Entomopter Wing Analysis Boon for Mars Mission

Entomopter Wing Analysis Boon for Mars Mission

Md. Akhtar Khan, Swarnashree K.
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 17
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5887-7.ch010
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Abstract

In this chapter, CFD analysis is performed to understand the aerodynamic characteristics of 3-D Entomopter wing. Entomopter is the MAV which is especially designed for Martian atmosphere exploration. It is a low Reynolds number flyer due to which it can reach to the places where human intervention is not at all possible. The aerodynamic simulations are carried out at different flap angles varying from -20º to 30º in Martian atmosphere. The Entomopter model considered for CFD analysis has a wingspan of 15 cm with varying chord length and Reynolds number ranging from Re=75000 Re=150000 i.e., at a velocity of 2 m/s to 30 m/s. The Entomopter 3-D printed model is designed in CATIA V5 and simulation is carried out using ICEM CFD and ANSYS FLUENT. Entomopters may undertake multimode operations and produce lift by continuously forming and shedding vortices from their flapping wings. So, this research is a viable aspect to understand the future development of MAVs for outer space exploration and can be promising for making impossible things possible.
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Biological Inspiration

As discussed earlier, birds and insects’ flights have always been in limelight for a long time. Many researchers have turned to the Hawk Moth (Manduca Sexta) shown in Figure 1, considering it to be one of the favourite analogs (Michelson, 1998). The mechanisms used to flap the wings are often mechanically coupled, allowing only hovering or steady forward flight. This insect wing-flapping aerodynamics is suitable for flying at a low Reynolds Number regime, with more lift generation.

Figure 1.

(a) Hawk Moth (b) Skeletal Structure of Hawk Moth

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Methodology

Entomopter Wing Design

Figure 2.

CATIA Model of Entomopter Wing Design

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CATIA software was used to design the entomopter wing . The generative design surface is used to represent the entompoter wing, which is made up of 15 sections with variable chord lengths as shown in Figure 2.

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