• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.48-53
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• 2005

In this paper, we present our recent progress in the LIPCA (Lightweight Piezo-Composite Actuator) application for actuation of a flapping wing device. The flapping device uses linkage system that can amplify the actuation displacement of LIPCA. The feathering mechanism is also designed and implemented such that the wing can rotate during flapping. The natural flapping-frequency of the device was about 9 Hz, where the maximum flapping angle was achieved. The flapping test under 4 Hz to 15 Hz flapping frequency was performed to investigate the flapping performance by measuring the produced lift and thrust. Maximum lift and thrust were produced when the flapping device was actuated at about the natural flapping-frequency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.719-722
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• 2005

In this paper, we present out recent progress in the LIPCA (Lightweight Piezo-Composite Actuator) application for actuation of a flapping wing device. The flapping device uses linkage system that can amplify the actuation displacement of LIPCA. The feathering mechanism is also designed and implemented such that the wing can rotate during flapping. The natural flapping-frequency of the device was about 9 Hz, where the maximum flapping angle was achieved. The flapping test under 5 Hz to 15 Hz flapping frequency was performed to investigate the flapping performance by measuring the produced lift and thrust. Maximum lift and thrust were produced when the flapping device was actuated at about the natural flapping-frequency.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.86-103
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• 2006

Using a combination of force transducer measurement to quantify net lift force, high frame rate camera to quantify and subtract inertial contributions, and Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) to calculate aerodynamic contributions in the spanwise plane, the contribution of spanwise flow to the generation of lift force in wings undergoing a pure flapping motion in hover is shown as a function of flapping angle throughout the flapping cycle. These experiments were repeated at various flapping frequencies and for various wing planform sizes for flat plate and span wise cambered wings. Despite the previous identification of the importance of span wise fluid structures in the generation of lift force in flapping wings throughout the existing body of literature, the direct contribution of spanwise flow to lift force generated has not previously been quantified. Therefore, in the same manner as commonly applied to investigate the chordwise lift distribution across an airfoil in flapping wings, spanwise flow due to bulk flow and rotational fluid dynamic mechanisms will be investigated to validate the existence of a direct component of the lift force originating from the flapping motion in the spanwise plane instead.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2007

Using the more common conventional chordwise aerodynamic approach, flapping a flat plate wing with zero degree chordwise pitch angle of attack and no relative wind should not produce lift. However, in hover, with no forward relative velocity and zero degree chordwise pitch angle of attack, flapping flat plate wings does in fact produce lift. In the experiments peformed for this paper, the flapping motion is considered pure(downstroke and upstroke) with no flapping stroke plane inclination angle. No changes in chordwise pitch angle are made. The total force is measured using a force transducer and the net aerodynamic force is determined from this measured total force by subtracting the experimentally determined inertial contribution. These experiments were repeated at various flapping frequencies and for various wing planform sizes for flat plate wings. The trends in the aerodynamic lift variation found using a force transducer have nearly identical shape for various flapping frequencies and wing planform sizes.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.828-834
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• 2019

Researchers have previously proven that the flapping motion of the hydrofoil can convert wave energy into propulsive energy. However, the estimation of thrust forces generated by the flapping foil placed in waves remains a challenging task for ocean engineers owing to the complex dynamics and uncertainties involved. In this study, the flapping foil system consists of a rigid NACA0015 section undergoing harmonic flapping motion and a passively actuated elastic flat plate attached to the leading edge of the rigid foil. We have experimentally measured the thrust force generated due to the flapping motion of a rigid foil attached to an elastic plate in a wave flume, and the effects of the elastic plates have been discussed in detail. Furthermore, an empirical formula was introduced to predict the thrust force of a flapping foil based on our experimental results using multiple regression analysis.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.24-32
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• 2003

