In this work, a two-dimensional model representing the vortices that animals produce, when they are flying/swimming, was constructed. A D{shaped cylinder and an oscillating airfoil were used to mimic these body{shed and wing{generated vortices, respectively. The parameters chosen are based on the Reynolds numbers similar to that which is observed in nature (104). In order to imitate the motion of ying/swimming, the entire system was suspended into a water channel from frictionless air{bearings. The position of the apparatus in the channel was regulated with a linear, closed loop PI controller. Thrust/drag forces were measured with strain gauges and particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to examine the wake structure that develops. The Strouhal number of the oscillating airfoil was compared to the values observed in nature as the system transitions between the accelerated and steady states... As suggested by previous work, this self-regulation is a result of a limit cycle process that stems from nonlinear periodic oscillations. The limit cycles were used to examine the synchronous conditions due to the coupling of the foil and wake vortices. Noise is a factor that can mask details of the synchronization. In order to control its effect, we study the locking conditions using an analytic technique that only considers the phases.. The results suggest that Strouhal number selection in steady forward natural swimming and flying is the result of a limit cycle process and not actively controlled by an organism. An implication of this is that only relatively simple sensory and control hardware may be necessary to control the steady forward motion of man-made biomimetically propelled vehicles. / by Cyndee L. Finkel. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Dynamic stall characteristics of an NACA-0012 airfoil were investigated to assess the possibility of augmented lift during sinusoidal angle of attack motion. Tests were conducted over a range of Reynolds numbers from 2.0x10^5 to 5.0x10^5 and reduced frequencies from 0.02 to 0.3. The data were recorded and plotted in a series of lift coefficient vs. angle of attack diagrams. These diagrams exhibited a hysteresis curve for the dynamic stall cycle similar to the results of previous investigators but without a large peak at high angles of attack. The data were also plotted with lift coefficient vs. angular cycle position. The average lift coefficient was computed for each set of test conditions and plotted with average lift coefficient vs. reduced frequency for each value of Reynolds number. The summary data indicate an increase of average lift coefficient with reduced frequency, and increased Reynolds number, althought the increase was not monotonic.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE. / Bibliography: leaves 346-350. / by David Herbert Munro. / Ph.D.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND AERO. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Peter Frederick Lorber. / M.S.

In this thesis, the Leishman-Beddoes method of determining airloads for an airfoil undergoing dynamic stall is studied over a range of Mach numbers. To validate the method for conditions where little experimental data is available, a computational fluid dynamics solver is utilized to provide airload predictions for comparison to the Leishman-Beddoes results. It is found that even for high Mach numbers the Leishman-Beddoes method provides reliable predictions for lift coefficient. However, at the higher Mach numbers pitching moment is sometimes overpredicted at high angle of attack. This is seemingly due to an inability to accurately determine the center of pressure in the high speed unsteady flow environment.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-123). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1997. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-198). Issued also in computer file.

Thesis (M. App. Sc.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-230). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.App.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-106). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.