Effects of Unsteady Deformation of a Flapping Wing on Its Aerodynamic Forces

LIU Xin-jian; YUAN Tian-bao

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Article Navigation > Applied Mathematics and Mechanics > 2008 > 29(6): 663-675

LIU Xin-jian, YUAN Tian-bao. Effects of Unsteady Deformation of a Flapping Wing on Its Aerodynamic Forces[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2008, 29(6): 663-675.

Citation:

LIU Xin-jian, YUAN Tian-bao. Effects of Unsteady Deformation of a Flapping Wing on Its Aerodynamic Forces[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2008, 29(6): 663-675.

Citation:

LIU Xin-jian, YUAN Tian-bao. Effects of Unsteady Deformation of a Flapping Wing on Its Aerodynamic Forces[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2008, 29(6): 663-675.

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Effects of Unsteady Deformation of a Flapping Wing on Its Aerodynamic Forces

LIU Xin-jian¹,
YUAN Tian-bao²

1.
Aeroengine Numerical Simulation Research Center, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing 100083, P. R. China;

Received Date: 2007-01-17
Rev Recd Date: 2008-04-17
Publish Date: 2008-06-15

Abstract

Abstract

The effects of unsteady deformation of a flapping model insect wing on its aero dynamic force production were studied by solving the Navier-Stokes equations on a dynamically deforming grid. Aerodynamic forces on the flapping wing are little affected by consider abletwist, but are affected by camber deformation; the effect of combined camber and twist deformation is similar to that of camber deformation. With a de formation of 6% camber and 20 degrees twist (typical values observed forwings of many insects), lift is increased by 10~20% and lift-to-dragratio by around 10% compared with the case of rigid flat-plate wing. As a result, the deformation canincrease the maximum lift coefficient of aninsect, and candecrease its power requirement of flight, e. g., for a hovering bumblebee with dynamically deforming wings (6% camber and 20 degrees twist), aerodynamic power required is de creased by about 16% compared with the case of rigid wings.
- insects,
- wing deformation,
- unsteady aerodynamic forces,
- computational fluid dynamics

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References(26)

References

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