Design of and Experimentation with an Insect Impact Simulator Setup

Laminar flow aircrafts as a potential super speed and economical fuel saver airplanes are being lagged from commercialization by contaminations on the wings. These contaminations such as sand/dust, ice, and insect residual have been studied for a long time. Insect residual unlike the other two need further investigation since it is more complicated. First, setups from past studies were reviewed and objectives for designing a new setup were identified. Then, an insect impact simulator setup was designed and introduced; a motor rotated the airfoils to take-off speed of aircrafts and a particle launcher threw the insect toward the airfoils, then impact happened at the leading edge of airfoil. Five coatings were tested as possible insect residue mitigation methods. The new setup was validated by comparing the results with past studies results. Then, new results were published.