Experimental and analytical analysis of aerodynamic lift of an ornithopter at low and high angles of attack. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bakhtiari, Abdolbaghi; Etemadi Haghighi, Shahram; Maghsoudpour, Adel
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Volume 233:Number 6(2019)
• Page Start: 2023
• Page End: 2031
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Ornithopter -- flapping wing -- high angle of attack -- potential flow theory; Aeronautics -- Periodicals; Astronautics -- Periodicals; Airplanes -- Design and construction -- Periodicals; Aerospace industries -- Periodicals; 629.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0954410018771175
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-4100

Abstract

In this study, a model based on potential flow theory is developed to analyze the unsteady nonlinear aerodynamics of a flexible flapping wing at low and high angles of attack. It is assumed that the wing motion is composed of twisting and flapping. The developed unsteady two-dimensional model is applied to the flapping wing using a blade-element-type method. The computational model presented in this study shows better agreement with experimental data especially at a high angle of attack. Analytical results also show that the wings section does not necessarily twist linearly along the wingspan.