Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight

Dragonflies exhibit remarkable flight capabilities, and their wings feature corrugated structures that are distinct from conventional airfoils. This study investigates the aerodynamic effects of three corrugation parameters on gliding performance at a Reynolds number of 1350 and angles of attack ran...

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Main Authors: Kaipeng Li, Na Xu, Licheng Zhong, Xiaolei Mou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Biomimetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/329
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author Kaipeng Li
Na Xu
Licheng Zhong
Xiaolei Mou
author_facet Kaipeng Li
Na Xu
Licheng Zhong
Xiaolei Mou
author_sort Kaipeng Li
collection DOAJ
description Dragonflies exhibit remarkable flight capabilities, and their wings feature corrugated structures that are distinct from conventional airfoils. This study investigates the aerodynamic effects of three corrugation parameters on gliding performance at a Reynolds number of 1350 and angles of attack ranging from 0° to 20°: (1) chordwise corrugation position, (2) linear variation in corrugation amplitude toward the trailing edge, and (3) the number of trailing-edge corrugations. The results show that when corrugation structures are positioned closer to the trailing edge, they generate localized vortices in the mid-forward region of the upper surface, thereby enhancing aerodynamic performance. Further studies show that a linear increase in corrugation amplitude toward the trailing edge significantly delays the shedding of the leading-edge vortex (LEV), produces a more coherent LEV, and reduces the number of vortices within the corrugation grooves on the lower surface. Consequently, the lift coefficient is maximized with an enhancement of 28.99%. Additionally, reducing the number of trailing-edge corrugations makes the localized vortices on the upper surface approach the trailing edge and merge into larger, more continuous LEVs. The vortices on the lower surface grooves also decrease in number, and the lift coefficient is maximally increased by 20.09%.
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series Biomimetics
spelling doaj-art-0f8dce3f423546d3a8aadf2a0497e0ed2025-08-20T03:47:52ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-05-0110532910.3390/biomimetics10050329Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding FlightKaipeng Li0Na Xu1Licheng Zhong2Xiaolei Mou3School of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, ChinaSchool of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, ChinaSchool of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, ChinaDragonflies exhibit remarkable flight capabilities, and their wings feature corrugated structures that are distinct from conventional airfoils. This study investigates the aerodynamic effects of three corrugation parameters on gliding performance at a Reynolds number of 1350 and angles of attack ranging from 0° to 20°: (1) chordwise corrugation position, (2) linear variation in corrugation amplitude toward the trailing edge, and (3) the number of trailing-edge corrugations. The results show that when corrugation structures are positioned closer to the trailing edge, they generate localized vortices in the mid-forward region of the upper surface, thereby enhancing aerodynamic performance. Further studies show that a linear increase in corrugation amplitude toward the trailing edge significantly delays the shedding of the leading-edge vortex (LEV), produces a more coherent LEV, and reduces the number of vortices within the corrugation grooves on the lower surface. Consequently, the lift coefficient is maximized with an enhancement of 28.99%. Additionally, reducing the number of trailing-edge corrugations makes the localized vortices on the upper surface approach the trailing edge and merge into larger, more continuous LEVs. The vortices on the lower surface grooves also decrease in number, and the lift coefficient is maximally increased by 20.09%.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/329corrugated winggliding flightnumber of corrugationslinear corrugation variationchordwise corrugation placement
spellingShingle Kaipeng Li
Na Xu
Licheng Zhong
Xiaolei Mou
Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
Biomimetics
corrugated wing
gliding flight
number of corrugations
linear corrugation variation
chordwise corrugation placement
title Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
title_full Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
title_fullStr Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
title_full_unstemmed Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
title_short Corrugation at the Trailing Edge Enhances the Aerodynamic Performance of a Three-Dimensional Wing During Gliding Flight
title_sort corrugation at the trailing edge enhances the aerodynamic performance of a three dimensional wing during gliding flight
topic corrugated wing
gliding flight
number of corrugations
linear corrugation variation
chordwise corrugation placement
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/329
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AT naxu corrugationatthetrailingedgeenhancestheaerodynamicperformanceofathreedimensionalwingduringglidingflight
AT lichengzhong corrugationatthetrailingedgeenhancestheaerodynamicperformanceofathreedimensionalwingduringglidingflight
AT xiaoleimou corrugationatthetrailingedgeenhancestheaerodynamicperformanceofathreedimensionalwingduringglidingflight