Simulations of propelling and energy harvesting articulated bodies via vortex particle-mesh methods

The emergence and understanding of new design paradigms that exploit flow induced mechanical instabilities for propulsion or energy harvesting demands robust and accurate flow structure interaction numerical models. In this context, we develop a novel two dimensional algorithm that combines a Vortex Particle-Mesh (VPM) method and a Multi-Body System (MBS) solver for the simulation of passive and actuated structures in fluids. The hydrodynamic forces and torques are recovered through an innovative approach which crucially complements and extends the projection and penalization approach of Coquerelle et al. and Gazzola et al. The resulting method avoids time consuming computation of the stresses at the wall to recover the force distribution on the surface of complex deforming shapes. This feature distinguishes the proposed approach from other VPM formulations. The methodology was verified against a number of benchmark results ranging from the sedimentation of a 2D cylinder to a passive three segmented structure in the wake of a cylinder. We then showcase the capabilities of this method through the study of an energy harvesting structure where the stocking process is modeled by the use of damping elements

Fluid structure interaction in bioinspired locomotion problems

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorNature offers a vast amount of examples of efficient locomotion. Millions of years of evolution have allowed animals —such as fish, insects and birds—, and even plants —such as winged-seeds or dandelions— to achieve outstanding locomotive skills. Therefore, it is not a surprise that scientists and engineers have tried to replicate the flight and swimming capabilities of the former examples in order to develop efficient aerial and nautical robots. In fact, these efforts have led to the design and development of several successful bioinspired robots. However, their performance is still far below their living counterparts. One of the main reasons is that the understanding of the physics underlying biological locomotion is still limited. This is due to the complexity of the problem under consideration: the locomotion of a body through a fluid medium. This can be considered fluid structure interaction (FSI) problem where the dynamics of the specimens is the result from the hydrodynamic interaction with the surrounding fluid, which in turn is modified by the motion of the specimens. Consequently, the resulting problem is highly nonlinear and complex from a mathematical standpoint. This dissertation attempts to contribute to further understand the fluid structure interactions in bioinspired locomotion problems. To that end, direct numerical simulations of several examples of bioinspired FSI problems are performed. These examples include the auto-rotation of a winged-seed, the flow interactions between the wings of a dragonfly, and the schooling patterns that emerge between two fish. In the first part of this dissertation, the algorithm which has been developed to perform part of the aforementioned studies is presented. The proposed algorithm allows the study of the FSI of systems of connected rigid bodies —which serve as a model for the actual specimens— immersed in an incompressible fluid. It is built based on a preexisting flow solver, coupled with a robotic algorithm for the computation of the dynamic equations of the bodies. The use of robotic algorithms endows the proposed methodology with a great fiexibility, allowing to simulate a large variety of problems with different geometries and configurations. The second part of the thesis is devoted to the analysis of the aforementioned examples. In this regard, we first consider the flight of a winged-seed. This is a very interesting, yet complex, problem of fluid-dynamic interaction; in which the auto-rotative motion is the result of a subtle equilibrium between the aerodynamic forces and the inertia properties of the winged-seed. In our study, the dynamics and the flow surrounding the auto-rotating seed are characterized in a range of Reynolds numbers, Re. Specifically, we focus on the study of the leading edge vortex (LEV) that is developed on the upper surface of the seed's wing as it auto-rotates. Our findings suggest that, in the explored range Re = [80 — 240], LEV's stability is not driven by vorticity transport along the spanwise direction nor viscous effects, as reported in the literature of rotating wings. Instead, fictitious accelerations (i.e., Coriolis and centrifugal accelerations) are the most suitable candidates to stabilize the LEV over the seed's wing. In the second example, we study the effect of the three-dimensional (3D) interactions in the performance of two tandem wings, resembling those of a dragonfly. To that end, the wings undergo a two-dimensional (2D) optimum kinematics which is a combination of heaving and pitching. We first analyze the effect of wings' aspect ratio, AR, by comparing the 3D and 2D simulations. The results show that 3D vertical interactions are detrimental for the thrust production of the hindwing, but they do not significantly affect the propulsive efficiency of the tandem arrangement. Next, a more realistic flapping kinematics of the 3D is considered and compared to the previous heaving kinematics. We find a decrease in the propulsive efficiency of the flapping wings compared to their heaving counterparts, which has been linked to a non-desired shedding of vorticity on the inboard region of the wings. The last bioinspired example corresponds to the collective motion of two self-propelled three-dimensional bodies. These bodies are idealized as rectangular, flat plates with flexibility along their chordwise direction, and that self-propels thanks to a prescribed vertical motion of their leading edges. We observe that tandem configurations emerge where both plates swim at a constant mean horizontal velocity and with a mean equilibrium horizontal distance. These configurations can be classified, attending to the resulting flow interactions, into compact and regular configurations. In the former, the performance of the upstream flapper is modified due to the close interaction with the downstream flapper. However, in the regular configurations, the performance of the upstream flapper is similar to that of an isolated flapper. Conversely, the performance of the downstream flapper is affected in both configurations by the interaction with the wake of the upstream flapper. We are able to link the changes in the downstream flapper's performance to its interaction with the vertical jet induced by vortex rings of the upstream flapper's wake. Finally, we propose a model to qualitatively predict the performance of a hypothetical downstream flapper based on the flow field of and isolated flapper, showing good agreement with the actual simulations.La naturaleza ofrece una