Technical Paper
Computational Analysis of 3D Unsteady Flow Over Flapping Wing
2013-09-17
2013-01-2098
This paper summarizes the complex unsteady, 3-D viscous flow aerodynamics (dominantly laminar) developed in flapping wing generating vortices and intersecting with them. Different flying creatures, (Insects, Birds, and Bats) flapping wing mechanisms are studied and hence being compared based on their wing kinematics and aerodynamic efficiency. The performance of low Reynolds number flyers is highly influenced by the wing shape, wing size, wing camber, aspect ratio, % camber thickness, elastic deformation, wing-beat frequency and wing twisting. The Computation technique used to analyze the wake characteristics of a flapping motion shows that the generation and shedding of vortices dominate the aerodynamic loading on the wing. The periodicity of the wing motion and the resultant vortices leads to conclude that any quantitative model must be based on unsteady aerodynamics and vortex dynamics.