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F. Taruffi

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An experimental study on the effects of end plate size

This study aims to characterize the aerodynamics of rotor sails with the focus on the effects of end plate configuration. This is achieved through an experimental campaign on the wake development behind a scaled rotor sail (1:100) with varying end plate sizes in the SLT wind tunnel at TU Delft. Measurements were conducted for Re=15000, spin ratio up to 3, using a rotor of aspect ratio AR=5.2 and end plate diameters of De/D=1.0, 1.6 and 3.0. To omit heavy vibrations, a modal analysis was performed to determine the eigen frequency of the model.

Wake measurements were obtained using both a pressure rake and a 7-hole probe, making this the first experimental study to report results on all three velocity components in the wake of a scaled rotor sail. Three main wake characteristics were analyzed: 1) flow direction of the wake, 2) vortical topology of the wake flow and 3) shedding of the flow.

Results demonstrate that the end plate configuration has a large influence on the development and structure of tip vortices near the rotor’s free ends. A key limitation of this research was the increase in wake blockage for higher spin ratios affecting the pressure measurements. These findings provide new insights into the role of end plate geometry in rotor sail performance and wake dynamics. ...