This paper numerically studies the flow dynamics of aerial undulation of a snake-like model, which is adapted from the kinematics of the flying snake (Chrysopelea) undergoing a gliding process. The model applies aerial undulation periodically in a horizontal plane where a range of angle of attack (AOA) is assigned to model the real gliding motion. The flow is simulated using an immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible flow solver. Local mesh refinement mesh blocks are implemented to ensure the grid resolutions around the moving body. Results show that the undulating body produces the maximum lift at 45° of AOA. Vortex dynamics analysis has revealed a series of vortex structures including leading-edge vortices (LEV), trailing-edge vortices, and tip vortices around the body. Changes in other key parameters including the undulation frequency and Reynolds number are also found to affect the aerodynamics of the studied snake-like model, where increasing of undulation frequency enhances vortex steadiness and increasing of Reynolds number enhances lift production due to the strengthened LEVs. This study represents the first study of both the aerodynamics of the whole body of the snake as well as its undulatory motion, providing a new basis for investigating the mechanics of elongated flexible flyers.
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Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and aerodynamic performance in flying-snake-like gliding flight with horizontal undulation
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December 2022
Research Article|
December 13 2022
Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and aerodynamic performance in flying-snake-like gliding flight with horizontal undulation
Yuchen Gong (龚玉宸)
;
Yuchen Gong (龚玉宸)
(Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
, Charlottesville, Virginia 22093, USA
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Junshi Wang (王君实)
;
Junshi Wang (王君实)
a)
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
, Charlottesville, Virginia 22093, USA
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Wei Zhang (张伟)
;
Wei Zhang (张伟)
(Formal analysis, Resources, Software, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
, Charlottesville, Virginia 22093, USA
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John J. Socha
;
John J. Socha
(Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing)
2
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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Haibo Dong (董海波)
Haibo Dong (董海波)
b)
(Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
, Charlottesville, Virginia 22093, USA
b)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: hd6q@virginia.edu
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a)
Present address: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
b)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: hd6q@virginia.edu
Physics of Fluids 34, 121907 (2022)
Article history
Received:
September 12 2022
Accepted:
October 31 2022
Citation
Yuchen Gong, Junshi Wang, Wei Zhang, John J. Socha, Haibo Dong; Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and aerodynamic performance in flying-snake-like gliding flight with horizontal undulation. Physics of Fluids 1 December 2022; 34 (12): 121907. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0125546
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