B.-Y. Min, B.E. Wake, P.O. Bowles, C.G. Matalanis, B. Moffitt

A hybrid Navier-Stokes/Free-wake method has been introduced for an efficient and accurate propeller analysis. A solution sensitivity study has been performed to find a proper propeller modelling approach. This includes time-step size, number of sub-iterations, and number of free-wake trailers. The method has been validated against three experimental propellers, which have measured data in terms of integrated thrust, power and efficiency. Also, cross comparison with full Navier-Stokes simulations and conventional propeller blade element method has been conducted. The results showed very good correlation with measured data and at least as good correlation as full Navier-Stokes simulations. The blade element method, which relies on CFD generated airfoil tables, showed good correlation in relation to thrust and power but tended to have the poorest correlation of propeller blade angle. Also, it was found that a small scale experimental propeller may experience large region of laminar flow due to its low Reynolds number. Overall, the introduced hybrid method showed accurate propeller simulation capability capturing geometric effects by first principals with at least one order of less computational time compared to full Navier-Stokes simulation, yet holding capability of yawed inflow simulation.

41th European Rotorcraft Forum 2015

Conference Paper

englisch

21,0 x 29,7 cm, 10 Seiten

DGLR-Bericht, 2016, 2016-01, 41st European Rotorcraft Forum 2015; S.-; 2016; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn

NA

simulation;airfoils;angles (geometry);computational fluid dynamics;data correlation;laminar flow;low Reynolds number;Navier-Stokes equation;pitch (inclination);propeller blades;propellers;sensitivity;thrust;trailers

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2016