What is it about?

The interaction between these flapping motions and surrounding fluid will generate the lift and thrust required for propulsion. The formation of vortices over the wing surface, vortex shedding from the wing and evolution of vortices in the wake are identified. The wake vortex arrangement is compared for three different wing sizes.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

The influence of aspect ratio on the wake structure is of prime interest at the application level. The wake vortex structure influences the force generation on the flapping wing, thereby influencing the propulsive performance.

Perspectives

The primary mechanism of locomotion in natural fliers is the flapping motion of the wings. Understanding the unsteady aerodynamics will enable us to predict the variation of aerodynamic loading on the airfoil. The lift and thrust required for biological flight are engendered due to the interaction of this flapping motion with the surrounding fluid.

Dr Vineeth V K
Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Influence of aspect ratio on the wake dynamics of a pitching wing, Physics of Fluids, March 2022, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0082400.
You can read the full text:

Read

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page