The design of a low-speed wind tunnel for studying the flow field of insects' flight

Hong Yan Zhao, Peng Fei Zhang, Yun Ma, Jian Guo Ning*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

In this paper, low-speed smoke wind tunnel has been designed and fabricated for the insects' flow field visualization. The test section and the contraction section of the tunnel are optimized and determined as to size by the method of computational fluid dynamics. And fairing devices are equipped in different sections to reduce the turbulence intensity and increase the flow uniformity in the experimental sections. For the smoke visualization of small insects, the smokeemitting equipment has been specially designed and carefully debugged. Composed of wind tunnel, light source and high-speed camera, experimental platform for visualization and filming of insect flight flow field has been established. Besides, the feasible and stable method for insect fixing has been designed. With the smoke wind tunnel, flow filed visualization experiment for the honeybee's flapping was conducted and smoke flow filed in the experiment was recorded and analyzed. Near-filed and far-filed vortex structure when the honeybee fly can be recorded clearly. The experimental results indicate that the experimental platform is appropriate for flow filed study on insects flapping.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Conference on Experimental Mechanics 2014
EditorsAnand Asundi, Fook Siong Chau, Chenggen Quan, Kemao Qian
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781628413885
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
EventInternational Conference on Experimental Mechanics 2014, ICEM 2014 - Singapore, Singapore
Duration: 15 Nov 201417 Nov 2014

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume9302
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Experimental Mechanics 2014, ICEM 2014
Country/TerritorySingapore
CitySingapore
Period15/11/1417/11/14

Keywords

  • Flow field
  • Honeybee
  • Smoke lines
  • Wind tunnel

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