Journal ArticleDOI
Vortex dynamics and new lift enhancement mechanism of wing–body interaction in insect forward flight
Geng Liu,Haibo Dong,Chengyu Li +2 more
TLDR
In this paper, the effects of wing-body interaction on aerodynamic performance and vortex dynamics have been numerically investigated in the forward flight of cicadas and the results showed that due to WBIs, the WB model had a 18.7% increase in total lift production compared with the lift generated in both the BD and WN models, and about 65% of this enhancement was attributed to the body.Abstract:
The effects of wing–body interaction (WBI) on aerodynamic performance and vortex dynamics have been numerically investigated in the forward flight of cicadas. Flapping wing kinematics was reconstructed based on the output of a high-speed camera system. Following the reconstruction of cicada flight, three models, wing–body (WB), body-only (BD) and wings-only (WN), were then developed and evaluated using an immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible Navier–Stokes equations solver. Results have shown that due to WBIs, the WB model had a 18.7 % increase in total lift production compared with the lift generated in both the BD and WN models, and about 65 % of this enhancement was attributed to the body. This resulted from a dramatic improvement of body lift production from 2 % to 11.6 % of the total lift produced by the wing–body system. Further analysis of the associated near-field and far-field vortex structures has shown that this lift enhancement was attributed to the formation of two distinct vortices shed from the thorax and the posterior of the insect, respectively, and their interactions with the flapping wings. Simulations are also used to examine the new lift enhancement mechanism over a range of minimum wing–body distances, reduced frequencies and body inclination angles. This work provides a new physical insight into the understanding of the body-involved lift-enhancement mechanism in insect forward flight.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and performance enhancement due to body-fin and fin-fin interactions in fish-like locomotion
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the hydrodynamic benefits of body-fin and fin-fin interactions in a fish model in carangiform swimming and found that the leading edge vortices produced by the caudal fin are associated with most of the thrust production in this fish model.
Journal ArticleDOI
Hydrodynamic Performance of Aquatic Flapping: Efficiency of Underwater Flight in the Manta
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the kinematics of the pectoral fin movements swimming over a range of speeds and by analyzing simulations based on computational fluid dynamic potential flow and viscous models.
Journal ArticleDOI
Wing kinematics measurement and aerodynamics of a dragonfly in turning flight.
Chengyu Li,Haibo Dong +1 more
TL;DR: This study integrates high-speed photogrammetry, 3D surface reconstruction, and computational fluid dynamics to explore a dragonfly in free flight and finds that the hindwings can benefit from this interaction by decreasing power consumption by 13% without sacrificing force generation.
Journal ArticleDOI
Three-dimensional wake topology and propulsive performance of low-aspect-ratio pitching-rolling plates
Chengyu Li,Haibo Dong +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the wake topology and propulsive performance of low-aspect-ratio plates undergoing a pitching-rolling motion in a uniform stream were numerically investigated by an in-house immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible Navier-Stokes equation solver.
Journal ArticleDOI
Tuna locomotion: a computational hydrodynamic analysis of finlet function.
TL;DR: Wake dynamics analysis revealed a unique vortex tube matrix structure and cross-flow streams redirected by the pitching finlets, which supports their hydrodynamic function in scombrid fishes.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Wing rotation and the aerodynamic basis of insect flight.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the enhanced aerodynamic performance of insects results from an interaction of three distinct yet interactive mechanisms: delayed stall, rotational circulation, and wake capture.
Wing rotation and the aerodynamic basis of insect flight
TL;DR: A comprehensive theory incorporating both translational and rotational mechanisms may explain the diverse patterns of wing motion displayed by different species of insects.
Journal ArticleDOI
Leading-edge vortices in insect flight
Charles P. Ellington,Coen van den Berg,Coen van den Berg,Alexander P. Willmott,Adrian L. R. Thomas,Adrian L. R. Thomas +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors visualized the airflow around the wings of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta and a 'hovering' large mechanical model, and found an intense leading-edge vortex was found on the downstroke, of sufficient strength to explain the high-lift forces.
Journal ArticleDOI
Quick Estimates of Flight Fitness in Hovering Animals, Including Novel Mechanisms for Lift Production
TL;DR: In this article, the average lift coefficient, Reynolds number, the aerodynamic power, the moment of inertia of the wing mass and the dynamic efficiency in animals which perform normal hovering with horizontally beating wings are derived.
Journal ArticleDOI
The aerodynamics of insect flight
TL;DR: The basic physical principles underlying flapping flight in insects, results of recent experiments concerning the aerodynamics of insect flight, as well as the different approaches used to model these phenomena are reviewed.