Aerodynamics of flapping wings in gusty environments
Penn State Berks
Abstract
Birds and insects can stabilize themselves in gusty environments with their flapping wings, surpassing what fixed-wing aerial vehicles can do in similar conditions. We hypothesized that the flapping movements of a wing can indeed suppress the effects of incoming gust structures by studying both the fluid flow surrounding the wing and the wing’s aerodynamic loading. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to observe the flow around the wing, and a force/torque transducer was used to measure the loads acting on it. With increasing Strouhal number, the circulation and the forces increased in magnitude, but the increase in the spread of both quantities, due to the gusts, lowered. This suggests better predictability of the flow and forces for plunging wings at higher St, which could be exploited for better stabilization against gusts.
Gallery of Fluid Motion and Flow Visualization Instruction
The Gallery of Fluid Motion is intended to be a visual record of the aesthetic and science of contemporary fluid mechanics, to be shared both with fellow researchers and the general public. An experimental course on flow visualization is offered to PSU students as a General Education course (PHOTO 321N). This course is part of the new GenEd integrative studies requirement intended to make integration between two knowledge domains: Art and Physics of Fluids. Students explore a variety of aesthetic issues in the form of practical and creative assignments. The course objectives are “integrative thinking”, “creative thinking”, and “effective communication”. Student projects are presented as a small Gallery of Fluid Motion at Berks. Best samples of student works are entered to the Annual Gallery of Fluid Motion competition at DFD which enables students to network with the scientist in the field. This course has proven to be very successful in attracting all students in both engineering and non-engineering majors.
About the speaker
Dr. Azar Panah is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State Berks. She completed her Ph.D. thesis at the University of Iowa on flow structures of flapping wings to understand how birds fly and how we as engineers can design a robot to fly like birds more efficiently. She loves fluid mechanics and is fascinated by the mechanics of flying birds. Her research vision is to understand natural locomotion in fluids such as air and water, and if possible to design novel unmanned vehicles. She is always game to investigate an interesting question in fluid mechanics, especially if she can recruit her undergraduate students to sleuth around and wonder with her. She also teaches the science and photography of Flow Visualization to make the physics of fluid flows (gases, liquids) visible. In 2021, Dr. Panah became the Coordinator of Gallery of Fluid Motion at the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS DFD), and it is an honor for her to serve the community in this capacity.
