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Comparison between blade-element models of propellers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

O. Gur  and
A. Rosen
O. Gur
Affiliation:
Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
A. Rosen
Affiliation:
Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Abstract

Blade-element models are the most common models for the analysis of propeller aerodynamics, performance calculations and propeller design. In spite of their simplicity these models are very efficient and accurate. Blade-element models use the local induced velocities as an input thus they should be combined with another model in order to calculate these induced velocities. Various models are used for the calculation of the induced velocity, where the most popular ones include: momentum, simplified-momentum, lifting-line (prescribed and free wake), and vortex (McCormick and Theodorsen) models. The paper describes the various models, compares their results and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The results indicate that the Bladeelement/simplified-momentum model offers very good accuracy together with high efficiency. For propeller performance calculations during steady axial flight, where most of the cross-sections do not experience stall, detailed and complicated models for calculating the induced velocities do not show advantages over the simple bladeelement/simplified-momentum model,

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 112 , Issue 1138 , December 2008 , pp. 689 - 704
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2008 

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