gran cantidad de ejemplos de locomoción eficiente. Millones de años de evolución han permitido a animales —tales como peces, insectos o pájaros— e incluso plantas —como sainaras o dientes de león— lograr unas habilidades de lomoción excepcionales. Por lo tanto, no es una sorpresa que científicos e ingenieros hayan intentado replicar la capacidades de vuelo y nado de los anteriores ejemplos, con el objetivo de desarrollar robots aéreos y nadadores más eficientes. De hecho, estos esfuerzos han dado lugar al diseño y desarrollo exitoso de varios robots bioinsipirados. Sin embargo, el rendimiento de éstos es todavía muy inferior al de sus referentes biológicos. Una de las principales razones es que la comprensión de la física subyacente de la lomococión de sistemas biológicos es aún limitada. Esto es debido a la complejidad del problema, a saber, el movimiento de un cuerpo a través de un medio fluido. Este se puede considerar como un problema de interacción fluido estructura (FSI) donde la dinámica del espécimen es el resultado de la interacción fluidodinámica con el fluido de alrededor, el cual es a su vez modificado por el movimiento del cuerpo. Consecuentemente, el problema resultante es altamente no lineal y complejo desde un punto de vista matemático. Con esta disertación se pretende contribuir a una mayor comprensión de la interacción fluido estructura en problemas de locomoción bioninspirados. Con tal propósito, se han realizado simulaciones numéricas directas de varios ejemplos bioinspirados de interacción fluido estructura. Estos ejemplos incluyen la autorrotación de una sámara, las interaccionés fluidas entre las alas de una libélula y los patrones de nado que surgen entre dos peces. Durante la primera parte de esta disertación, se describe el algoritmo que ha sido desarrollado con el propósito de simular alguno de los problemas anteriormente citados. El algoritmo propuesto permite el estudio de la interacción fluido estructura de sistemas de cuerpos rígidos conectados —los cuales sirven como modelo de los especímenes reales— que están sumergidos en un fluido incompresible. Está construido sobre un solver fluido pre-existente, acoplado a un algoritmo robótico que se encarga de calcular las ecuaciones dinámicas de los cuerpos. El uso de algoritmos robóticos proporciona a la metodología propuesta una gran flexibilidad, permitiendo simular una gran variedad de problemas con diversas geometrías y configuraciones. La segunda parte de esta tesis está dedicada al análisis de los ejemplos mencionados anteriormente. En este respecto, consideramos primero el vuelo de una sámara, el cual es un problema muy interesante, aunque complejo, de interacción fluido dinámica en el cual el movimiento autorrotativo es el resultado de un sutil equilibrio entre las fuerzas aerodinámicas y las propiedades inerciales de la semilla. En nuestro estudio, caracterizamos la dinámica y el flujo alrededor de la semilla autorrotante en un rango de números de Reynolds, Re. En concreto, nos centramos en el estudio del vórtice del borde de ataque (LEV) que se forma en la parte superior del ala de la sámara cuando ésta autorrota. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que, en el rango explorado de Re = [80 — 240], la estabilidad del LEV no se debe a un transporte de vorticidad a lo largo de la dirección de la envergadura del ala, ni a efectos viscosos —como se ha mencionado en la literatura de alas rotativas—, sino que las aceleraciones ficticias (es decir, las aceleraciones centrífugas y de Coriolis), son las candidatas más probables responsables de la estabilización del LEV. En el segundo ejemplo, se estudia el efecto de las interacciones tridimensionales (3D) en el rendimiento de dos alas en configuración tándem, basadas en las de una libélula. Para ello, se prescribe que el movimiento de las alas sea una combinación de cabeceo y oscilación vertical que es óptimo en 2 dimensiones (2D). Primero analizamos el efecto de la relación de aspecto de las alas, A% comparando los resultados de las simulaciones en 3D y en 2D. Los resultados revelan que las interacciones vorticales en 3D son perjudiciales para la generación de empuje del ala trasera, pero estas interacciones no afectan de forma significativa a la eficiencia propulsiva del conjunto. Posteriormente, se considera un movimiento de batimiento más realista de las alas, y se compara su eficiencia con la obtenida previamente para las alas en movimiento oscilatorio vertical. Se observa una menor eficiencia de las alas en batimiento en comparación con las mismas alas en movimiento oscilatorio vertical. Este deterioro es asociado a un desprendimiento de estructuras vorticales cerca de los bordes marginales de las alas en batimiento. El último ejemplo bioinspirado es el del movimiento colectivo de dos cuerpos tridimiensionales que se auto propulsan. Estos cuerpos se idealizan como placas planas rectangulares, siendo flexibles a lo largo de su cuerda, y que se auto propulsan gracias a un movimiento vertical impuesto de sus bordes de ataque. Los resultados muestran la aparición de configuraciones tándem donde sendas placas nadan con una velocidad inedia constante y separadas a una distancia de equilibrio que es también constante. Estas configuraciones son clasificadas —atendiendo a las interacciones fluidas— entre compactas y regulares. En las primeras, el rendimiento de la placa que nada aguas arriba (a la que llamaremos líder) se ve afectado por las interacciones cercanas con el cuerpo que nada aguas abajo (al que denominaremos seguidor). En cambio, en las configuraciones regulares el redimiento del líder es el mismo que el de una placa similar nadando de forma aislada. Por el contrario, el rendimiento del seguidor se ve afectado en ambas configuraciones debido a las interacciones con la estela del líder. Se ha podido relacionar estos cambios en la eficiencia del seguidor con la interacción con el chorro inducido por los anillos vorticales de la estela del líder. Finalmente, hemos propuesto un modelo que permite predecir, de forma cualitativa, el rendimiento de un seguidor hipotético basándonos en el campo fluido de una placa aislada. El modelo muestra una buena correlación con los datos obtenidos de las simulaciones numéricas.This thesis has been carried out in the Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering Department at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. The financial support has been provided by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grant DPI2016-76151-C2-2-R (AEI/FEDER, UE).Programa de Doctorado en Mecánica de Fluidos por la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; la Universidad de Jaén; la Universidad de Zaragoza; la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia; la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid y la Universidad Rovira i VirgiliPresidente: Francisco Javier Huera-Huarte.- Secretario: Javier Rodríguez Rodríguez.- Vocal: Ignazio María Viol

