'Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture'
Abstract
This study presents a computational analysis on the interaction between rotor and different rotor frame-arm geometries in hovering flight. The influence of the frame arm on the aerodynamic performance of the rotor is assessed by using commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver software ANSYS Inc. Fluent 17. Numerical results are validated for hovering and forward vertical climb flight conditions with thrust and torque measurements conducted on a 16x4 carbon fiber propeller. The thrust and torque measurements were performed in the test section of the low-speed METUWIND C3 wind tunnel at the Rüzgem (Metuwind). After validating the numerical simulations with the thrust and torque measurement results of the 16x4 carbon fiber propeller, four different arm geometries (i.e., Eppler Arm, 25mm cylindrical tube, 25mm square tube, and 25mm square tube with a 10mm slot) are created, and added to the validated CFD model to assess their effect on the aerodynamic performance of the rotors. After validating the numerical simulations with the thrust and torque measurement results of the After validating the thrust and torque measurement results of the 16x4 carbon fiber propeller with the numerical simulations, four different arm geometries (i.e., Eppler Arm, 25mm cylindrical tube, 25mm square tube, and 25mm square tube with a 10mm slot) are created, and added to the validated CFD model to assess their effect on the aerodynamic performance of the rotors.The results of this study reveal that the propeller-Eppler arm configuration has 4.89%, 21.59%, and 5.18% greater propeller efficiency than that of the propeller-cylindrical arm, propeller-square arm, and propeller-slotted square arm configurations, respectively.Thesis (M.S.) -- Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences. Aerospace Engineering
