Experimental study of the wake-modes for propulsion of two-dimensional heaving airfoils

Particle image velocimetry and flow visualization are used to characterize the wake of a heaving airfoil in a set of two experiments. In the first experiment a tandem airfoil configuration is used, with a stationary airfoil downstream of a heaving airfoil (modified Schmidt wave-propeller). Several vortex structures are identified for a forced Strouhal number (St)---based on airfoil chord-length, forcing frequency, and free-steam velocity---for 0.1 < St < 0.7. An asymmetric average velocity profile is measured in the upper St range. In the second experiment, the wake behind a single heaving airfoil is further inspected, with the purpose of highlighting the asymmetric wake, for 0.1 < St < 1.0. A maximum wake excursion of 18 degrees is measured at St = 0.6, and a minimum excursion of 5.7 degrees occurs at St = 0.9. Using averaged velocity profiles, a virtual origin of the wake excursion is also calculated.