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A comparison of the flow around a flexible and a non‐flexible airfoil for flapping wing propulsion
Author(s) -
Bansmer S.,
Unger R.,
Kähler C.,
Haupt M.,
Radespiel R.,
Horst P.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
pamm
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1617-7061
DOI - 10.1002/pamm.200810481
Subject(s) - airfoil , flapping , particle image velocimetry , laminar flow , turbulence , aerospace engineering , mechanics , aerodynamics , acoustics , flow (mathematics) , physics , wing , engineering
The flow around flapping airfoils is evaluated using the Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. Resulting from the measurements is the distribution of the turbulent shear stress. This serves as an indicator for the position of transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The distributions were compared for both a flapping non–flexible airfoil and a flexible airfoil. It was determined that there are differences between the flow around the flexible and the non–flexible airfoils. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)