A Research To Simplified Aerodynamic Model Of Insect-Like MAV

Due to its highest maneuverability, small size, high efficiency both in aerodynamic and energy utilities, the insect-like Micro-Airo-Vehicle becomes one of the most popular research area of aero-craft designing. Seven research articles were published on Science and Nature magazines in the past decade.To make a "cicada airo-robot", an aerodynamic model of insect flight was needed. This model should satisfy two requirements: simple enough to be used in real-time control and accurate enough to predict properly the aerodynamic forces. So the main tasks of this dissertation are:1 Building an aerodynamic model of insect flight which can meet the above two requirementsBased on the empirical aerodynamic model developed by Dickinson and the model of USBE (Un-Steady Blade Element) by Ellington, two new aerodynamic models were proposed. The first one was the USBE model revised by Dickinson's coefficients, which took the advantages of those two models. The second was EUSBE (Extended Un-Steady Blade Element) model, which extended the blade element theory into the chord direction. Simulations of the above models were made respectively, and the results were compared with the experiment results. The above works were described in chartper 3.To study the effects of added mass, two different models with fluid added mass effects taken into account were made from the engineering point of view. One was the experiential coefficient based added mass model; and the other was the increased drag derived added mass model. Simulations of the two models were carried out respectively in charpter 4, and the added mass effects at the key points during one stroke cycle in different rotation mode were carefully analyzed and discussed. Comparisons were made between the two models.2 Analyzing the aerodynamic properties of a simplified cicada wingAccording to the real wing of a cicada, a 33mm wingspan simplified wing was considered. Simulations were made using the EUSBE model proposed in chapter 4 with added mass effects taken into account. Analyses of the aerodynamic properties of this wing were made from the engineering point of view.3 Making further investigations to the related problems and proposing an idea that the viscosity of the fluid might influence the added mass effectsTo eliminate the discrepancies between the simulation and experiment results, two different added mass coefficients were used for accelerating and decelerating periods, respectively. The simulation results showed very well agreement with the experimental results. At the same time, the forces on an accelerating thin fluid layer were investigated carefully, and a conclusion was made that the viscosity of fluid might influence the added mass effects.