Enhanced performance of tandem plunging airfoils with an asymmetric pitching motion

The flapping wings or fins in an in-line arrangement are a common scene in flocks and schools, as well as flying creatures with multiple pairs of wings, e.g., dragonflies. Conventional studies on these topics are underpinned by tandem plunging airfoils in either a vertical or a declined stroke plane. The former model mostly considers a symmetrical pitching motion, and the latter model fails to separate the effect of the asymmetric pitching from that of the declined incoming flow. However, our study focuses on the tandem airfoils with vertical plunging and asymmetric pitching in a horizontal freestream and, therefore, explains the effects of asymmetric pitching on tandem plunging airfoils. Using numerical methods, the aerodynamic performance and vortical structures of the tandem airfoils are examined, and the effects of the non-zero geometric angle of attack (α0), phase angles in the plunging and pitching motion (φ and θ), and inter-foil spacing (G/c) are discussed. Our results show that the tandem arrangement is beneficial to enhance the propulsion thrust while retaining the lifting capacity of the airfoil at a non-zero α0. The effects of φ and G/c are coupled since they both determine the interaction between the hind airfoil and the leading-edge vortex in the wake and the out-of-phase mode is suggested for the tandem airfoils at G/c = 1 to enhance both lift and thrust. For a tandem airfoil with in-phase mode, the optimal G/c is around 1.5 to 2. Moreover, the asymmetric pitching of the in-phase plunging airfoils should be synchronized to retain the enhanced performance.