In this work, we propose a new idea of flapping airfoil design for optimal aerodynamic performance from detailed computational investigations of flow physics. Generally, flapping motion which is combined with pitching and plunging motion of airfoil, leads to complex flow features such as leading edge separation and vortex street. As it is well known, the mechanism of thrust generation of flapping airfoil is based on inverse Karman-vortex street. This vortex street induces jet-like flow field at the rear region of trailing edge and then generates thrust. The leading edge separation vortex can also play an important role with its aerodynamic performances. The flapping airfoil introduces an alternative propulsive way instead of the current inefficient propulsive system such as a propeller in the low Reynolds number flow. Thrust coefficient and propulsive efficiency are the two major parameters in the design of flapping airfoil as propulsive system. Through numerous computations, we found the specific physical flow phenomenon which governed the aerodynamic characteristics in flapping airfoil. Based on this physical insight, we could come up with a new kind of airfoil of tadpole-shaped and more enhanced aerodynamic performance.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.67-87
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• 2012

A dragonfly inspired flapping wing is investigated in this paper. The flapping wing is actuated from the root by a PZT-5H and PZN-7%PT single crystal unimorph in the piezofan configuration. The non-linear governing equations of motion of the smart flapping wing are obtained using the Hamilton's principle. These equations are then discretized using the Galerkin method and solved using the method of multiple scales. Dynamic characteristics of smart flapping wings having the same size as the actual wings of three different dragonfly species Aeshna Multicolor, Anax Parthenope Julius and Sympetrum Frequens are analyzed using numerical simulations. An unsteady aerodynamic model is used to obtain the aerodynamic forces. Finally, a comparative study of performances of three piezoelectrically actuated flapping wings is performed. The numerical results in this paper show that use of PZN-7%PT single crystal piezoceramic can lead to considerable amount of wing weight reduction and increase of lift and thrust force compared to PZT-5H material. It is also shown that dragonfly inspired smart flapping wings actuated by single crystal piezoceramic are a viable contender for insect scale flapping wing micro air vehicles.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.39-44
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• 2006

The unsteady vortex lattice method is used to model lead-lag in flapping motions of a rectangular flat plate wing. The results for plunging and pitching motions were compared with the limited experimental results available and other numerical methods. They show that the method is capable of simulating many of the features of complex flapping flight. The lift, thrust and propulsive efficiency of a rectangular flat plate wing have been calculated for various lead-lag motion and reduced frequency with an amplitude of flapping angle(20o). To describe a motion profile of wing tip such as elliptic, line and circle, the phase difference of flapping and lead-lag motion was changed. And the effects of the motion profile on the aerodynamic characteristics of the flapping wing are discussed by examination of their trends.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1385-1391
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• 2010

In this study, we present small-size, low-power, and high-speed electromagnetic flapping shutters for phone cameras. These shutters are composed of trapezoidal twin blades suspended by H-type torsional springs. The existing electrostatic rolling and flapping shutters need high input voltage, while the existing electromagnetic rotating shutters are too big to be used for phone cameras. To achieve low-power and high-speed angle motion for small-size electromagnetic flapping shutters for camera phones, low-inertia trapezoidal twin blades, each suspended by the low-stiffness H-type torsional springs, are employed. The electromagnetic flapping shutters used in this experimental study have steady-state rotational angles of $48.8{\pm}1.4^{\circ}$ and $64.4{\pm}1.0^{\circ}$ in the magentic fields of 0.15 T and 0.30 T, respectively, for an input current of 60 mA; the maximum overshoot angles are $80.2{\pm}3.5^{\circ}$ and $90.0{\pm}1.0^{\circ}$ in the magentic fields of 0.15 T and 0.30 T, respectively. The rising/settling times of the shutter while opening are 1.0 ms/20.0 ms, while those while closing are 1.7 ms/10.3 ms. Thus, we experimentally demonstrated that the smallsize (${\sim}8{\times}8{\times}2\;mm^3$), low-power (${\leq}60\;mA$), and high-speed (~1/370 s) electromagnetic flapping shutters are suitable for phone cameras.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.44-52
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• 2002

Aerodynamic characteristics of a flapping airfoil in low Reynolds number flows are numerically studied using the unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes flow solver with a two-equation turbulence model. For more efficient computation of unsteady flows over flapping airfoil, the flow solver is parallel-implemented by MPI programming method Unsteady computations are performed for low Reynolds number flows over a NACA four-digit series airfoils. Effects of pitching, plunging, and flapping motion with different reduced frequency, amplitude, thickness and camber on aerodynamic characteristics are investigated. Present computational results yield a better agreement in thrust at various reduced frequency with experimental data.