• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.11b
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• pp.383-387
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• 2001

A mechanism of hovering flight of small insects which is called the Weis-Fogh mechanism is applied to ship propulsion. A model of the propulsion mechanism is based on a two-dimensional model of the Weis-Fogh mechanism and consists of one or two wings in a square channel. A model ship equipped with this propulsion mechanism was made, and working tests were performed in a sea. The model ship sailed very smoothly and the moving speed of the wing was small compared with the advancing speed of the ship.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1548-1554
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• 2001

Flow patterns and dynamic properties of two-stage Weis-Fogh type ship propulsion mechanism are studied by a discrete vortex method. To study mutual interference between two wings, two cases are con sidered - wing motions with the same and reverse phases. The predicted flow patterns correspond to the available flow visualization results. Time histories of thrust and drag coefficients are also calculated, and the interference between the two wings are numerically clarified.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2010

A model ship equipped with the Weis-Fogh type ship's propulsion mechanism, which is consisted of one wing in a squared channel, was constructed. Sailing and vibration tests of the model ship were performed with the opening angles in a pool. The results are summarized as follows. The thrust and the speed of model ship were the highest for the spring-type wing of which the opening angle is automatically controlled in one stroke. Moreover, these values were approximately reduced by 4% from $30^{\circ}$ opening angle to $15^{\circ}$ in order. The maximum amplitude and RMS values of the model ship were the lowest for the wing having the opening angle of $30^{\circ}$, but were the largest for spring-type wing. And in case of the same opening angle, these values were lower for the ship on sailing than that on stationary.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.709-717
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• 2017

In this study, a model of two-stage Weis-Fogh type water turbine model is proposed, the hydrodynamic characteristics of this water turbine model are calculated by the advanced vortex method. The basic conditions and the motion of each wing are the same as that of the single-stage model previously proposed by the same author. The two wings (NACA0010 airfoils) and both channel walls are approximated by source and vortex panels, and free vortices are introduced from the body surfaces. The distance between the front wing axis and the rear wing axis, and the phase difference between the motion of the two wings, which is in phase and out of phase are set as the calculation parameters. For each case, the unsteady flow fields, pressure fields, force coefficients, and efficiency of the two wings are calculated, and the hydrodynamic characteristics of the proposed water turbine model are discussed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2017

In this study, the visualization of the unsteady flow field of a Weis-Fogh-type water turbine was investigated using particle-image velocimetry. The visualization experiments were performed in a parameter range that provided relatively high-efficiency wing conditions, that is, at a wing opening angle ${\alpha}=40^{\circ}$ and at a velocity ratio of the uniform flow to the moving wing U/V = 1.5~2.5. The flow fields at the opening, translational, and closing stages were investigated for each experimental parameter. In the opening stage, the fluid was drawn in between the wing and wall at a velocity that increased with an increase in the opening angle and velocity ratio. In the translational stage, the fluid on the pressure face of the wing moved in the direction of the wing motion, and the boundary layer at the back face of the wing was the thinnest and had a velocity ratio of 2.0. In the closing stage, the fluid between the wing and wall was jetted at a velocity that increased as the opening angle decreased; however, the velocity was independent of the velocity ratio.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2014

In this study, the hydrodynamic characteristics of Weis-Fogh type water turbine were calculated by the advanced vortex method. The wing (NACA0010 airfoil) and both channel walls were approximated by source and vortex panels, and free vortices are introduced away from the body surfaces. The distance from the trailing edge of the wing to the wing axis, the width of the water channel and the maximum opening angle were selected as the calculation parameters, the important design factors. The maximum efficiency and the power coefficient for one wing of this water turbine were 26% and 0.4 at velocity ratio U/V=2.0 respectively. The flow field of this water turbine is very complex because the wing moves unsteadily in the channel. However, using the advanced vortex method, it could be calculated accurately.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.52-61
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted in attempt of improving hydrodynamic efficiency of the propulsion mechanism by installing a spring to the wing so that the opening angle of the wing in one stroke can be changed automatically, compared to the existing method of fixed maximum opening angle in Weis-Fogh type ship propulsion mechanism. Average thrust coefficient was almost fixed with all velocity ratio with the prototype, but with the spring type, thrust coefficient increased sharply as velocity ratio increased. Average propulsive efficiency was larger with bigger opening angle in the prototype, but in the spring type, the one with smaller spring coefficient had larger value. In the range over 1.0 in velocity ratio where big thrust can be generated, spring type had more than twice of propulsive efficiency increase compared to the prototype.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.769-778
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• 2005

The velocity and pressure fields of a ship's Weis-Fogh type propulsion mechanism are studied in this paper using an advanced vortex method. The wing (NACA0010 airfoil) and channel are approximated by source and vortex panels. and free vortices are introduced away from the body surfaces. The viscous diffusion of fluid is represented using the core-spreading model to the discrete vortices. The velocity is calculated on the basis of the generalized Biot-Savart law and the pressure field is calculated from an integral, based on the instantaneous velocity and vorticity distributions in the flow field. Two-dimensional unsteady viscous flow calculations of this propulsion mechanism are shown. and the calculated results agree qualitatively with the measured thrust and drag due to un-modeled large fluctuations in the measured data.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1036-1043
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• 2008

The Flow fields of a ship's propulsion mechanism of Weis-Fogh type were investigated by the PIV. Velocity vectors and velocity profiles around the operating and stationary wings were observed at opening angles of ${\alpha}=15^{\circ} and $30^{\circ}$, velocity ratios of V/U=$0.5{\sim}1.5$ and Reynolds number of Re=$0.52{\times}10^4{\sim}1.0{\times}10^4$. As the results the fluid between wing and wall was inhaled in the opening stage and was jet in the closing stage. The wing in the translating stage accelerated the fluid in the channel. And the flow fields of this propulsion mechanism were unsteady and complex, but those were clarified by flow visualization using the PIV.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1257-1266
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• 2000

The flow field if a ship's propulsion mechanism of Weis-Fogh type is studied by the discrete vertex method. The wing in a channel is approximated by a finite number of bound vortices, and free vortices representing the separated flow are introduced from the trailing edge if the wing. The time histories of the thrust, the drag, and the moment acting on the wing are calculated, including the unsteady force due to the change of strength of the bound vortices. These calculated values agree well with the experimental values. The flow field of this propulsion mechanism is numerically clarified.