Propulsion by an Oscillating Thin Airfoil at Low Reynolds Number

Roel Müller, Akira Oyama, Kozo Fuji, Harry Hoeijmakers

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    This paper describes an investigation of the mechanisms producing thrust for an airfoil performing a pitching or heaving motion in a low Reynolds-number flow (Re = 1000, based on chord length) by analysis of numerically obtained flow fields and forces on the airfoil. For heaving motion the dependence on reduced frequency and non-dimensional heaving amplitude are examined. For pitching motion the reduced frequency and the center of rotation are varied. The vortex generated by the leading edge is found to be determinant for thrust by heaving motion. Pitching propulsion is shown to be an effect of coupled acceleration and inclination of the airfoil.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationComputational Fluid Dynamics
    EditorsHaecheon Choi, Hyoung Gwon Choi, Jung Yul Yoo
    Place of PublicationBerlin-Heidelberg, Duitsland
    PublisherSpringer
    Pages241-246
    ISBN (Electronic)978-3-642-01273-0
    ISBN (Print)978-3-642-01272-3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Jul 2009

    Keywords

    • n/a OA procedure

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