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Effects of three-dimensionality on thrust production by a pitching panel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2008

MELISSA A. GREEN  and
ALEXANDER J. SMITS
MELISSA A. GREEN
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
ALEXANDER J. SMITS
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Abstract

To understand the fluid dynamics of a biologically inspired unsteady low-aspect-ratio propulsor, unsteady pressure distributions were measured and compared with time-averaged thrust performance and wake visualizations. The experiments were performed on rigid rectangular panels with different aspect ratios, pitching in a uniform flow. Panel aspect ratio and pitching amplitude were shown to affect the magnitude and time dependence of the pressure distribution on the panel surface, the vorticity generation on the panel, and thrust production. A new scaling is proposed that includes these parameters and collapses the oscillating pressure magnitude and the thrust coefficient.

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Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 615 , 25 November 2008 , pp. 211 - 220
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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