Computational and microhydrodynamic modeling and experiments with bio-inspired swimming robots in cylindrical channels

Modeling and control of swimming untethered micro robots are important for future therapeutic medical applications. Bio-inspired propulsion methods emerge as realistic substitutes for hydrodynamic thrust generation in micro realm. Accurate modeling, power supply, and propulsion-means directly affect the mobility and maneuverability of swimming micro robots with helical or planar wave propagation. Flow field around a bio-inspired micro swimmer comprised of a spherical body and a rotating helical tail is studied with time-dependent three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Analytical hydrodynamic studies on the bodies of well known geometries submerged in viscous flows reported in literature do not address the effect of hydrodynamic interactions between the body and the tail of the robot in unbounded viscous fluids. Hydrodynamic interactions are explained qualitatively and quantitatively with the help of CFD-model. A cm-scale powered bio-inspired swimmer robot with helical tails is manufactured including a payload and a replaceable rigid helical tail. The payload includes on-board power supply and remote-control circuitry. A number of helical tails with parameterized wave geometry are used. Swimmer performed in cylindrical channels of different diameters while fully submerged in an oil-bath of high viscosity. A real-time six degrees-of-freedom microhydrodynamic model is developed and implemented to predict the rigid-body motion of the swimming robots with helical and traveling-plane-wave tails. Results of microhydrodynamic models with alternative resistance coefficients are compared against CFD simulations and in-channel swimming experiments with different tails. Validated microhydrodynamic model is further employed to study efficient geometric designs with different wave propagation methods within a predefined design space

Bioinspired fluid-structure interaction problems: gusts, load mitigation and resonance

