Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Power Extraction Performance of a Semi-activated Flapping Foil in Gusty Flow

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A numerical investigation on the power extraction performance of a semi-activated flapping foil in gusty flow is conducted by using the commercial software FLUENT. The foil is forced to pitch around the axis at one-third chord and heave in the vertical direction due to the period lift force. Different from previous work with uniform flow, an unsteady flow with cosinusoidal velocity profile is considered in this work. At a Reynolds number of 1100, the influences of the mechanical parameters (spring constant and damping coefficient), the amplitude and frequency of the pitching motion, the amplitude of the gust fluctuation and the phase difference between the pitching motion and the gusty flow on the power extraction performance are systematically investigated. Compared with the case of uniform flow, the capability energy harvesting of the system is enhanced by the introduction of the gusty flow. For a given pitching amplitude and frequency, the power extraction efficiency increases with the gust fluctuation amplitude. Moreover, with an optimal phase difference between pitch and gust (φ = 180°), the efficiency can be further enhanced due to the generation of high lift force.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhu Q. Optimal frequency for flow energy harvesting of a flapping foil. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2011, 675, 495–517.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Siala F, Liburdy J A. Energy harvesting of a heaving and forward pitching wing with a passively actuated trailing edge. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2015, 57, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Le T Q, Ko J H, Byun D, Park S H, Park H C. Effect of chord flexure on aerodynamic performance of a flapping wing. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2010, 7, 87–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Wu J, Shu C, Zhao N, Yan W. Fluid dynamics of flapping insect wing in ground effect. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2014, 11, 52–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Widhiarini S, Park J H, Yoon B S, Yoon K J, Paik I H, Kim J H, Park CY, Jun S M, Nam C. Bird-mimetic wing system of flapping-wing micro air vehicle with autonomous flight control capability. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2016, 13, 458–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Meng X, Sun M. Wing kinematics, aerodynamic forces and vortex-wake structures in fruit-flies in forward flight. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2016, 13, 478–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wu T Y. Extraction of flow energy by a wing oscillating in waves. Journal of Ship Research, 1972, 16, 66–78.

    Google Scholar 

  8. McKinney W, DeLaurier J. The Wingmill: An oscillating wing windmill. Journal of Energy, 1981, 5, 109–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jones K D, Platzer M F. Numerical computation of flapping-wing propulsion and power extraction. 35th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, USA, 1997, 97, 0826.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Liao J C, Beal D N, Lauder G V, Triantafyllou M S. Fish exploiting vortices decrease muscle activity. Science, 2003, 302, 1566–1569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Deng J, Shao X M, Yu Z S. Hydrodynamic studies of two wavy foils in tandem arrangement. Physics of Fluids, 2007, 19, 113104.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Kinsey T, Dumas G. Parametric study of an oscillating airfoil in a power-extraction regime. AIAA Journal, 2008, 46, 1318–1330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Xiao Q, Liao W, Yang S, Peng Y. How motion trajectory affects energy extraction performance of a biomimic energy generator with an oscillating foil? Renewable Energy, 2012, 37, 61–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kinsey T, Dumas G. Optimal tandem configuration for oscillating-foils hydrokinetic turbine. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 2012, 134, 031103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu W, Xiao Q, Cheng F. A bio-inspired study on tidal energy extraction with flexible flapping wings. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2013, 8, 036011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kinsey T, Dumas G. Optimal operating parameters for an oscillating foil turbine at Reynolds number 500,000. AIAA Journal, 2014, 52, 1885–1895.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Tian F B, Young J, Lai J C S. Improving power-extraction efficiency of a flapping plate: From passive deformation to active control. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2014, 51, 384–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Xiao Q, Zhu Q. A review on flow energy harvesters based on flapping foils. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2014, 46, 174–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Young J, Lai J C S, Platzer M F. A review of progress and challenges in flapping foil power generation. Progress in Aerospace Science, 2014, 67, 2–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhu Q, Peng Z. Mode coupling and flow energy harvesting by a flapping foil. Physics of Fluids, 2009, 21, 033601.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhu Q, Haase M, Wu C H. Modeling the capacity of a novel flow-energy harvester. Applied Mathematical Modelling, 2009, 33, 2207–2217.

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Abiru H, Yoshitake A. Study on a flapping wing hydroelectric power generation system. Journal of Environment & Engineering, 2011, 6, 178–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Wu J, Qiu Y L, Shu C, Zhao N. Pitching-motion-activated flapping foil near solid walls for power extraction: A numerical investigation. Physics of Fluids, 2014, 26, 083601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Ashraf M A, Young J, Lai J C S, Platzer M F. Numerical analysis of an oscillating-wing wind and hydropower generator. AIAA Journal, 2011, 49, 1374–1386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Teng L, Deng J, Pan D, Shao X. Effects of non-sinusoidal pitching motion on energy extraction performance of a semi-active flapping foil. Renewable Energy, 2016, 85, 810–818.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Prater R, Lian Y. Aerodynamic response of stationary and flapping wings in oscillatory low Reynolds number flows. 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Nashville, USA, 2012, 0418.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aerodynamics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, China

    Jiapu Zhan, Bing Xu, Jie Wu & Jing Wu

  2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Wind Turbine Design, Nanjing, 210016, China

    Jie Wu

Authors
  1. Jiapu Zhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bing Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jie Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jing Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jie Wu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhan, J., Xu, B., Wu, J. et al. Power Extraction Performance of a Semi-activated Flapping Foil in Gusty Flow. J Bionic Eng 14, 99–110 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(16)60381-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(16)60381-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation