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Energy harvesting in flapping wings: Insights from leading-edge Magnus effect

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  • Zhu, Bing
  • Zhang, Huaqiang

Abstract

This study investigates the energy harvesting performance of a flapping wing integrated with a leading-edge rotating cylinder to exploit the Magnus effect. By employing unsteady numerical simulations based on a dynamic mesh method in a relative coordinate system, the influences of gap width, rotational speed ratio, and phase difference are systematically analyzed. The results reveal that the optimized configuration can achieve a 7.2 % relative increase in energy harvesting efficiency compared to the baseline NACA0015 wing. This enhancement is primarily attributed to the cylinder-induced velocity field, which modulates the formation and timing of vortex shedding near the suction surface, leading to increased lift and pitching moment contributions over a broader time span. The findings provide theoretical insights and optimized parameters for the design of high-efficiency flapping wing energy harvesting systems utilizing the Magnus effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Bing & Zhang, Huaqiang, 2026. "Energy harvesting in flapping wings: Insights from leading-edge Magnus effect," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PF).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:256:y:2026:i:pf:s0960148125019986
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124334
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Xu, Bin & Ma, Qiyu & Huang, Diangui, 2021. "Research on energy harvesting properties of a diffuser-augmented flapping wing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 271-280.
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