Gradient-Based Propeller Optimization with Acoustic Constraints

Ingraham, Daniel; Gray, Justin S.; Lopes, Leonard V.

doi:10.2514/6.2019-1219

Cited by 19 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…[20] This implementation, called OpenBEMT, has been previously used to predict performance for a design optimization of an aircraft based on NASA's X-57 electric distributed propulsion concept, [21] and it has also been used as part of a proof-of-concept coupled trajectory-acoustic optimization for the small single person RVLT UAM quad-rotor concept. [22] In this work, OpenBEMT is used to predict the performance of the tiltwing's four propellers with the simplifying assumption that each propeller was an isolated system and therefore the analysis did do not capture interactions between the individual rotors or between the wing and the rotors. These assumptions are significant limitations to the quality of the physical representation produced by this modeling tool, and it recognized that higher-fidelity physics models are necessary for this discipline to capture rotorcraft performance in future work.…”

Section: Rotor/propeller Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Turboelectric Tiltwing Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

Hendricks

Falck

Gray

et al. 2019

AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum

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Urban air taxis, also known as urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles, are anticipated to be an area of significant market growth in the near future. These vehicles are typically vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) designs which are capable of carrying 1 to 30 passengers in an intra-urban environment with flights of less than 50 nautical miles. Development of UAM vehicles and their integration into the airspace will be enabled by advancements in a number of areas including electrified propulsion systems, structures, acoustics, automation, and controls. However, the strong multidisciplinary interactions for these unique vehicles presents a significant new design challenge. This work describes the development of a multidisciplinary analysis and optimization environment which can be used to support the conceptual design of these UAM vehicles, using efficient gradient based optimization with analytic derivatives. The tools included in this multidisciplinary analysis model the aircraft trajectory, vehicle aerodynamics, structures, and electrified propulsion system. The multidisciplinary environment created in this research is unique in that all the physics tools are tightly integrated together, with the trajectory model directly calling the aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion models. This multidisciplinary analysis environment is then demonstrated in the design optimization of a turboelectric tiltwing UAM vehicle concept.

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Section: Rotor/propeller Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Turboelectric Tiltwing Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

Hendricks

Falck

Gray

et al. 2019

AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum

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“…The aeroacoustic model used the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) analogy [3] to predict the tonal noise produced by the propeller. Ingraham et al [4] also use a BEMT propeller model coupled with FW-H for a propeller optimisation study. That method used analytical derivatives applied in an efficient gradient based optimisation process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Optimisation of Propellers with Tonal and Broadband Aeroacoustic Constraints

Pullin

Ghiglino

Zhou

et al. 2023

AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum

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The increased demand for sustainable aviation and the growing interest in Urban Air Mobility concepts has led to renewed interest in propeller aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. It is necessary to be able to predict the noise produced by propellers at the earliest stages of the design process. In this work, which builds on previous optimisation studies, a computationally efficient, BEMT based propeller simulation framework capable of predicting and optimising the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance is presented. The noise prediction provided by this tool includes both tonal and broadband components produced by the propeller. Aerofoil aerodynamics are obtained using a data-driven method, allowing for optimisation of the sectional shape alongside parameters such as chord and pitch distributions. Previous studies using this tool have found that including the aerofoil shape in the optimisation process allowed for an additional efficiency increases at high tonal constraints. This work introduces a trailing edge broadband noise model into the optimisation framework and studies the effect this has on the optimal geometry of a propeller. Optimisation of a small benchmark propeller has found significant reductions in mean broadband SPL of up to 5.18 dB while maintaining a high fraction of the baseline thrust. A study was also performed to maximise propeller efficiency while constraining broadband SPL. It was found that significant reductions in noise of up to 12 dB were possible at the cost of a 12% drop in propeller efficiency.

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“…5 However, this unconventional aircraft configuration poses technical challenges that still remain to be solved. 6 A strong noise signature 7,8 and a complicated transition maneuver 9,10 are examples of the challenges encountered in eVTOL aircraft, both stemming in some degree from the aerodynamic interactions between rotors and lifting surfaces. 11 As an example of eVTOL configuration, Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Multirotor Aerodynamic Interactions Through the Vortex Particle Method

Alvarez

Ning

2019

AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum

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Distributed electric propulsion and vertical takeoff and landing has recently opened a new design space for urban air mobility. However, the use of multiple rotors operating in close proximity introduces complicated aerodynamic interactions that are not well understood, are not captured through conventional design tools, and need to be addressed in the conceptual design stage. This study investigates the accuracy of the viscous vortex particle method (VPM) in modeling rotor-on-rotor aerodynamic interactions in a sideby-side configuration as encountered in tilt-rotor, quadrotor, and distributed propulsion aircraft. The VPM approach has the potential to enable the use of mid/high fidelity models capturing multirotor interactions during conceptual design. Validation of the individual rotor is presented in both hovering and forward-flight configurations at both low and high Reynolds numbers. Validation of the hovering multirotor is then presented, followed by a detailed parametric study of rotor-to-rotor interactions during hover and forward flight, constructing the response surface of thrust, torque, and propulsive efficiency as a function of operational parameters.

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Gradient-Based Propeller Optimization with Acoustic Constraints

Cited by 19 publications

References 15 publications

Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Turboelectric Tiltwing Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Turboelectric Tiltwing Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

Rapid Optimisation of Propellers with Tonal and Broadband Aeroacoustic Constraints

Modeling Multirotor Aerodynamic Interactions Through the Vortex Particle Method

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