Modern unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are usually equipped with rotors connected to electric motors that enable them to hover and fly in all directions. The purpose of the paper is to design optimal composite rotor blades for such small UAVs and investigate their aerodynamic performances both computationally and experimentally.
Artificial intelligence method (genetic algorithm) is used to optimize the blade airfoil described by six input parameters. Furthermore, different computational methods, e.g. vortex methods and computational fluid dynamics, blade element momentum theory and finite element method, are used to predict the aerodynamic performances of the optimized airfoil and complete rotor as well the structural behaviour of the blade, respectively. Finally, composite blade is manufactured and the rotor performance is also determined experimentally by thrust and torque measurements.
Complete process of blade design (including geometry definition and optimization, estimation of aerodynamic performances, structural analysis and blade manufacturing) is conducted and explained in detail. The correspondence between computed and measured thrust and torque curves of the optimal rotor is satisfactory (differences mostly remain below 15%), which validates and justifies the used design approach formulated specifically for low-cost, small-scale propeller blades. Furthermore, the proposed techniques can easily be applied to any kind of rotating lifting surfaces including helicopter or wind turbine blades.
Blade design methodology is simplified, shortened and made more flexible thus enabling the fast and economic production of propeller blades optimized for specific working conditions.
Optimal propeller blade design, computation, manufacturing and experimental testing
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology ; 93 , 8 ; 1323-1332
2021-06-24
1 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
FEM , CFD , BEMT , CST optimization , Thrust measurement , Propeller blade
Computation of stresses in propeller blade section
Engineering Index Backfile | 1941
|Method for manufacturing a propeller blade and a propeller blade
Europäisches Patentamt | 2023
|A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PROPELLER BLADE AND A PROPELLER BLADE
Europäisches Patentamt | 2022
|A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PROPELLER BLADE AND A PROPELLER BLADE
Europäisches Patentamt | 2019
|A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PROPELLER BLADE AND A PROPELLER BLADE
Europäisches Patentamt | 2021
|