringe patterns to extract the phase. Finally, the height distributions of dragonfly's wings in free flight were obtained by using the Weighted Least-Squares Phase Unwrapping method. The choice of integration limits and the size of the window of WFT are briefly discussed here     

Numerical flow visualization of first cycle and cyclic motion of a rigid fling-clapping wing

A flow visualization of the two-dimensional rigid fling-clap motions of the flat-plate wing is performed to get the knowledge of fling-clapping mechanism that might be employed by insects during flight. In this numerical visualization, the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations are solved for two types of wing motion; ‘fling followed by clap and pause motion’ and ‘cyclic fling-clapping motion’. The result is observed regarding the main flow features such as the sequential development of the two families of separation vortex pairs and their movement. For the ‘fling followed by clap and pause motion’, a strong separation vortex pair of counterrotation develops in the opening between the wings in the fling phase and they then move out from the opening in the following clap phase. For ‘the cyclic fling-clapping motion’, the separation vortex pair developed in the outside space in the clap phase move into the opening in the following fling phase. The separation vortex pair in the opening developed in the fling phase of the cyclic motion is observed to be stronger than those of the ‘fling followed by clap and pause motion’. Regarding the strong fling separation vortex and the weak clap separation vortex above it in the opening, the flow pattern of the fling phase of the cyclic fling and clap motion is different to that of the fling phase of the first cycle. The flow pattern of the third cycle of the cyclic fling-clapping motion is observed to be almost same as that of the second cycle. Therefore, a periodicity of the flow pattern is established after the second cycle.