Frequency Response of RC Propellers to Streamwise Gusts in Forward Flight
Abstract
:1. Introduction and Background
1.1. Gust Types and Unsteady Wind Tunnels
1.2. Propeller Performance in Unsteady Flows
2. Experimental Setup
2.1. Propeller Test Setup
2.2. Propeller Geometry
2.3. Shuttering System
3. Shuttering System Characterization
4. Results
4.1. Propeller Performance in Steady Freestream
4.2. Propeller Performance under Time-Varying Sinusoidal Freestream
4.2.1. KDE 12.5 × 4.3 Propeller
4.2.2. APC 11 × 7 Propeller
4.3. Effect of the Propeller Incidence Angle
4.3.1. KDE 12.5 × 4.3 Propeller
4.3.2. APC 11 × 7 Propeller
4.4. Phase Response of Propellers
5. Conclusions
- An increment in propeller thrust, power, pitching moment, and rolling moment was found with the increment of incidence angle at the same advance ratio, which is consistent with the helicopter literature [9].
- Using the normalized advance ratio, and , the propeller performance under various incidence angles collapses, except for thrust and power coefficient in near edgewise flight conditions.
- A good fit between the steady-state model and measurement is found for both coefficients up to a reduced frequency of 0.2.
- A reduction in both coefficients is found at a higher reduced frequency under 90 and 75 incidence angles for the lower propeller. For the higher propeller, an increment in both coefficients is observed at .
- A phase lag in the propeller response is also observed at a higher reduced frequency range. The phase lag for the pitching moment overlaps for all cases. While the phase lag for the propeller thrust depends on the incidence angle.
- A reduction in the incidence angle leads to a phase lead in the thrust coefficient at a small reduce frequency range and a smaller phase lag at a higher reduced frequency range.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
c | Propeller local chord length, (m) |
Propeller thrust coefficient; | |
Propeller Power coefficient; | |
Propeller torque coefficient; | |
D | Propeller diameter, (m) |
J | Advance ratio; |
Normalized advance ratio | |
Normalized shuttering system frequency | |
n | Propeller rotational speed per second |
P | Power, (W) |
Q | Torque, () |
T | Thrust, (N) |
Propeller incidence angle, () | |
Propeller pitch, (m) | |
Propeller local blade pitch angle, () | |
Shuttering system frequency, () | |
Wind tunnel fan rotational speed, () | |
Phase lag, () |
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Propeller Type | Diameter (m) | Pitch (m) | Blade Twist Angle at 75% Radius (°) |
---|---|---|---|
KDE 12.5 × 4.3 | 0.3175 | 0.1100 | 8.3 |
APC 11 × 7E | 0.2794 | 0.1778 | 15.1 |
Test Conditions | Values |
---|---|
Propeller RPS (n) | 80, 100 RPS |
Freestream Velocity () | 0, 22 m/s |
Propeller Incidence Angle () | 75, 90 Degree |
Shuttering System Frequency () | 0–2.0 Hz |
Propeller Reduced Frequency () | 0–0.45 |
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Cai, J.; Gunasekaran, S. Frequency Response of RC Propellers to Streamwise Gusts in Forward Flight. Wind 2023, 3, 253-272. https://doi.org/10.3390/wind3020015
Cai J, Gunasekaran S. Frequency Response of RC Propellers to Streamwise Gusts in Forward Flight. Wind. 2023; 3(2):253-272. https://doi.org/10.3390/wind3020015
Chicago/Turabian StyleCai, Jielong, and Sidaard Gunasekaran. 2023. "Frequency Response of RC Propellers to Streamwise Gusts in Forward Flight" Wind 3, no. 2: 253-272. https://doi.org/10.3390/wind3020015