Aerodynamic model of propeller–wing interaction for distributed propeller aircraft concept

Abstract

The present investigation addresses two key issues in aerodynamic performance of a propeller–wing configuration, namely linear and nonlinear predictions with low-order numerical models. The developed aerodynamic model is targeted to be used in the preliminary aircraft design loop. First, the combination of selected propeller model, i.e. blade element theory with the wing model, i.e. lifting line theory and vortex lattice method is considered for linear aerodynamic model. Second, for the nonlinear prediction, a modified vortex lattice method is paired with the two-dimensional viscous effect of the airfoils to simplify and reduce the computational time. These models are implemented and validated with existing experimental data to predict the differences in lift and drag distribution. Overall, the predicted results show agreement with low percentage of error compared with the experimental data for various thrust coefficients and produced induced drag distribution that behaves as expected.

Effects of propeller flow on the longitudinal and lateral dynamics and model couplings of a fixed-wing micro air vehicle

“…The variation of the natural frequency of the Dutch roll mode eigenvalue (x Dr ) shown in Figure 6 Table 4 indicate that the propeller effects result in a higher magnitude of x Dr . This is owing to the relation that x Dr directly increases with an increase in the dynamic derivative C nb , which in-turn related to C Yb given in (14). There is little difference in the Dutch roll mode damping ratio (f Dr ) for the case with and without propeller effects as seen from Figure 7.…”

“…A numerical method to estimate the lift and drag forces due to propeller-wing interaction for bigger aircraft is presented in literature. 14 Here the forces and moments acting on the MAV are measured through extensive wind tunnel tests. 8 Forces and moments are measured separately with the propeller rotating and also when the propeller is stationary for the same airspeed.…”

Optimal propeller blade design, computation, manufacturing and experimental testing

“…That is the design process of propeller rotors should be improved and made more flexible, fault-proof and economic. This can initially be done by using both low- and high-fidelity computational models of different complexity [some examples are provided by Bohari et al (2020), Figat and Piątkowska (2021), Herniczek et al (2019), Liu et al (2020), Russell and Sekula (2017), Vargas Loureiro et al (2021)] which should then be followed by experimental testing (Kuitche et al , 2020; Scanavino et al , 2020). Similar integrated design processes were investigated and described by Kozaczuk (2020), Vu et al (2011) and Ye et al (2021).…”

Experimental assessment of aerodynamic and aeroacoustic interaction effects of wingtip-mounted propellers

“…Several researchers have proposed different methods to overcome these disadvantages of BEMT. An approach commonly found in the literature, for example, makes a coupling between BEMT to obtain induced velocities as input for the flow around wings and their wakes modeled through vortex-lattice method (VLM) (BOHARI et al, 2019), lifting-line theory (LLT) (BOHARI et al, 2019), lifting-surface theory (LST) (FERRARO et al, 2014), and free wake (MARRETTA et al, 1999), among other possibilities not listed here. Miranda and Brennan (1986) developed a simplified theoretical-analytical model for the aerodynamic interaction between propellers and wingtips, correlating the data obtained by the model with experimental data.…”