W. Send und DLR
Homepage of Wolfgang Send
Retired October 31st, 2009The modern DLR was founded in 1907 in Göttingen
by
the former
Research Society for Powered Airships
(Motorluftschiff-Studiengesellschaft)
as the first aeronautical laboratory in Germany,
and was headed by Ludwig
Prandtl (1875-1953) from the beginning in 1907 until the end of the
II. World War.
See also: 100
years of German aerospace research
Dr. rer.nat. Wolfgang Send
Former member of the DLR Institute of Aeroelasticity in Göttingen.
Picture to the right taken by my colleague Thomas Büte on the occasion of my final lecture and farewell party at the DLR_School_Lab on October 20th, 2009 - my 65. birthday (hr).
Vita
Born in 1944. Theoretical physicist. Physics diploma in 1972 on Homogeneous Solutions of Einstein's Field Equations at the University of Hamburg. Teaching qualification for Physics and Mathematics in 1973 ("Höheres Lehramt"). PhD Hamburg 1976 in Astrophysics on the Numerical Integration of the Unsteady Hydrodynamic Equations for Gravitating Gaseous Spheres. He joined the DLR Institute of Aeroelasticity in 1976, working in the fields of unsteady aerodynamics and aeroelasticity. Recent activities concentrated on fluid/structure interaction for transport aircraft wings within the joint DLR and Airbus aircraft industry project ADIF. From 2003 to 2006 participating in two projects, the European project AWIATOR (initial EU press release ), subsequent Infopage TU-Berlin), Task 3.3 in cooperation with Airbus Deutschland, and the DLR project HighPerFLEX. In 2007 a new DLR research programme iGREEN was launched, which is based on a generic airplane configuration and deals, among other goals, with the influence of wings on each other. Retired October 31st, 2009.
Membership: Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft e.V. (DPG German Physical Society) ¤ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DGLR German Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics) ¤ Science on Stage Deutschand e.V. (SonSD) ¤ Göttinger Experimentallabor für junge Leute e.V. (XLAB Experimental Laboratory for Young People) ¤ American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) - [e.V. refers to the legal form which means incorporated society].
Formerly a private - meanwhile a full-time - scientific interest in the mechanisms of flapping flight, particularly in the physics of animal flight. 1985-2003 cooperation with zoologists at the University of Goettingen . Lectures on the Aerodynamics of Animal Flight since 1988 (see below). Owner of a small company ANIPROP GbR, which manufactures - among others - the two animal flight models shown below for museums, laboratories and science centres. In 2011, the making of SmartBird verified his theoretical concept of active torsion for efficient flapping flight.
Selected Publications
The DLR provides an electronic library catalogue. Please, visit "ELIB". A new system is in operation since November 1st, 2005, in which a large number of publications obviously got lost.
W. Send, An Approach to the Gust Problem with Interfering Profiles, in: New Results in Numerical and Experimental Fluid Mechanics VII, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.
W. Send, An approach to the gust problem with interfering profiles, International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics (IFASD), Seattle (U.S.A.), June 21-25 2009: IFASD-2009-109_Send.pdf (0.9 MByte).Abstract. The mutual influence of two profiles is studied in subsonic and transonic 2D viscous flow. The profiles are arranged such that the second one is located downstream of the first one similar to the configuration of a tail plane behind a wing. The study prepares for several wind tunnel experiments in the DLR’s 1x1 square meter transonic wind tunnel. The physical effect is that of a gust generator: The unsteady wake of the leading profile encounters the trailing profile and effects a load change. A first simplified attempt has been made using a rigid grid where both profiles execute a synchronous heaving motion. This simplification avoids additional numerical implications caused by the chimera grid generation technique, which needs to be applied for profiles being in motion relative to each other. After the motion is turned off, the vorticity shed from the leading profile carries a single gust event downstream to the second profile. The Fourier analysis of the load history shows the load spectrum. Besides the main purpose of the computations to predict gust loads, the unsteady flow field with the physical data given below shows interesting features like the interaction of two wakes, the generation and propagation of sound waves and the impact of incoming vorticity on a shock front, where almost all of the supersonic domain literally is blown out.
W. Send, Zum Böenproblem: Ein Ansatz über Interferenz (An Approach to the Gust Problem with Interfering Profiles, German Aerospace Congress, Darnstadt, September 23-25, 2008: DLRK2008-81316_send.pdf (3.4 MByte). See also the figures below on this page. The corresponding movies may be found on http://www.aniprop.de/dglr08/
Abstract. The mutual influence of two profiles is studied in subsonic
and transonic 2D
viscous flow. The profiles are arranged such that the second one is
located
downstream of the first one similar to the configuration of a tail plane behind a wing. The physical
effect is that of a gust generator. The unsteady wake of the leading
profile
encounters the trailing profile and effects a load change. A first
simplified
attempt has been made using a rigid grid where both profiles execute a
synchronous heaving motion. The Fourier analysis of the load history
shows the
load spectrum. The accuracy of the computation is investigated using
inherent
physical properties.
