Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV

Flow visualizations have been performed on a free flying, flapping-wing micro air vehicle (MAV), using a large-scale particle image velocimetry (PIV) approach. The PIV method involves the use of helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) as tracer particles. HFSB scatter light with much higher intensity than...

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Main Authors: Alejandro del Estal Herrero, Mustafa Percin, Matej Karasek, Bas van Oudheusden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-09-01
Series:Aerospace
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/5/4/99
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author Alejandro del Estal Herrero
Mustafa Percin
Matej Karasek
Bas van Oudheusden
author_facet Alejandro del Estal Herrero
Mustafa Percin
Matej Karasek
Bas van Oudheusden
author_sort Alejandro del Estal Herrero
collection DOAJ
description Flow visualizations have been performed on a free flying, flapping-wing micro air vehicle (MAV), using a large-scale particle image velocimetry (PIV) approach. The PIV method involves the use of helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) as tracer particles. HFSB scatter light with much higher intensity than regular seeding particles, comparable to that reflected off the flexible flapping wings. This enables flow field visualization to be achieved close to the flapping wings, in contrast to previous PIV experiments with regular seeding. Unlike previous tethered wind tunnel measurements, in which the vehicle is fixed relative to the measurement setup, the MAV is now flown through the measurement area. In this way, the experiment captures the flow field of the MAV in free flight, allowing the true nature of the flow representative of actual flight to be appreciated. Measurements were performed for two different orientations of the light sheet with respect to the flight direction. In the first configuration, the light sheet is parallel to the flight direction, and visualizes a streamwise plane that intersects the MAV wings at a specific spanwise position. In the second configuration, the illumination plane is normal to the flight direction, and visualizes the flow as the MAV passes through the light sheet.
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spelling doaj.art-fca01d65c41f4d76a802069befb6f9a72022-12-21T19:18:59ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102018-09-01549910.3390/aerospace5040099aerospace5040099Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIVAlejandro del Estal Herrero0Mustafa Percin1Matej Karasek2Bas van Oudheusden3Department of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2629HS Delft, The NetherlandsDepartment of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2629HS Delft, The NetherlandsDepartment of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2629HS Delft, The NetherlandsDepartment of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2629HS Delft, The NetherlandsFlow visualizations have been performed on a free flying, flapping-wing micro air vehicle (MAV), using a large-scale particle image velocimetry (PIV) approach. The PIV method involves the use of helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) as tracer particles. HFSB scatter light with much higher intensity than regular seeding particles, comparable to that reflected off the flexible flapping wings. This enables flow field visualization to be achieved close to the flapping wings, in contrast to previous PIV experiments with regular seeding. Unlike previous tethered wind tunnel measurements, in which the vehicle is fixed relative to the measurement setup, the MAV is now flown through the measurement area. In this way, the experiment captures the flow field of the MAV in free flight, allowing the true nature of the flow representative of actual flight to be appreciated. Measurements were performed for two different orientations of the light sheet with respect to the flight direction. In the first configuration, the light sheet is parallel to the flight direction, and visualizes a streamwise plane that intersects the MAV wings at a specific spanwise position. In the second configuration, the illumination plane is normal to the flight direction, and visualizes the flow as the MAV passes through the light sheet.http://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/5/4/99micro air vehicleflapping-wing MAVfree flight flow visualizationparticle image velocimetryhelium filled soap bubbles
spellingShingle Alejandro del Estal Herrero
Mustafa Percin
Matej Karasek
Bas van Oudheusden
Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
Aerospace
micro air vehicle
flapping-wing MAV
free flight flow visualization
particle image velocimetry
helium filled soap bubbles
title Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
title_full Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
title_fullStr Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
title_full_unstemmed Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
title_short Flow Visualization around a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Free Flight Using Large-Scale PIV
title_sort flow visualization around a flapping wing micro air vehicle in free flight using large scale piv
topic micro air vehicle
flapping-wing MAV
free flight flow visualization
particle image velocimetry
helium filled soap bubbles
url http://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/5/4/99
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