22nd Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Harrogate, UK, 28 August - 1st September, 2000
Paper ICAS 2000-2.6.4

A PROPELLER INTEGRATION STUDY COMPARING EXPERIMENTAL DATA WITH NUMERICAL FLOW SOLUTIONS BASED ON THE NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS

L. L. M. Veldhuis (1) , S. Nebiolo (2)
(1) Delft University of Technology, Netherlands; (2) Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi, Torino, Italy

Keywords: navier-stokes calculations, experimental data, propeller integration

Navier-Stokes calculations were performed on a low aspect ratio straight semi-span wing equipped with a four bladed tractor propeller. The total number of grid cells that was used during the calculations is close to 1 million. The flow problem was solved using a cell-centered finite volume approach, using various turbulence models that were compared with each other. The Realizable k-e and the Reynolds Stress Model with non-equilibrium wall functions showed the best results for this particular flow field. The calculations were aimed at the prediction of the complex flow field around propeller-wing configuration were used to determine the minimum grid size and problem setup that is needed to acquire acceptable results without having to use the most powerful supercomputers available. The results are compared with experimental data acquired with a low speed windtunnel model. Detailed post-processing of the numerical data produced an improved understanding of the aerodynamic phenomena that occur at the part of wing that is washed by the slipstream. The overall characteristics like the lift coefficient and the drag show an reasonable agreement between the data. The choice, however, of the selected turbulence model as well as the boundary conditions set at the propeller disk are of vital importance. This again signifies the importance of experiments on this particular complex flow field.

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