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Technical Note

Experimental study of flapping wing lift and propulsion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

Ian Fejtek  and
John Nehera
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Extract

An experimental study was undertaken to measure the instantaneous lift and propulsive forces generated by a rigid, sinusoidally flapping wing at Reynolds numbers ranging from 72 000 to 120 000. The wing was flapped about a fulcrum at the root at frequencies of 2.55 Hz and 3.30 Hz. Instrumentation and a data reduction system were developed to provide quick and reliable assessment of the effects of changes in flapping amplitude, flapping frequency, flapping plane angle, wing incidence, and windspeed. In this way it was attempted to model, however crudely, the forward flapping flight of birds.

The instantaneous values of lift coefficient and thrust coefficient were plotted against position in the cycle while the average CL and CT were plotted against advance ratio (ratio of the windspeed to the maximum tip speed velocity). The experimental results were compared to the theories of Walker(e) and Hoist ' Kuchemann(4) both modified to correspond more closely to the experimental conditions.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 84 , Issue 829 , January 1980 , pp. 28 - 33
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1980 

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References

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