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Originally Posted by aerohead
Fun read! Guess we'll all see if it goes in the marketplace.Ease of manufacture may be an issue.Thats some very sophisticated architecture. Pressure and velocity distribution could affect dynamic balance,and resonance ( flutter ) may affect structural integrity with high velocity applications, as there are so many local areas of impact,channeling,redistribution and discontinuities of aft-trailing -edge flow .Super-turbulence!Whales can articulate their flippers while turning,changing angle of attack at will as they pirouette in the water.The fluke of the whale is responsible for propulsion.I'd be more impressed if the tubercles were present in the fluke where the real power is laid down .Since whales communicate at extremely low frequency,could it be that the tubercles are "heard" by other would-be mating-age male whales and fertile in-season females,as tail-feathers are "seen" on the male peacock? Yep,I'm losing it alright!
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Well-well! I saw a Pacific Life Insurance Co. tv "ad" on PBS television,showing their mascot whale breaching.The fluke was clearly visible in the video footage,and the flukes trailing edge was festooned with the tubercules.-------------- Also,in a PBS Boeing "ad",their new jetliner is shown with the new GE turbofan engines which use the serrated trailing edge.---------------- It's been explained that the jet is using it for acoustic attenuation.Perhaps do to the nature of a whale's low-frequency long-distance undersea communications,the tubercules reduce local dynamic "noise",aiding their ability to distinguish songs over background chatter.Don't know!---------------- As an aside,I've noticed old-time wood fireplace chimney caps with serrated edges under the rain cap.My thought was that perhaps the serrations might help to entrain errant cinders within the rising heat plume,allowing time for the embers to self-extinguish before settling onto combustible materials below.Don't know.