Abstract
Aircraft designs involving aerodynamic interactions between rotors and other aerodynamic surfaces are becoming increasingly popular. Studying these interactions is key to developing good models for design and aspects of the system such as control. This paper seeks to understand the effect of obstructing the upstream of a propeller at varying distances, also called the ceiling effect, by examining in depth the canonical case of a theoretically infinite obstruction and its interaction with a propeller or actuator disk. Experimental studies of force and pressure are compared to results from computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and good agreement is shown. The CFD results are then compared against the Morillo flowfield model, and a correction is found to match the results. The data indicate that some propellers experienced a nearly twofold increase in thrust. However, a matching force on the surface develops, and the net force drops to nearly zero. The force interaction between the two nearly disappears once the separation exceeds half a propeller diameter. These results are independent of propeller size and pitch. The implemented theoretical model also has low computational cost, and it could be used to improve low-order models such as panel methods or provide a foundation for future rotor–body interaction modeling.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.