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A Computational Study of Wall Effects on the Aeroelastic Behavior of Spanwise Flexible Wings

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Abstract

In this paper, we present a computational aeroelastic analysis of flexible flapping wings in the vicinity of solid walls. The wall effects change the aerodynamic forces and moments of the wings, and thus the aeroelastic behavior. The numerical simulation is carried out using a fluid–structure interaction framework by coupling the computational fluid dynamics and computational structural dynamics. A preconditioned Navier–Stokes solver based on a finite volume method is used for the aerodynamic analysis. The structural analysis is performed using a nonlinear structural model based on a geometrically exact beam formulation. The method is validated using previous numerical and experimental results. The aeroelastic characteristics of the flexible wings with and without the walls are computed and compared.

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Abbreviations

C L :

Lift coefficient

C *L :

Sectional lift coefficient

C T :

Thrust coefficient

C *T :

Sectional thrust coefficient

c :

Wing chord length

e :

Specific total energy

L :

Lift

T x :

Thrust

n :

Unit normal vector

p :

Pressure

T :

Temperature

T:

Period of a plunging motion

u :

Velocity component in the x direction

v :

Velocity component in the y direction

w :

Velocity component in the z direction

ρ :

Density

Ω :

Angular velocity

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Inha University and the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (2011-0029094).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Modeling and Simulation Team, Research Institute, Hanwha Defense, 6 Pangyo-ro 319 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, 13488, Republic of Korea

    Namhun Lee

  2. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inharo, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea

    Seungsoo Lee

  3. BK21 Plus Transformative Training Program for Creative Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    Haeseong Cho

  4. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Advanced Aerospace Technology, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    SangJoon Shin

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  1. Namhun Lee
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  2. Seungsoo Lee
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  4. SangJoon Shin
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Correspondence to Seungsoo Lee.

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Lee, N., Lee, S., Cho, H. et al. A Computational Study of Wall Effects on the Aeroelastic Behavior of Spanwise Flexible Wings. Int. J. Aeronaut. Space Sci. 20, 596–610 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42405-019-00168-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42405-019-00168-3

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