Fluid Mechanics & Aerodynamics

Fluid Mechanics & Aerodynamics

Experimental Investigation of the Aerodynamic Coefficients of a Flapping Wing with Combined Bulk and Membrane Parts

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD student, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In the present study, the experimental extraction of aerodynamic coefficients of a research-based flapping wing including of a featuring thick wing-part and a shell-type wing-part is investigated. This designed flapping wing mechanism has one degree of freedom with predominantly plunging motion, which could in turn generate an oscillatory wing movement in a wind tunnel. In this experimental study, airflow velocity, flapping frequency, and angle of attack have been considered as adjustable flight variables for the experimental tests. The variations of the thrust force coefficient with respect to the reduced frequency on the constant angle-of-attack contours have been measured and plotted. Additionally, lift coefficient curves with respect to the angle of attack for constant reduced-frequency contours have been measured and analyzed. Both these extracted curves and the performance indices were measured at airspeeds ranging from 5 to 10 m/s. In order to eliminate the static effect of geometry in force measurement, the technique of subtracting two states of fixed wing conditions and flapping wing conditions has been utilized. The extracted results demonstrate the relationship between kinematic parameters, such as airflow speed, flapping frequency, and angle of attack, with performance indices such as lift and thrust coefficients.
Keywords

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