The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after Professor Zhukovsky is developing a multidisciplinary propeller design system for the propulsion system of a local airline aircraft. Regional turboprop aircraft can improve transport accessibility to remote areas in the Far North, Siberia and the Far East of the country, and efficient propellers are of particular relevance in this regard.
The research work carried out by TsAGI scientists will integrate numerical simulation software into a single complex, and its significance lies in the formation of a unified approach to solving the problem of designing high-efficiency propellers, which must meet the necessary requirements in terms of operating conditions, service life, weight, noise on the ground and other parameters. The main goal of the R&D is to reduce the time and improve the quality of propeller design by developing design methods, numerical modelling and multidisciplinary optimisation.
“By creating a multidisciplinary design system, we carried out numerical calculations of the aerodynamic, acoustic and strength characteristics of the propeller, and then went through bench tests. After comparing the calculated and experimental data, we analysed the conditions and possibilities of applying a set of modern calculation methods to determine the parameters of a regional aircraft propeller. The results of the research are in demand in our design bureaux when developing new models of domestic aircraft,” said Kirill Anisimov, head of the Research Centre for the Development of High-Performance Computing at TsAGI.
After analyzing the scientific and technical know-how on the subject specialists from the Research Center carried out the integration of computational methods for determining the aerodynamic, acoustic and strength characteristics in a single system for multidisciplinary optimization of a regional aircraft propeller. After that, a program was developed, which implements the layout of the system of multidisciplinary propeller design and optimization, as well as the interfaces for its integration with the design system of prospective aviation equipment were described.
The next step was to design and manufacture a full-scale composite propeller, which was tested on the SDU-104M propeller unit in the large wind tunnel T-101. During the experiment, thrust and torque of the propeller were measured, as well as the parameters of the stress-strain state of the propeller blades. For this purpose, non-contact optical methods stereovideogrammetry and strain measurement, as well as telemetry system SKI-64, developed by specialists of the TsAGI measuring technique and metrology department were used. SKI-64 provided for simultaneous recording of data from the strain-gauge blades and transmitting them via an in-built radio channel to the operator’s workstation. The data obtained during the research was used to refine numerical methods.
“The R&D results will form the basis for the scientific and technical groundwork for the aerodynamic design of advanced propellers, taking into account the requirements for aeroacoustics, durability and matching the parameters of the aircraft and propulsion system. Next, experts plan to conduct verification and validation of numerical models to determine the characteristics of the propeller based on more extensive bench and field experimental data obtained on a regional aircraft, “- explained in TsAGI.
