Numerical investigation of transonic flow over deformable airfoil with plunging motion

In this article, the transonic inviscid flow over a deformable airfoil with plunging motion is studied numerically. A finite volume method based on the Roe scheme developed in a generalized coordinate is used along with an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method and a dynamic mesh algorithm to track the instantaneous position of the airfoil. The effects of different governing parameters such as the phase angle, the deformation amplitude, the initial angle of attack, the flapping frequency, and the Mach number on the unsteady flow field and aerodynamic coefficients are investigated in detail. The results show that maneuverability of the airfoil under various flow conditions is improved by the deformation. In addition, as the oscillation frequency of the airfoil increases, its aerodynamic performance is significantly improved.