Aerodynamic benefits of propeller-wing interactions in a leading edge distributed propeller configuration system

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

K.B. Saravanan Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

T. Sinnige Flight Performance and Propulsion - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 1)
R. Nederlof Flight Performance and Propulsion - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering
Copyright: © 2024 Kavin Saravanan
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Published Date

21-03-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

Propeller-based propulsion technology is experiencing renewed interest owing to its superior propulsive efficiency in comparison to conventional jet engines. This phenomenon is attributed to the capacity to generate thrust by accelerating a significant volume of air through a small velocity differential. Additionally, owing to its compatibility with electrical power systems, propeller-based propulsion offers an opportunity to utilize more environmentally friendly energy sources and configurations like the distributed propulsion systems. To optimize the integration between the propeller-based propulsion system and the airframe, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the interactive aerodynamics of the propeller-wing system.

This thesis presents a comprehensive study on the aerodynamics of propeller-wing interactions, with a specific focus on leading-edge distributed propeller configurations.
The research was conducted through a comparative analysis, employing a single propeller-wing system, modeled based on the ATR 42/300 as the baseline. This involved comparing a conventional single tractor propeller configuration with a three-propeller leading edge distributed configuration. The methodology used is an unsteady panel method
solver, FlightStream, which is a commercially available software, allowing for an in-depth
examination of the two-way interactions between the propeller and wing (Full interaction mode), and allowing for a force-free wake.

The findings of the study highlighted significant aerodynamic benefits of the leading-edge distributed propeller configuration over the traditional single propeller setup. Notably, there was a 2.5% increase in wing efficiency and a 6.1% reduction in induced drag. Additionally, the propeller efficiency in the distributed system saw a 3% increase compared to the single propeller system. However, it’s crucial to note that these propellers operated at different, non-optimal points, which influences their comparative performance. A key result was the reduced power consumption of the three-propeller system, which required 8.1% less power to maintain steady level-flight conditions than the baseline single-propeller model. This finding suggests potential for increased efficiency in aircraft designs incorporating such configurations.