On the fluid-structure interaction of flexible membrane wings for MAVs in and out of ground-effect
On the fluid-structure interaction of flexible membrane wings for MAVs in and out of ground-effect
Wind tunnel experiments are conducted at a Reynolds number of Re = 56,000, measuring rigid flat-plates and flexible membrane wings from free-flight into ground-effect conditions. Load cell measurements, digital image correlation and particle image velocimetry are applied in high-speed to resolve time-synchronised lift, drag and pitch oscillations simultaneously with membrane and flow dynamics. Proper orthogonal decomposition is applied on flow oscillations to determine their spatiotemporal evolution. Loads, membrane motions and flow dynamics are correlated to each other to investigate their underlying coupling physics. A membrane wing's ability of static cambering and dynamic membrane oscillations are found to be beneficial when the wing is in ground-effect, where the descent in height forces premature leading-edge vortex-shedding and drag increase. The dynamic motions of membrane wings help to exploit vortex-shedding dynamics from the leading-edge that ensures time-averaged reattached flow over the wing upper surface, resulting in further lift enhancement. Membrane wings show lag-free fluid-membrane coupling at peak-lift conditions. In post-stall conditions, the membrane is found to lag the flow dynamics, signalling the end of direct fluid-structure coupling.
Funded by European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (FA8655-12-1-2046).
membrane wings, ground-effect, Micro-Air-Vehicles, compliant wings, shape adaptable wings, low Reynolds number wings
University of Southampton
Bleischwitz, Robert
461358e1-6d90-4a9d-bc11-4a68595d4b7a
De Kat, Roeland
d46a99a4-8653-4698-9ef4-46dd0c77ba5d
Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram
5e69099f-2f39-4fdd-8a85-3ac906827052
Bleischwitz, Robert
461358e1-6d90-4a9d-bc11-4a68595d4b7a
De Kat, Roeland
d46a99a4-8653-4698-9ef4-46dd0c77ba5d
Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram
5e69099f-2f39-4fdd-8a85-3ac906827052
Bleischwitz, Robert, De Kat, Roeland and Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram
(2016)
On the fluid-structure interaction of flexible membrane wings for MAVs in and out of ground-effect.
University of Southampton
doi:10.5258/SOTON/401925
[Dataset]
Abstract
Wind tunnel experiments are conducted at a Reynolds number of Re = 56,000, measuring rigid flat-plates and flexible membrane wings from free-flight into ground-effect conditions. Load cell measurements, digital image correlation and particle image velocimetry are applied in high-speed to resolve time-synchronised lift, drag and pitch oscillations simultaneously with membrane and flow dynamics. Proper orthogonal decomposition is applied on flow oscillations to determine their spatiotemporal evolution. Loads, membrane motions and flow dynamics are correlated to each other to investigate their underlying coupling physics. A membrane wing's ability of static cambering and dynamic membrane oscillations are found to be beneficial when the wing is in ground-effect, where the descent in height forces premature leading-edge vortex-shedding and drag increase. The dynamic motions of membrane wings help to exploit vortex-shedding dynamics from the leading-edge that ensures time-averaged reattached flow over the wing upper surface, resulting in further lift enhancement. Membrane wings show lag-free fluid-membrane coupling at peak-lift conditions. In post-stall conditions, the membrane is found to lag the flow dynamics, signalling the end of direct fluid-structure coupling.
Funded by European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (FA8655-12-1-2046).
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Data_for_EPRINT.zip
- Dataset
More information
Published date: 2016
Keywords:
membrane wings, ground-effect, Micro-Air-Vehicles, compliant wings, shape adaptable wings, low Reynolds number wings
Organisations:
Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, Aerodynamics & Flight Mechanics Group, Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute
Projects:
TOWARDS BIOLOGICALLY-INSPIRED ACTIVE-COMPLIANT-WING MICRO-AIR-VEHICLES
Funded by: UNSPECIFIED (EP/J001465/1)
1 June 2012 to 30 November 2015
European Office of Aerospace Research and Development
Funded by: UNSPECIFIED (FA8655-12-1-2046)
UNSPECIFIED to UNSPECIFIED
Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship
Funded by: UNSPECIFIED (UNSPECIFIED)
1 May 2014 to 30 April 2017
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 401925
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/401925
PURE UUID: efc00536-8b5c-47bb-b798-94f21019c211
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Date deposited: 09 Dec 2016 13:22
Last modified: 05 Nov 2023 02:44
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Contributors
Creator:
Robert Bleischwitz
Creator:
Roeland De Kat
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