For the last few decades, an extensive research has been focused on flapping-wing aerodynamics to understand the generation of thrust due to pitching and plunging motions of an airfoil. However, most of the research emphasized an airfoil undergoing simple harmonic motion in either pitching or plunging motion. In this paper, a numerical study has been performed to estimate the thrust generated from a NACA0012 airfoil undergoing a periodic motion. The prescribed motion is created by an expression for harmonic and nonharmonic but periodic motions. The effects of these prescribed motions on thrust generation have been studied numerically for a Reynolds number of 20,000. It is observed that the thrust generated by the square and trapezoidal (periodic) plunging motions is much higher than the sinusoidal (harmonic) plunging motion. The effects of reduced frequency and amplitude of oscillations on the generation of thrust have also been studied. At higher reduced frequency and amplitudes, trapezoidal plunging motion generates higher thrust.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Numerical Study on Thrust Generation in an Airfoil Undergoing Nonsinusoidal Plunging Motion



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2018-04-20




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    Unknown



    Numerical Study of Nonsinusoidal Motion Effect on Plunging Airfoil Propulsion

    Lu, K. / Xie, Y. / Zhang, D. | British Library Online Contents | 2013



    Airfoil Thickness Effects on the Thrust Generation of Plunging Airfoils

    Yu, Meilin / Wang, Z. J. / Hu, Hui | AIAA | 2012


    Numerical Study on Thrust Generation Performance of Plunging Airfoils

    Gao, Ji / Yuan, Rui-Shan / Zhang, Ming-Hui et al. | Tema Archive | 2013


    Numerical Study on Thrust Generation Performance of Plunging Airfoils

    Gao, Ji ;Yuan, Rui Shan ;Zhang, Ming Hui | Trans Tech Publications | 2013