W. Send, Flapping-Wing Thrust in
Compressible Flow, 25th International Congress of
Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS), Hamburg (Germany), September 3-8, 2006: icas06_send_paper_3.10.4.pdf
(1.4
MByte).
Abstract. The phenomenon of thrust generation
by a coupled bending and torsional motion is surveyed ranging from
incompressible flow to the transonic region. 2D wing sections and 3D
planforms
are studied. The paper also touches on the question, whether
flapping-wing
thrust for larger airplanes is physically possible.
Content: The paper introduces into the flutter phenomenon from a practical point of view. After an explanation of the basic equations at the beginning, the FE model of a simple wing model, a flate plate clamped at one side, is the focus of the work. All elastomechanic and aerodynamic properties are referenced in various data files, which may be dowloaded. The paper demonstrates that a flutter analysis in the time domain leads to the same results like an analysis in the frequency domain, except the time integration can easily be extended to nonlinear phenomena. The time integration is a two-step procedure, in which "strong coupling" among any two degrees of freedom is searched for.
The website offers the source code of a Fortran program FLT2DQ, which is based on IMSL subroutines. FLT2DQ is a general purpose program allowing for all kinds of coupling phenomena.In case of the presence of aerodynamic forces, they may be provided either as data in the input file, or they may be introduced applying the in-line subroutines for the well-known unsteady aerodynamic coefficients of the 2D flate plate by Küssner and Theodorsen (about 1936).
W. Send, R. Voß, Stability Analysis in the Time-Domain Applied to Adaptive Transport-Aircraft Wings, 23rd International Congress of Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS), Toronto (Canada), September 8-13, 2002: icas2002_412.pdf (2.3 MByte).
Abstract: A procedure for coupling fluid and structure is described, in which the structure is given by a Finite Elements model, and the fluid is computed with a flow solver for compressible flow. The tool is applied to the wing model of a modern transport aircraft, which is equipped with a small contour modification on the upper surface for drag reduction in the shock region. The aeroelastic stability is investigated in comparison to the original contour shape. Particular emphasis is laid on a proper mapping of the flow quantities into the structure and vice versa.
W. Send, Der Traum vom Fliegen (Dreaming about Flying),
Naturwissenschaftliche
Rundschau 2/2003, 76-73). The paper is not available on the web. The
reader
is kindly referred to the journal.
At the beginning, the article substantiates the
fact that human beings are 'not made for flying' with flapping wings.
Can
the gap be closed between the maximum power output, which the world's
best
trained athlets are capable of, and the mininum mechanical power input
required for a human flapper? Based on some rational estimates
(Microsoft Excel data sheet including the famous 2D analytical
solutions
for the plunging and pitching plate by H.G. Küssner, 1936, and Th.
Theodorsen, 1935) the answer is, for the time being: 'Well, it might
work'.
The article emphasizes the urgent need of progress in the techniques of
coupling fluid and structure for large amplitudes in viscous flow for a
final answer.
The author keeps on dreaming: "Advanced
Adaptive Airplane Technologies A³T" (500 kByte) shows one of the
author's earliest initiatives to promote the study of flapping flight within the German aeronautical scientific community by
emphasizing
the potential technical spin-offs for drag reduction and enhanced wake
decay.
W. Send, Physik des
Fliegens
(The Physics of Flying), Physikalische Blaetter 6/2001, 51-58 (since
2002
renamed to Physik Journal).
Among others, the article pursues educational goals,
and promotes the teaching of the Physics of Flying in junior
courses
at universities as well as in senior classes at the German high
schools (see also the annual course Physics of Flying given at the XLAB International Science Camp).
The subject is treated on a broad basis, reaching from our present
knowledge
of animal thrust production to perceiving the vortex structures behind
lifting surfaces with modern flow-analysis tools (like particle image
velocimetry
PIV). A prominent contention is raised once again: Where does the lift
come from? Based on Ludwig Prandtl's concept of what the author names
the infinitely thin boundary layer, the roles of Bernoulli's
equation
and of the boundary condition for the flow are clarified with respect
to
the computation of lift and drag.
Data sheets and formulas for the examples given in the
paper may be found in the internet
pages, which accompany the publication.
W.
Send, Coupling of Fluid and Structure for Transport Aircraft Wings,
International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics,
Williamsburg,
Virginia (USA), June 22-25, 1999: ceas-aiaa_va99.pdf
(670 kByte).
