Blade Element Momentum Modeling of Low-Reynolds Electric Propulsion Systems

A model for the propulsion system of a small-scale electric unmanned aerial system is presented. This model is based on a blade element momentum (BEM) model of the propeller, with corrections for tip losses, Mach effects, three-dimensional flow components, and Reynolds scaling. Particular focus is placed on the estimation of scale effects not commonly encountered in the full-scale application of the BEM modeling method. Performance predictions are presented for geometries representative of several commercially available propellers. These predictions are then compared with experimental wind tunnel measurements of the propellers’ performance. The experimental data support the predictions of the proposed BEM model and point to the importance of scale effects on prediction of the overall system performance.

[1]  C. Ostowari,et al.  Post-stall wind tunnel data for NACA 44XX series airfoil sections , 1985 .

[2]  A. Kothari,et al.  Low Reynolds number effects on subsonic compressibility corrections , 1987 .

[3]  M. Drela.  XFOIL: An Analysis and Design System for Low Reynolds Number Airfoils , 1989 .

[4]  Hugh W. Coleman,et al.  Experimentation and Uncertainty Analysis for Engineers , 1989 .

[5]  James Tangler,et al.  Wind Turbine Post-Stall Airfoil Performance Characteristics Guidelines for Blade-Element Momentum Methods: Preprint , 2005 .

[6]  Jens Nørkær Sørensen,et al.  Tip loss corrections for wind turbine computations , 2005 .

[7]  A.J.J. Verhoeff.  Aerodynamics of wind turbine rotors , 2005 .

[8]  Jaime Peraire,et al.  Comparing Aerodynamic Models for Numerical Simulation of Dynamics and Control of Aircraft , 2006 .

[9]  Monal P. Merchant,et al.  Propeller Performance Measurement for Low Reynolds Number UAV Applications , 2006 .

[10]  W. Shyy,et al.  Aerodynamics of Low Reynolds Number Flyers: Fixed, Rigid-Wing Aerodynamics , 2007 .

[11]  M. Selig,et al.  Post Stall Propeller Behavior at Low Reynolds Numbers , 2008 .

[12]  Aaron Altman,et al.  Survey of Small UAV Propulsion System Performance , 2008 .

[13]  Andrew Arena,et al.  Automated Dynamic Propeller Testing at Low Reynolds Numbers , 2010 .

[14]  Michael S. Selig,et al.  Propeller Performance Data at Low Reynolds Numbers , 2011 .

[15]  Isam Janajreh,et al.  Development and application of an improved blade element momentum method model on horizontal axis wind turbines , 2012 .

[16]  Aron Jon Brezina.  Measurement of Static and Dynamic Performance Characteristics of Electric Propulsion Systems , 2013 .

[17]  Michael S. Selig,et al.  Reynolds number effects on the performance of small-scale propellers , 2014 .