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorNature often serves as a reference for the design and development of sustainable solutions in numerous different fields. The recent development of small-scale robotic vehicles, asMicro-Air Vehicles (MAVs), is not an exception, and has had an increasingly important impact on society, proposing new alternatives in areas as surveillance or planetary exploration. Trying to mimic the flight of insects and small birds, these devices try to offer more efficient designs and with higher manoeuvrability abilities than the already existing designs. It happens similar with robotic swimmers, with many different existing prototypes. Indeed, it is even possible to find designs of bioinspired small-scale wind turbines based on auto-rotating seeds looking for a more efficient energy harvesting. Besides, in order to develop sustainable designs, increasing their lifetime and reducing the maintenance costs are crucial factors. Depending on the device to design, different methodologies may be followed in order to achieve these two goals while meeting the design requirements. One clear example can be found in the development of wind turbines. Their blades must be designed to withstand not only maximum loads and stresses but also the fatigue caused by the fluctuations around the load required to operate correctly. Reducing fatigue issues by limiting the amplitude of those fluctuations using passive or active control is a viable option to improve their lifetime. The aimof this dissertation is to contribute to the understanding of the underlying physics in biolocomotion. To this end, direct numerical simulations of different examples and problems at low Reynolds number, Re, have been performed using an existing fluid-structure interaction (FSI) solver. This FSI solver relies on the coupling of an incompressible-flow solver with robotic algorithms for the computation of the dynamics of a system of connected rigid bodies. The particularities of this solver are detailed in the thesis. The second part of the thesis includes the analysis of these examples and problems mentioned above.More in detail, the aerodynamic and aeroelastic behaviour of airfoils and wings at Re Æ 1000 in various conditions and environments has been analysed. Natural flyers and swimmers are immersed in turbulent and gusty environments which affect their aerodynamic behaviour. The first problem that has been studied is that of the unsteady response of airfoils impacted by vortical gusts. This first example focuses on how the impact of viscous vortices of different size and intensity on two-dimensional airfoils modify their response. Although in a simplified framework, this analysis allows to gather relevant information about the aerodynamic performance of the airfoils. This aerodynamic response is seen to be self-similar, and the work proposes a semi-empirical model to determine the temporal evolution of the lifting forces based on an integral definition of the vertical velocity induced by the gust, which can be known a priori. The target of the second problem is to analyse the load that can be mitigated in airfoils undergoing oscillations in the angle of attack using passive-pitching trailing edge flaps. This corresponds, for example, to a simplification of the problem of load mitigation in small-scale wind turbines. The use of passive-pitching trailing edge flaps is a strategy that has recently been recently proposed for large-scale wind turbines. Here, we investigate the validity of this strategy on a completely different scenario. Contrary to what happens in experiments at higher Reynolds numbers, whose results match the predictions of a quasi-steady linear model when the kinematics are within the range of applicability of this model, the load mitigation obtained in this work differs from the values of this theory. The load mitigated is larger or smaller than the predicted values depending on the amplitude of the oscillations in the angle of attack. However, the results of this work show that an increase in the length of the flap while the chord of the airfoil is kept constant leads to an equal change in the reduction of load, in line with the predictions of the quasi-steady model. The development of vortical structures is clearly affected by the flap when it is sufficiently large, which also involves changes in the dynamics of the flap and the forces seen by the airfoil. The repercussion that several of the variables defining the parametric space have on the aerodynamic behaviour of the foil and the dynamics of the flap are analysed. This allows to gather more information for an appropriate selection of those variables. Finally, the third and fourth problems involve the study of the effects of spanwise flexibility on both isolated wings and pairs of wings arranged in horizontal tandem undergoing flapping motions. The wings are considered to be rectangular flat plates, and the spanwise flexibility is modelled discretizing these flat plates in a finite number of rigid sub-bodies that are connected using torsional springs. The wings are considered to be rigid in the chordwise direction. Isolated spanwise-flexible wings find an optimal propulsive performance when a fluid-structural resonance occurs. At this flexibility, the time-averaged thrust is maximum and twice the value yielded by the rigid case, and the increment in efficiency is around a 15%. Flexibility and the generation of forces are coupled, such that the structural response modifies the development of the vortical structures generated by the motion of the wing, and vice versa. The optimal performance comes from a combination of larger effective angles of attack, properly timed with the pitching motion such that the projection of the forces is maximum, with a delayed development of the vortical structures. Besides, while aspect ratio effects are important for rigid wings, this effect becomes small when compared to flexibility effects when the wings become flexible enough. In fact, while the increase in thrust coefficient for rigid wings with aspect ratio 4 is 1.2 times larger than that provided by rigid wings with aspect ratio equal to 2, the value of this coefficient for resonant wings is twice the value yielded by rigid wings of aspect ratio 4. While forewings of the tandem systems are found to behave similarly to isolated wings, the aeroelastic response of the hindwings is substantially affected by the interaction with the vortices developed and shed by the forewings. This wake capture effect modifies the flexibility at which an optimal propulsive behaviour is obtained. This wake capture effect is analysed through an estimation of the effective angle of attack seen by both forewings and hindwings, linking the optimal behaviour with the maximisation of the effective angle of attack at the right instants. Based on the obtained results, a proof-of-concept study has been carried out analysing the aerodynamic performance of tandem systems made of wings with different flexibility, which suggests that the latter could outperformsystems of equally flexible wings.This thesis has been carried out in the Aerospace Engineering Department at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. The financial support has been provided by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid through a PIPF scholarship awarded on a competitive basis, and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grant DPI2016-76151-C2-2-R (AEI/FEDER, UE).Programa de Doctorado en Mecánica de Fluidos por la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; la Universidad de Jaén; la Universidad de Zaragoza; la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia; la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid y la Universidad Rovira i VirgiliPresidente: José Ignacio Jiménez González.- Secretaria: Andrea Ianiro.- Vocal: Manuel Moriche Guerrer

