Aerowerx
Well-Known Member
I posted the link to this paper on optimized prop design, in the light stuff forum (thread started by birdwatcher), but thought I would also put it here to make it easier to find by anyone searching for such things.
The text could be "enhanced" a bit, but it is perhaps the most complete description of the method that I have seen.
There are a number of non trivial equations that have to be solved by iteration, but nothing too difficult (at least for someone with experience with such things :grin
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You also need a table of airfoil characteristics at different Reynolds numbers (at least at the AoA for maximum CL/CD). And if you want to use different airfoils along the span of the prop you have to be able to interpolate between them.
Although you could do the procedure with a calculator, it would be tedious, and the procedure lends itself to a software routine or spreadsheet. I haven't got that far yet.
The text could be "enhanced" a bit, but it is perhaps the most complete description of the method that I have seen.
There are a number of non trivial equations that have to be solved by iteration, but nothing too difficult (at least for someone with experience with such things :grin
.You also need a table of airfoil characteristics at different Reynolds numbers (at least at the AoA for maximum CL/CD). And if you want to use different airfoils along the span of the prop you have to be able to interpolate between them.
Although you could do the procedure with a calculator, it would be tedious, and the procedure lends itself to a software routine or spreadsheet. I haven't got that far yet.
