Print Email Facebook Twitter A predictive quasi-steady model of aerodynamic loads on flapping wings Title A predictive quasi-steady model of aerodynamic loads on flapping wings Author Wang, Q. (TU Delft Computational Design and Mechanics) Goosen, J.F.L. (TU Delft Computational Design and Mechanics) van Keulen, A. (TU Delft Computational Design and Mechanics) Date 2016 Abstract Quasi-steady aerodynamic models play an important role in evaluating aerodynamic performance and conducting design and optimization of flapping wings. The kinematics of flapping wings is generally a resultant motion of wing translation (yaw) and rotation (pitch and roll). Most quasi-steady models are aimed at predicting the lift and thrust generation of flapping wings with prescribed kinematics. Nevertheless, it is insufficient to limit flapping wings to prescribed kinematics only since passive pitching motion is widely observed in natural flapping flights and preferred for the wing design of flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs). In addition to the aerodynamic forces, an accurate estimation of the aerodynamic torque about the pitching axis is required to study the passive pitching motion of flapping flights. The unsteadiness arising from the wing’s rotation complicates the estimation of the centre of pressure (CP) and the aerodynamic torque within the context of quasi-steady analysis. Although there are a few attempts in literature to model the torque analytically, the involved problems are still not completely solved. In this work, we present an analytical quasi-steady model by including four aerodynamic loading terms. The loads result from the wings translation, rotation, their coupling as well as the added-mass effect. The necessity of including all the four terms in a quasi-steady model in order to predict both the aerodynamic force and torque is demonstrated. Validations indicate a good accuracy of predicting the CP, the aerodynamic loads and the passive pitching motion for various Reynolds numbers. Moreover, compared to the existing quasi-steady models, the presented model does not rely on any empirical parameters and thus is more predictive, which enables application to the shape and kinematics optimization of flapping wings. Subject aerodynamicsflow–structure interactionsswimming/flying To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d87c3c65-8eed-41aa-84d8-9d0e2b8af0a1 DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.413 Embargo date 2017-01-13 ISSN 0022-1120 Source Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 800, 688-719 Bibliographical note Accepted Author Manuscript Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2016 Q. Wang, J.F.L. Goosen, A. van Keulen Files PDF manuscript.pdf 682.99 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:d87c3c65-8eed-41aa-84d8-9d0e2b8af0a1/datastream/OBJ/view