6 papers
Inertial effects on the mechanical efficiency of a semi-passive oscillating hydrofoil energy harvester
Zihan Zhang, Qimin Feng, Yuanhang Zhu +1
Oscillating-foil-based energy harvesters have demonstrated strong potential for low-speed hydrokinetic energy extraction; however, the actuator-level mechanical energy balance asso…
Rather than drafting, vortex capture dictates efficiency in three-hydrofoil schools
Pedro C. Ormonde, Yuanhang Zhu, Daniel Quinn +1
Three-dimensional experiments are presented on a school of three pitching hydrofoils. Two side-by-side leader foils maintain the same relative positions while the location of a thi…
Wavenumber affects the lift of ray-inspired fins near a substrate
Yuanhang Zhu, Leo Liu, Tianjun Han +4
Rays and skates tend to have different fin kinematics depending on their proximity to a ground plane such as the seafloor. Near the ground, rays tend to be more undulatory (high wa…
Hydrodynamic interactions of low-aspect-ratio oscillating panels in a tip-to-tip formation
Yu Pan, Yuanhang Zhu, Elizabeth Westfall +3
The vertical, tip-to-tip arrangement of neighboring caudal fins, common in densely packed fish schools, has received much less attention than staggered or side-by-side pairings. We…
Optimal Kinematics for Energy Harvesting Using Favorable Wake-Foil Interactions in Tandem Oscillating Hydrofoils
Eric E. Handy-Cardenas, Yuanhang Zhu, Kenneth S. Breuer
The energy harvesting performance of a pair of oscillating hydrofoil turbines in tandem configuration is experimentally studied to determine the optimal kinematics of the array. By…
Shape-morphing membranes augment the performance of oscillating foil energy harvesting turbines
Ilan M. L. Upfal, Yuanhang Zhu, Eric Handy-Cardenas +1
Oscillating foil turbines (OFTs) can be used to produce power from rivers and tides by synchronizing their heaving motion with the strong lift force of vortices shed at their leadi…