Location

Virtual

Start Date

5-10-2021 9:15 AM

End Date

5-10-2021 9:25 AM

Description

Emerging advances in electric-propulsion technology are enabling aircraft to use distributed electric propulsion (DEP) to increase efficiency and maneuverability. Distributed electric propulsion can also provide unique take-off and landing abilities which are not commonly found on traditional aircraft. The implementation of DEP effectively decreases the spacing between propellers, introducing complex aerodynamic interactions that are not well understood. This study aims to obtain experimental measurements of the flow fields of synchronized propellers at close-proximity in a side-by-side configuration using both 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) and 3D stereoscopic PIV (SPIV) in a wind tunnel. The results of this work will be focused on identifying the impact closely-spaced propellers has on induced up wash and the formation of shed-tip vortices and how these are altered by side-to-side spacing distance and phase offset. The data can also be used for computational model validation.

Share

COinS
 
May 10th, 9:15 AM May 10th, 9:25 AM

Aerodynamic Interactions of Synchronized Propellers

Virtual

Emerging advances in electric-propulsion technology are enabling aircraft to use distributed electric propulsion (DEP) to increase efficiency and maneuverability. Distributed electric propulsion can also provide unique take-off and landing abilities which are not commonly found on traditional aircraft. The implementation of DEP effectively decreases the spacing between propellers, introducing complex aerodynamic interactions that are not well understood. This study aims to obtain experimental measurements of the flow fields of synchronized propellers at close-proximity in a side-by-side configuration using both 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) and 3D stereoscopic PIV (SPIV) in a wind tunnel. The results of this work will be focused on identifying the impact closely-spaced propellers has on induced up wash and the formation of shed-tip vortices and how these are altered by side-to-side spacing distance and phase offset. The data can also be used for computational model validation.