Optimization of flapping airfoils for maximum thrust and propulsive efficiency

Download
2005-11-01
The thrust and/or propulsive efficiency of a single flapping airfoil is-maximized by using a numerical optimization method based on the steepest ascent. The flapping motion of the airfoil is described by a combined sinusoidal plunge and pitching motion. Optimization parameters are taken to be the amplitudes of the plunge and pitching motions and the phase shift between them at a fixed flapping frequency. Two-dimensional, unsteady, low-speed, laminar, and turbulent flows are computed by using a Navier-Stokes solver on moving overset grids. Computations are performed in parallel in a computer cluster. The optimization data show that high thrust values may be obtained at the expense of propulsive efficiency. For a high propulsive efficiency, the effective angle of attack of the airfoil is reduced, and large-scale vortex formations at the leading edge are prevented.
AIAA JOURNAL

Suggestions

Optimization of flapping motion of airfoils in biplane configuration for maximum thrust and/or efficiency
Kaya, Mustafa; Tuncer, İsmail Hakkı; Jones, Kevin D.; Platzer, Max F. (2007-01-01)
Flapping motion of airfoils in a biplane configuration are optimized for maximizing the thrust and propulsive efficiency. Unsteady flowfields over airfoils flapping in a combined plunge and pitch are computed with a parallel viscous flow solver on moving and deforming overset grids. The amplitudes of the sinusoidal pitch and plunge motions and the phase shift between them are optimized at a fixed flapping frequency and average distance between two airfoils. A gradient based optimization algorithm is impleme...
Numerical Simulation of a Flapping Micro Aerial Vehicle Through Wing Deformation Capture
Tay, W. B.; de Baar, J. H. S.; Perçin, Mustafa; Deng, S.; van Oudheusden, B. W. (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 2018-8)
Three-dimensional numerical simulations of a four-wing flapping micro aerial vehicle (FMAV) with actual experimentally captured wing membrane kinematics have been performed using an immersed boundary method Navier-Stokes finite volume solver. To successfully simulate the clap and fling motion involving the wing intersection, the numerical solver has been specifically modified to use a newly improved interpolation template searching algorithm to prevent divergence. Reasonable agreement was found between the ...
Optimization of Flapping Motion Parameters for Two Airfoils in a Biplane Configuration
Kaya, Mustafa; Tuncer, İsmail Hakkı; Jones, Kevin D.; Platzer, Max F. (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 2009-03-01)
Flapping motion parameters of airfoils in a biplane configuration are optimized for maximum thrust and/or propulsive efficiency. Unsteady, viscous flowfields over airfoils flapping in a combined plunge and pitch are computed with a parallel flow solver on moving and deforming overset grids. The amplitudes of the sinusoidal pitch and plunge motions and the phase shift between them are optimized for a range of flapping frequencies. A gradient-based optimization algorithm is implemented in a parallel computing...
Estimation of effective parameters and operational response of tuned vibration absorbers
Özden, Hasan Can; Özgen, Gökhan Osman; Department of Mechanical Engineering (2019)
In this study, swing up and stabilization of on/off type of cold gas thruster driven inverted pendulum is accomplished. First, pulse width modulator (PWM) design method is generated to obtain quasi-linear thrust output from on/off type of thruster. Than, single axis angle controller is designed. Designed angle controller and PWM scheme are tested and verified on single axis angle control test setup. Finally, an other freedom is attached to single axis test setup and rotary inverted pendulum (Furuta Pendulum...
Implementation and assessment of k-omega-gamma transition model for turbulent flows
Karabay, Sami; Baran, Özgür Uğraş; Department of Mechanical Engineering (2022-5-09)
The transition from laminar flow to turbulence is challenging to model in CFD. Due to the complex nature of transition, it is neglected in CFD codes usually by assuming the flow is fully turbulent. However, this results in missing the fundamental characteristics of the flow and inaccurate predictions of the flow field. Although there are several transition models, most of them cannot be used in CFD simulations due to practical issues or low accuracy. Yet, some of these models are promising and candidates to...
Citation Formats
İ. H. Tuncer and M. Ç. Kaya, “Optimization of flapping airfoils for maximum thrust and propulsive efficiency,” AIAA JOURNAL, pp. 2329–2336, 2005, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/29913.