From Owl Flight to Future Wing Design

飞机降噪是未来机翼设计的主要目标之一，尤其是在着陆阶段和高升力布局。由于谷仓猫头鹰以其无声飞行而闻名，了解谷仓猫头鹰S翅膀的降噪机理并将其应用于新的机翼配置将有助于实现这一目标。由于缺乏对猫头鹰S机翼产生的流场的详细调查，中国科学院生物研究所和空气动力学研究所的这一联合项目的目标是找出决定猫头鹰S低阻和静默飞行的物理机制。第二生物研究所将使用显微技术记录影响流场的猫头鹰翅膀和羽毛的具体特征。此外，还将测定羽毛的机械性能。利用这些数据，空气动力学研究所将制造各种带有和不带有流动影响装置的人工谷仓猫头鹰翅膀。基于高速高分辨率粒子图像测速仪的速度测量将被用来确定特定的OWL结构对整个流场的影响。在生物和流体机械的联合努力中，将研究OWL翅膀的基本空气动力学特性和流体机械细节，这些细节定义了OWL翅膀的阻力和噪音降低机制。

Noise reduction of airplanes, especially during the landing phase and in high lift configuration, is one of the major goals of future wing design. Since the barn owl is very well known for its silent flight, an understanding of the mechanisms underlying noise reduction of the barn owl s wing and applying them to new wing configurations could help to reach this goal. Since a detailed investigation of the flow field generated by an owl s wing is missing, the objective of this joint project of the Institute for Biology If and the Institute of Aerodynamics is to figure out the physical mechanisms that determine the owl s low drag and silent flight. The Institute for Biology II will use microscopic techniques to document the specific features of the owls wings and feathers influencing the flow field. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the feathers will be determined. Using these data the Institute of Aerodynamics will manufacture a variety of artificial barn owl wings with and without flow influencing devices. Velocity measurements based on high-speed high resolution particle-image velocimetry will be carried out to determine the impact of the specific owl structures on the overall flow field. In a joint biological and fluid mechanical effort the basic aerodynamic characteristics and the fluid mechanical details that define the drag and noise reduction mechanisms of owl wings, will be investigated.