Engineering Dynamics and Life Sciences

From Preface: This is the fourteenth time when the conference “Dynamical Systems: Theory and Applications” gathers a numerous group of outstanding scientists and engineers, who deal with widely understood problems of theoretical and applied dynamics. Organization of the conference would not have been possible without a great effort of the staff of the Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics. The patronage over the conference has been taken by the Committee of Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland. It is a great pleasure that our invitation has been accepted by recording in the history of our conference number of people, including good colleagues and friends as well as a large group of researchers and scientists, who decided to participate in the conference for the first time. With proud and satisfaction we welcomed over 180 persons from 31 countries all over the world. They decided to share the results of their research and many years experiences in a discipline of dynamical systems by submitting many very interesting papers. This year, the DSTA Conference Proceedings were split into three volumes entitled “Dynamical Systems” with respective subtitles: Vibration, Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems; Mathematical and Numerical Aspects of Dynamical System Analysis and Engineering Dynamics and Life Sciences. Additionally, there will be also published two volumes of Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics entitled “Dynamical Systems in Theoretical Perspective” and “Dynamical Systems in Applications”

Vibration, Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems

From Preface: This is the fourteenth time when the conference “Dynamical Systems: Theory and Applications” gathers a numerous group of outstanding scientists and engineers, who deal with widely understood problems of theoretical and applied dynamics. Organization of the conference would not have been possible without a great effort of the staff of the Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics. The patronage over the conference has been taken by the Committee of Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland. It is a great pleasure that our invitation has been accepted by recording in the history of our conference number of people, including good colleagues and friends as well as a large group of researchers and scientists, who decided to participate in the conference for the first time. With proud and satisfaction we welcomed over 180 persons from 31 countries all over the world. They decided to share the results of their research and many years experiences in a discipline of dynamical systems by submitting many very interesting papers. This year, the DSTA Conference Proceedings were split into three volumes entitled “Dynamical Systems” with respective subtitles: Vibration, Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems; Mathematical and Numerical Aspects of Dynamical System Analysis and Engineering Dynamics and Life Sciences. Additionally, there will be also published two volumes of Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics entitled “Dynamical Systems in Theoretical Perspective” and “Dynamical Systems in Applications”

14th Conference on Dynamical Systems Theory and Applications DSTA 2017 ABSTRACTS

From Preface: This is the fourteen time when the conference “Dynamical Systems – Theory and Applications” gathers a numerous group of outstanding scientists and engineers, who deal with widely understood problems of theoretical and applied dynamics. Organization of the conference would not have been possible without a great effort of the staff of the Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics. The patronage over the conference has been taken by the Committee of Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. It is a great pleasure that our invitation has been accepted by so many people, including good colleagues and friends as well as a large group of researchers and scientists, who decided to participate in the conference for the first time. With proud and satisfaction we welcome nearly 250 persons from 38 countries all over the world. They decided to share the results of their research and many years experiences in the discipline of dynamical systems by submitting many very interesting papers. This booklet contains a collection of 375 abstracts, which have gained the acceptance of referees and have been qualified for publication in the conference proceedings [...]

NASA SBIR abstracts of 1992, phase 1 projects

The objectives of 346 projects placed under contract by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are described. These projects were selected competitively from among proposals submitted to NASA in response to the 1992 SBIR Program Solicitation. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 346, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference of the 1992 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA Field Center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number are included