This paper focusses on the data exchange between the
two meshes on one and the same wing surface: the CFD mesh for the fluid
and the FE mesh for the structural analysis (ANSYS
FE model). A mathematical procedure is developed which accomplishes the
mappings in both directions by means of a documented 2D B-spline
algorithm
(subroutines taken from the IMSL)and
an iterative solution for the respective locations of the nodes.
Explanation: The figure shows a converged
solution
(the structural side) in steady flow for a windtunnel model in a former
French/German project named the Aeroelastic Model Program (AMP). The
figure
relates to the pressure distribution (the aerodynamic side) obtained
from
the same computation (not shown here). The odd torsion spring pursues a
scientific goal. Its purpose is to reduce the - normally much higher -
torsional stiffness to a first torsion mode with a natural frequency
slightly
above the first bending mode. Thereby the configuration yields a
flutter
case slightly above that Mach number
Ma = 0.82. For more details,
please, see the paper.
W. Send, Subsidiäre Schuberzeugung mit gekoppelten Biege-
und
Torsionsschwingungen in transsonischer Strömung (Subsidiary
thrust
production with coupled bending and torsional motion in transonic
flow),
Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 1999, Berlin 27.-30. September
1999:
dglr_jt99_086.pdf
(530 kByte).
The paper gives an introduction into the basic
mechanisms
of coupled bending and torsional motion. The reader is invited to study
the from scratch derivation of the basic formulas for thrust
production
and its location on the wing surface. A tentative estimate is made of
the
benefits applying the mechanism of subsidiary thrust production to a
modern
transport aircraft.
The paper given 1996 at the anual congress of the German Society
of Aeronautics and Astronautics (DGLR) on the occasion of the 100.
anniversary of Otto Lilienthal's death
addresses the early development of flapping
flight. W. Send, Otto Lilienthal und der Mechanismus des
Schwingenflugs (Otto Lilienthal and the mechanism of flapping
flight),
Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 1996, Dresden 24.-27. September
1996:
dglr_jt96_030_send.pdf
(3.6 MByte).
The following paper receives still some interest, and has been made
available now:
W. Send, R. Voß, W. Wegner, Das aeroelastische System
"Flügel
mit Triebwerken" als Funktion der aerodynamischen Modellbildung (The
aeroelastic system "wing with engines" as a function of the aerodynamic
modeling), Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 1994, Erlangen 4.-7.
Oktober1994:
send_dglr94.pdf
(630 kByte).
The paper deals with the process of modeling the 3D
unsteady
kinematics entering an aerodynamic calculation in the frequency domain.
It is shown that proper kinematics yields surprisingly good results
also
for unsteady airloads obtained from the 2D thin plate approximation
being
corrected for the Mach number. The data are compared with transonic
doublet
lattice computations and an Euler solution. The corresponding equations
for aeroelastic stability are derived.
Interesting Projects
Within the DLR HighPerFLEX project (2004 - 2006), one work package
refers
to the effects of coupled bending and torsional motion (CBT) on
drag
reduction and wake decay, which are investigated by the author.
The
well known mechanism of thrust production in
nature
happens to occur also during flight tests of transport aircraft with
marginal
effects just while activating the exciters for flutter tests. The basic
relationships were discussed in an earlier papger cited above (
dglr_jt99_086.pdf
- 530 kByte). The investigation is planned to be accompanied by
experiments
to verify theoretical predictions of the CBT effects on a flexible
structure
and to develop appropriate actuators. A tip model with 1.5 m
span
is deformed by bending and torsional motion. The preliminary tests will
take place in a rotary test stand similar the development ANIPROP RL3
depicted
below. Unfortunately, the construction, which is almost completely
designed,
is currently protracted due to changes in the institute's management.
 |
 |
 |
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| Overall view | Hub | Boom | Bearing |
The preceding drawings show some parts of the test stand. The
excellent design work was done by the student Birk Wollenhaupt
supervised
by the DLR engineering office, site Göttingen.
In 2007 a new DLR project named iGREEN was launched, which deals,
among others, with the gust problem and the influence of wings on each
other (like the main wing on the horizontal tail plane). The contour
plots give an impression of a numerical study in the course
of the research programme. Two synchronously heaving profiles
affect each other by vorticity shed downstream and sound waves
travelling upstream (see also the recent 2008 paper cited above).
 |
 |
 |
| Vorticity shed downstream |
Deviation from dq/dt = 0
(Adiabatic condition) |
Sound waves travelling
upstream |
The corresponding movies may be found on http://www.aniprop.de/dglr08/
The Physics of Flying
The picture gives an impression of the display model ANIPROP SM1, which is animated by an electric motor. The produced thrust is sufficient to climb up the slightly inclined glide strut. After reaching the end of the strut the model glides back to the start position. The first model built was sold to the Otto Lilienthal Museum in Anklam, Germany.
