Aerodynamic Performance of a Flapping Wing Inspired by Bats

Abstract:

Bio-inspiration is a design method where natural observation was used to solve a mechanical problem. In this study, a bio-inspiration meth-od was used to design a flapping wing for a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) that is inspired by bat wings. The objective of this study is to study the aerodynamic performance of a flapping wing based on bat wings at different angles of attack. This is done using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation where the aerodynamic performance a wing derived from a natural bat wing shape was studied. The wing was generated by tracing the wing shape of a bat wing and the shape was generalized to produce the wing shape. In the simulation, a 2-way Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) method was used where a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) solver was coupled with a CFD solver to simulate the wing during flapping flight. The flight condition was set at 1 m/s flight speed at a flapping frequency of 2.5Hz. From the results, it was shown that the wing has a zero-lift angle at 0^o and a stall angle at 16^o. It is also shown that the wing has a minimum drag angle at 3^o and a maximum aerodynamic efficiency at angle of attack 12^o.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 899)
• Pages: 42-49
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.899.42
• Online since: June 2020
• Authors: Shafiq Suhaimi*, Solehuddin Shuib, Hamid Yusoff, A. Halim Kadarman
• Keywords: Bio-Inspiration, Bio-Mimicry, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Fluid Structure Interactions, Micro Air Vehicles

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