Biomimetic Wings

Abstract:

An experimental analysis is performed in a wind tunnel on wings with wavy leading edge derived from humpback whale flippers. The major peculiarity of such flippers is given by the presence of several bumps placed along the leading edge, called tubercles, giving rise to a sort of wing with irregular wavy leading edge. Specifically, the important question to be solved is if the tubercles are able to delay wing stall and to attain higher lift in comparison to a standard wing without them. The present investigations employ different measurement techniques in order to evaluate the amount of possible gain, the potential drawbacks and the physics under such a phenomenon.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 84)
• Pages: 72-77
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.84.72
• Online since: September 2012
• Authors: Giuseppe Sisinni, Domenico Pietrogiacomi, Giovanni Paolo Romano
• Keywords: Lift, PIV, Tubercles, Wings

References

[1] Miklosovic D.S., Murray, M. M, Howle L.E., Fish F.E., 2004: Leading-Edge Tubercles Delay Stall on Humpback Whale Flippers, Physics of Fluids Vol. 16, p. L39.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1688341

[2] Miklosovic D.S., Murray M.M. and Howle L.E., 2007: Experimental evaluation of sinusoidal leading edges, Journal of Aircraft, 44(4): 1404–1407.

DOI: 10.2514/1.30303

[3] Watts P. and Fish F.E., 2001: The Influence of Passive Leading Edge Tubercles on Wing Performance, Proc 11th Int. Sympos. on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology.

[4] Stanway M. J, 2008: Hydrodynamic effect of leading edge tubercles on control surfaces and in flapping foil propulsion. Thesis submitted to Massachusetts Institute of technology.