Ground Effect of a Two-Dimensional Flapping Wing Hovering in Inclined Stroke Plane

Abstract

Abstract The ground effect aerodynamics and flow physics of a 2D dragonfly wing hovering (the Reynolds number is 157) in an inclined stroke plane are investigated via solving 2D unsteady incompressible laminar flow Navier–Stokes equations. An analysis road map is proposed to explain the influence of the ground on the flow field, pressure distribution on the wing surface, and the aerodynamic force. In the analysis road map, the flow relative to the wing surface induced by the wing motion and vortex is classified into vertical and parallel wing surface flows. The vertical flow impinges on the wing surface to form a positive pressure zone. In contrast, the parallel flow generates the boundary layer and further concentrated vortex and secondary vortex, which induce negative pressure on the wing surface. The ground impacts the flow relative to the wing in three ways: changing the trajectory of the shed vortex by the mirror effect, promoting the deformation and fusion of the vortices, and causing the cushion effect at extremely small ground clearance.