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With the recent increase in the design of light and flexible structures, numerical investigations of fluid and structure together play a significant role in most engineering applications. Therefore, the current study presents an examination of fluid-structure interaction involving flexible structures. The problem is numerically solved by a commercial software ANSYS-Workbench. Two-way coupled three-dimensional transient simulations are carried out for the flexible flaps of different thicknesses in glycerin for a laminar flow and Reynolds number ranging from 3 < Re < 12. The bending line of the flaps is compared with experimental data for different alignments of the flaps relative to the fluid flow. The study reports the computation of the maximum tip-deflection and deformation of flaps fixed at the bottom and mounted normal to the flow. Additionally, drag coefficients for flexible flaps are computed and flow regimes in the wake of the flaps are presented. As well, the study gives an understanding on how the fluid response changes as the structure deforms and the model is appropriate to predict the behavior of thick and comparatively thinner flaps. The results are sufficiently encouraging to consider the present model for analyzing turbulent flow processes against flexible objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent increase in the design of light and flexible structures, numerical investigations of fluid and structure together play a significant role in most engineering applications. Therefore, the current study presents an examination of fluid-structure interaction involving flexible structures. The problem is numerically solved by a commercial software ANSYS-Workbench. Two-way coupled three-dimensional transient simulations are carried out for the flexible flaps of different thicknesses in glycerin for a laminar flow and Reynolds number ranging from 3 < Re < 12. The bending line of the flaps is compared with experimental data for different alignments of the flaps relative to the fluid flow. The study reports the computation of the maximum tip-deflection and deformation of flaps fixed at the bottom and mounted normal to the flow. Additionally, drag coefficients for flexible flaps are computed and flow regimes in the wake of the flaps are presented. As well, the study gives an understanding on how the fluid response changes as the structure deforms and the model is appropriate to predict the behavior of thick and comparatively thinner flaps. The results are sufficiently encouraging to consider the present model for analyzing turbulent flow processes against flexible objects.

Experiments with elastic flaps applied on a common airfoil profile were performed to investigate positive effects on lift and drag coefficients. An NACA0020 profile was mounted on a force balance and placed in a wind tunnel. Elastic flaps were attached in rows at different positions on the upper profile surface. The Reynolds number of the flow based on the chord length of the profile is about 2 × 10 5 . The angle of attack is varied to identify the pre- and post-stall effects of the flaps. Polar diagrams are presented for different flap configurations to compare the effects of the flaps. The results showed that flaps generally increase the drag coefficient due to the additional skin friction and pressure drag. Furthermore, a significant increase of lift in the stall region was observed. The highest efficiency was obtained for the configuration with flaps at the leading and trailing edges of the profile. In this case, the critical angle was delayed and lift was increased in pre- and post-stall regions. This flap configuration was used in a gust simulation in the wind tunnel to model unsteady incoming flow at a critical angle of attack. This investigation showed that the flow separation at the critical angle was prevented. Additionally, smoke−wire experiments were performed for the stall region in order to visualize the flow around the airfoil. The averaged flow field results showed that the leading-edge flaps lean the flow more towards the airfoil surface and reduce the size of the separated region. This reduction improves the airfoil performance in the deep stall region.

Self-adaptive and flexible flaps adopted to low Reynolds number airfoils are able to improve the airfoil performance near to and in the stall regime. In the present study, experiments are carried out in a wind tunnel using a NACA0020 airfoil for a Reynolds number of 2 × 1 0 5 . Passive, flexible flap rows are attached to the leading and also the trailing edge of the airfoil. Its angle of attack is adjusted to 2 5 ∘ to achieve flow separation. A previous study has shown that the performance of the airfoil with flaps is much better in comparison with the flapless airfoil. In order to understand details of the underlying mechanism, the present study investigates the time-resolved behavior of the flaps. Therefore, the stereo vision technique is applied to record the edge of selected flaps. Afterwards, flap positions are reconstructed for each recorded image pair. With this information, the velocity and the frequency of the flap edge is derived. The analysis of the flap kinematics reveals among others a non-harmonic mean oscillatory behavior of the flap with slow upward and fast downward motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments with elastic flaps applied on a common airfoil profile were performed to investigate positive effects on lift and drag coefficients. An NACA0020 profile was mounted on a force balance and placed in a wind tunnel. Elastic flaps were attached in rows at different positions on the upper profile surface. The Reynolds number of the flow based on the chord length of the profile is about 2 × 10 5 . The angle of attack is varied to identify the pre- and post-stall effects of the flaps. Polar diagrams are presented for different flap configurations to compare the effects of the flaps. The results showed that flaps generally increase the drag coefficient due to the additional skin friction and pressure drag. Furthermore, a significant increase of lift in the stall region was observed. The highest efficiency was obtained for the configuration with flaps at the leading and trailing edges of the profile. In this case, the critical angle was delayed and lift was increased in pre- and post-stall regions. This flap configuration was used in a gust simulation in the wind tunnel to model unsteady incoming flow at a critical angle of attack. This investigation showed that the flow separation at the critical angle was prevented. Additionally, smoke–wire experiments were performed for the stall region in order to visualize the flow around the airfoil. The averaged flow field results showed that the leading-edge flaps lean the flow more towards the airfoil surface and reduce the size of the separated region. This reduction improves the airfoil performance in the deep stall region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]