The aerodynamic performance of an oscillating pitching and plunging foil operating in the energy harvesting mode is investigated. Experiments are conducted in a closed-loop recirculating wind tunnel at Reynolds numbers of 24,000 to 48,000, and reduced frequencies (k = fc/u) of 0.042 to 0.083. Foil kinematics are varied through the...
Flexible aerodynamic surfaces have been shown to favorably influence flight characteristics at low Reynolds numbers by increasing lift, angle of attack at stall, and resistance to perturbation. The objective of the research presented within this thesis is to investigate the influence of two aspects of flight observed in biological flyers,...
Airfoil flow simulation tests were carried out in a 20-inch
diameter double layer circular electrolytic tank. Results of the
tests indicate that the tank very closely approximates ideal conditions.
The double layer circular electrolytic tank is shown to
generate a very large rectangular tank. Formulas were derived to
show that...
An analytical model leading to the pressure distribution on
the cross section of a Darrieus Rotor Blade (airfoil) was constructed. The model was based on the inviscid flow theory and the contribution of the nonsteady wake vortices was neglected. The
analytical model was translated into a computer code in order...