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Three-dimensional effects in hovering flapping flight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2012

T. Jardin ,
A. Farcy  and
L. David
T. Jardin
Affiliation:
Institut Pprime, CNRS-Université de Poitiers-ENSMA, UPR3346, Département Fluides, Thermiques, Combustion, SP2MI, Téléport 2, Bd Marie et Pierre Curie, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil CEDEX, France
A. Farcy
Affiliation:
Institut Pprime, CNRS-Université de Poitiers-ENSMA, UPR3346, Département Fluides, Thermiques, Combustion, SP2MI, Téléport 2, Bd Marie et Pierre Curie, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil CEDEX, France
L. David
Affiliation:
Institut Pprime, CNRS-Université de Poitiers-ENSMA, UPR3346, Département Fluides, Thermiques, Combustion, SP2MI, Téléport 2, Bd Marie et Pierre Curie, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil CEDEX, France
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Abstract

This paper aims at understanding the influence of three-dimensional effects in hovering flapping flight. Numerical simulations at a Reynolds number of 1000 are performed to compare two types of flapping kinematics whose plunging phase is characterized by either a rectilinear translation or a revolving motion. In this way, we are able to isolate the three-dimensional effects induced by the free end condition from that induced by the spanwise incident velocity gradient (and the associated implicit Coriolis and centrifugal effects). In the rectilinear translation case, the analysis of the wake and of the aerodynamic loads reveals that the wingspan can be compartmented into three distinct regions whether it is predominantly subjected to an unstable two-dimensional flow, a stable three-dimensional flow or both two-dimensional and three-dimensional effects. It is found that this partitioning exhibits common features for three different aspect ratios of the wing. In conjunction with the previous results of Ringuette, Milano & Gharib (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 581, 2007, pp. 453–468), this suggests that the influence of the tip vortex over the wingspan is driven by a characteristic length scale. In addition, this length scale matches the position of the connecting point between leading and tip vortices observed in the revolving case, providing insight into the connecting process. In both translating and revolving cases, leading edge vortex attachment and strong spanwise velocities are found to be strongly correlated phenomena. Spanwise velocities (that mostly confine at the periphery of the vortices), together with downward velocities, do not only affect the leading edge vortex but also act as an inhibitor for the trailing edge vortex growth. As a consequence, cross-wake interactions between leading and trailing edge vortices are locally limited, hence contributing to flow stabilization.

JFM classification

Low-Reynolds-number flows: Low-Reynolds-number flows Vortex Flows: Vortex interactions Vortex Flows: Vortex shedding
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 702 , 10 July 2012 , pp. 102 - 125
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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