Numerical Simulation of an Infinite Array of Airfoils with a Finite Span.

Fish and birds can propel themselves efficiently by acting in groups and clarifying their hydrodynamic interactions will be very useful for engineering applications. In this study, concerning the work of Becker et al., we performed three-dimensional unsteady simulations of an infinite array of airfoils, which is one of the models of schooling, and we clarified the structure of the flow between them. The model velocities obtained from the simulations show a good correspondence with the experimental data of Becker et al. The vortex structure created by the airfoil is very complicated, and it is visually clear that the vortices generated from the left and right ends of the airfoil also contribute to the formation of the upward and downward flows.