• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.30 no.9 s.252
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• pp.866-872
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• 2006

A numerical study on the propulsive characteristics of a biomimetic foil is done by developing an unsteady linearly-varying strength vortex method. A biomimetic foil is represented as a deforming foil with a tail fin. Present method is verified by comparing the simulated results with results using finite element and finite volume methods. A new boundary condition is imposed by considering the relative rotational velocity, which has not been included in the previous published literature. It is found that the undulation amplitude increases the thrust while maximum thickness is stepping down the thrust. It is also shown that there exists an optimal frequency for maximum thrust generation. It is believed that present results can be used in the investigation of the propulsive characteristics of the biomimetic deforming foil.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.9-17
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• 2005

The wake patterns and thrust characteristics of dual flapping airfoils in a biplane configuration are investigated using an unsteady panel method. To trace complicated wake shapes behind airfoils, a core addition scheme, a vortex core model, and the fourth order Runge-Kutta convection scheme are employed. Present results are verified by comparing them with flow visualization, exact solution and published computed results. The thickness and camber of thick airfoils has an effect of decreasing thrust. The airfoils produce maximum thrust when the phase angles between plunging and pitching motions are both 90 and 120 degrees. Thrust increases as the plunge velocity is increased, which is also found as the pitch amplitude is stepped up. Thrust decreases when the distance between the airfoils is less than 0.6c.