Print Email Facebook Twitter Numerical study on the flow characteristics of micro air vehicle wings at low Reynolds numbers Title Numerical study on the flow characteristics of micro air vehicle wings at low Reynolds numbers Author Xiao, Tianhang (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Li, Zhengzhou (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Deng, S. (TU Delft Aerodynamics) Ang, Haisong (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Zhou, Xinchun (AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute) Date 2016 Abstract The aerodynamic characteristics around a micro air vehicle wing with an inverse-Zimmerman configuration are numerically investigated by an in-house programmed solver particularly dedicated for aircrafts operating in low Reynolds number regime. The complex three-dimensional aerodynamic performance was investigated in terms of force generation and flow structures visualization. Results show that the flow around the low aspect ratio MAV wing is characterized by complex three-dimensional separation-dominated flow. The flow fields exhibit separation, reattachment, secondary separation, secondary reattachment, and strong interaction between the separated boundary layer and wingtip vortices. In addition, the effect of tip-attached vertical stabilizers on flow structure and aerodynamic forces is addressed in this paper. The stabilizers significantly influence both the flow structure and aerodynamic forces via reducing the strength of wingtip vortices and shedding and interacting of wingtip vortices. Eventually, the unsteadiness of the aerodynamics revealed that higher angle of attack will result in stronger unsteady phenomena as demonstrated by the oscillating forces. Subject Low aspect ratioLow Reynolds number aerodynamicsMicro air vehicleNumerical simulationWingtip vortex To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:aac7ef70-8959-4b0a-a5c6-e9ad805a1f91 DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1756829316638204 ISSN 1756-8293 Source International Journal of Micro Air Vehicles, 8 (1), 29-40 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2016 Tianhang Xiao, Zhengzhou Li, S. Deng, Haisong Ang, Xinchun Zhou Files PDF 1756829316638204.pdf 2.03 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:aac7ef70-8959-4b0a-a5c6-e9ad805a1f91/datastream/OBJ/view