NUMERICAL MODELING OF FLUID BEHAVIOR AROUND A HOVERING DRONE ROTOR
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Authors
Richmond, Alexander K.
Subjects
drone
VTOL
motor
vertical take-off and landing
efficiency
actuator disk theory
VTOL
motor
vertical take-off and landing
efficiency
actuator disk theory
Advisors
Gannon, Anthony J.
Clay, Christopher S.
Date of Issue
2022-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Research conducted on a remote-controlled drone aids in the quantification of individual rotor performance in the hovering state. Analysis via a three-dimensional numerical model identifies specific flow characteristics that are unique to the drone blade selected for the study. These flow characteristics give insight to lifting force, torque, velocity and pressure characteristics exerted on and induced by the blade. These metrics are made available to validate and improve actuator disk theory for a disk-size equivalent to the rotor’s planform area. Improvements to actuator disk theory occur by implementing pressure and velocity gradients extracted from the three-dimensional numerical simulation. Although computationally expensive, three-dimensional simulations provide most accurate results. Once the extracted radial pressure and velocity distributions are provided, less accurate and computationally cheaper analytical processes can be used as a substitution to this time-consuming investigation into vehicle performance.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
ONR, Arlington, VA, 22217
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.