Single-Point and Multipoint Design of Propellers for Electric-Powered General Aviation

Sugar-Gabor, Oliviu

Abstract

With electric-powered aircraft concepts slowly maturing, it becomes feasible to include RPM regulation in propeller operation. Variable-pitch and variable-speed propellers will be designed for efficient operation in a wider performance space compared to traditional constant-speed propellers. In this brief technical note, an efficient design framework based on single-point and multi-point optimisations coupled with a circulation-based propeller analysis code is introduced and used to explore the potential of variable-speed propellers. Four optimisation scenarios are considered, defined based on the relative weights associated with performance and acoustic requirements. The results obtained indicate lower power consumption and extended low-noise region for the designs obtained using a multi-point optimisation across several rotational speeds.

Citation

Sugar-Gabor, O. (in press). Single-Point and Multipoint Design of Propellers for Electric-Powered General Aviation. Journal of Aerospace Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ/ASENG-5718

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 22, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 25, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
• Print ISSN: 0893-1321
• Publisher: Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ/ASENG-5718