Computational Study of Three-Dimensional Rigid Flapping Wings with Unequal Pitch/Plunge Frequency

초록

For a coupled pitch/plunge motion of a wing, the frequency difference between the pitch and plunge motion causes complex flow phenomena around the wing. Especially, there may exist an improvement of the aerodynamic performance when the wing flaps with the unequal pitch/plunge frequency. To investigate the effect of the unequal pitch/plunge motion on the aerodynamic performance, a parametric study of rigid wings in flapping motion is performed using a CFD solver. Three frequency ratios and four wings are considered in this study. It is found numerically that an improved aerodynamic performance can be realized when a right combination of the pitch and plunge frequencies, and that the optimal frequency ratio is dependent on the geometry of the wing.