Low Speed Thrust Characteristics of a Modified Sonic Arc Airfoil Rotor through Spin Test Measurement

Abstract

The low speed aerodynamic characteristics for a modified sonic arc airfoil which is designed by using the nose shape function of sonic arc, the shape function of NACA four-digit wing sections, and Maple are experimentally investigated. The small rotor blades of a modified sonic arc and NACA0012 airfoil are precisely fabricated with a commercially available light aluminum(Al 6061-T6) and are spin tested over a low speed range (3000rpm-5000rpm). In a consuming power comparison, the consuming powers of NACA0012 are higher than that of modified sonic arcs at each pitch angle. The measured rotor thrust for each pitch angle is used to estimate the rotor thrust coefficient according to momentum theory in the hover state. The value of thrust coefficients for both two airfoils at each pitch angle show almost constant values over the low Mach number range. However, the rotor thrust coefficient of NACA0012 is higher than that of the modified sonic arc at each pitch angle. In conclusion, the aerodynamic performance of NACA0012 is better than that of modified sonic arcs in the low speed regime. This test model will provide a convenient platform for improving the aerodynamic performance of small scale airfoils and for performing design optimization studies.