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Dynamic performance and wake structure of flapping plates with different shapes

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Abstract

The dynamic performance and wake structure of flapping plates with different shapes were studied using multi-block lattice Boltzman and immersed boundary method. Two typical regimes relevant to thrust behavior are identified. One is nonlinear relation between the thrust and the area moment of plate for lower area moment region and the other is linear relation for larger area moment region. The tendency of the power variation with the area moment is reasonably similar to the thrust behavior and the efficiency decreases gradually as the area moment increases. As the mechanism of the dynamic properties is associated with the evolution of vortical structures around the plate, the formation and evolution of vortical structures are investigated and the effects of the plate shape, plate area, Strouhal number and Reynolds number on the vortical structures are analyzed. The results obtained in this study provide physical insight into the understanding of the mechanisms relevant to flapping locomotion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China

    Gao-Jin Li, Nan-Sheng Liu & Xi-Yun Lu

Authors
  1. Gao-Jin Li
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  2. Nan-Sheng Liu
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  3. Xi-Yun Lu
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Correspondence to Xi-Yun Lu.

Additional information

The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11372304 and 11132010) and the 111 Project (B07033).

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Li, GJ., Liu, NS. & Lu, XY. Dynamic performance and wake structure of flapping plates with different shapes. Acta Mech Sin 30, 800–808 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-014-0112-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-014-0112-z

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