Movie Touch SM1 (1.3 MByte), Siemens Forum - Bionik Exhibition, München, Berlin 1999
The lasting commitment to animal flight led to the development of a unique test stand, which demonstrates and measures all basic phenomena of the Physics of Flying like lift, drag, animal propulsion and aeroelastic flutter of a wing. The RL3 acts like a carusel. The artificial bird produces its own thrust to fly with a speed of about 3-4 m/s. The diameter of the circular course is 6 m. The picture below shows the test stand ANIPROP RL3, which has been manufactured by Send's partner in the company ANIPROP GbR, Felix Scharstein.
One copy of the test stand ANIPROP RL3 was
acquired by the DLR for the DLR_School_Lab
Initiative in Göttingen
The laboratory is the DLR's contribution to the EXPO
2000
and beyond within the frame of a local science-related EXPO
project in Göttingen.The description of Experiment
#5 (340kByte) shows on page three the excited motion of a lifting
surface
above a specific speed limit, the phenomenon which is called flutter.
Experiments with the test stand ANIPROP RL3:
Movie Bird flight (0.7
Mbyte) Educational TV Quarks&Co,
WDR 1999
Movie Wing flutter
(0.2
MByte)
Movie Lifting surface
(1.3 MByte)
The experimental lecture The Physics of Flying was selected by an international jury as one of the two German plenary lectures (named presentations) contributing to the Physics-on-Stage Festival in Geneve, November 2000 (see also the current activities following the initial event). 2002 we were invited to contribute to the event Highlights in Physics of the German Physical Society and other institutions .
Since the winter term 2000/2001, a new experimental lecture Der
Tierflug with the RL3 was held at the
Zoological
Institute of the University of Goettingen together with Wolfram
Zarnack, Send's long-standing partner in the field of Experimental
Biology. These activities terminated at the end of the winter term
2002/2003
due to Wolfram Zarnack's retirement in March 2003. Copies of the
former lecture Aerodynamik des Tierflugs (Aerodynamics of Animal Flight) held since 1990/1991
are
still available on demand. 
In 2003, we had the great opportunity to show the presentation as the "Public Lecture" of the annual congress of the German Aeronautical Society Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. Munich (programme Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2003, 2.5 MByte). The most recent product of ANIPROP GbR is a small wind tunnel named ANIPROP KWK2 (the link provides the offer in German). The wind tunnel was developed for teaching purposes and educational applications like undergraduate exercises in physics.
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 |
I love to teach young people the "Physics of Flying", and I am engaged in giving lectures and courses at the Children's University (page written in German) affiliated to the University of Göttingen. The lecture "We Make Wind" was proposed for the Science-on-Stage Festival 2008 in Berlin. It was held there as part of the lecture program, however due the given time schedule in a reduced version. The pictures were taken by Christina Hinzmann, a professional photographer at the Göttinger Tageblatt, on the occasion of the lecture "Wir machen Wind" (5.3 MByte) on December 3, 2008.
In 2009 a new project was launched which was initiated and got full financial support by the Festo Company's Bionic Learning Network. The project was intended to have a closer look at the efficiency of animal flight. An artificial hinged-wing bird with active torsion and partially linear kinematics was developed. I was invited to develop the concept and take part as the scientific supervisor. Besides the scientific expertise ANPIROP GbR developed special tools in the course of the project for indepth research on the bird's components. The outcome was presented on the occasion of the international industry fair "Hannovermesse" 2011, April 4-8. More about the project may be found on Festo's SmartBird page. The project is documented in a short film "The Making of ...". A scientific publication is in preparation.
The Stroke-Wing Engine
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 |
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On June 23rd 2004, the stroke-wing engine (our English term
for
Hubflügelgenerator)
ANIPROP
HFG3 was launched in the city of Augsburg in Bavaria. The
technology
demonstrator extracts energy from the small, fast flowing channel Mittlerer
Lech
bypassing the river Lech through the picturesque Old Town. The
private
development pursues the goal of gaining renewable energy directly
from
the kinetic energy in the flow. The basic physical concept rests on the
well known aerodynamic properties of a coupled pitching and plunging
motion,
which also drives the mechanism of airplane flutter. However, the
mechanism
is substantially improved by introducing a "partially linear" motion
instead
of the common sinusoidal pitch and plunge, for which a patent is
pending.
The tests are planned to last until June 2006. Meanwhile, several
options
are considered to bring the concept onto the market.
The engine was constructed and built by Felix Scharstein, Send's
partner in the company ANIPROP
GbR.
The nominal power is 1kW. The left picture shows the HFG3 at night,
almost
idling to comfort its neighbours. For more pictures and videos, please
visit ANIPROP HFG3
.
Patent Nr. 101 09 475, IPC F03B 13/00 (2006.1), by Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt 7.01.2010 (claimed 28.02.2001).
Last update: April 14, 2011