Abstract
AU-80 propeller and its modified version, U-75 propeller, are used for a micro air vehicle. The performance characteristics of a U-80 propeller and a U-75 propeller have not much known in the published literature. Thus, their aerodynamic characteristics are investigated using a lifting surface numerical method. The lifting surface method is validated by comparing computed results with measured data in a wind tunnel. From the computed results, it is found that the U-75 propeller produces larger thrust with higher efficiency than the U-80 propeller. To enhance the performance of these propellers, a new propeller is designed by following the sequential design procedures with the design parameters such as hub-tip ratio, maximum camber and its position, and chord length distribution along the radial direction. The performance of the designed propeller is shown to be improved much comparing with those of both the U-80 and U-75 propellers.
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Abbreviations
- B:
-
Blade loading
- Cp :
-
Power coefficient
- Ct :
-
Thrust coefficient
- D:
-
Propeller diameter, m
- \(\overrightarrow i \) :
-
Unit vector
- J:
-
Advance ratio
- K:
-
Kernel function
- \(\overrightarrow L \) :
-
Unit vector normal to helical surface
- M:
-
Mach number
- \(\overrightarrow n \) :
-
Unit normal vector
- P:
-
Power, watt
- Pl :
-
Power loss from induced and viscous drag
- Δp:
-
Pressure difference across a lifting surface, Pa
- Rtip :
-
Propeller tip radius, m
- rhub :
-
Propeller hub radius, m
- S:
-
Speed ratio
- T:
-
Thrust, gf
- t:
-
Time, s
- U:
-
Freestream velocity, m/s
- \(\overrightarrow u \) :
-
Normal velocity, m/s
- u, v, w:
-
Velocity components
- V∞ :
-
Flight speed, m/s
- vn :
-
Normal velocity induced on the helical surface, m/s
- W:
-
Upwash
- x, r, θ:
-
Inertial cylindrical coordinates components
- x, y, z:
-
Inertial Cartesian coordinates components
- \(\bar x,r,\bar \theta \) :
-
Rotational cylindrical coordinates components
- \(\bar x,\bar y,\bar z\) :
-
Rotational Cartesian coordinates components
- \(\bar x_g ,\bar \theta _g \) :
-
Space curve lying on the blade chord surface
- β3/4 :
-
Blade setting angle, deg
- ε:
-
Control point position
- η:
-
Propeller efficiency
- ρ:
-
Air density, kg/m3
- ρo :
-
Freestream air density, kg/m3
- σ:
-
Helix number
- Ω:
-
Blade angular velocity, rad/s
- ω:
-
Induced velocity
- L.E.:
-
Leading edge
- T.E.:
-
Trailing edge
- MAV:
-
Micro air vehicle
- PABLO:
-
Potential flow around Airfoils with Boundary Layer coupled One-way
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Cho, L., Yoon, J., Han, C. et al. Aerodynamic design and analysis of a propeller for a micro air vehicle. J Mech Sci Technol 20, 1753–1764 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916279
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916279