Blade element momentum new methodology and wind tunnel test performance evaluation for the UAS-S45 Bàlaam propeller

The evolution of aircraft is closely linked to the study and improvement of propulsion systems. Determining the propulsion performance is a real challenge in aircraft modelling and design. In addition to theory-based approaches, experimental procedures are used to obtain a good estimation of propulsion performance. To evaluate piston-propeller propulsion, several experimental tests are required that can be very demanding in terms of time and money. This paper presents a procedure to estimate the performance of a propeller from a numerical approach using an improved blade element momentum theory. The methodology used rotation effect model and a high angle of attack lift coefficient correction model to increase the accuracy of the results. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was also implemented. Polyhedral meshing and the realisable k–e turbulence model were applied to accurately describe the flow pattern around the propeller. Thus, the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations were solved using ANSYS FLUENT software. These methods were applied on the UAS-S45 propeller designed and manufactured by Hydra Technologies in Mexico. An extensive investigation was performed for several flight conditions in terms of altitude and airspeed with the objective of determining the thrust coefficient, power coefficient and efficiency of the propeller. The CFD and blade element momentum theory results were compared with experimental data acquired from wind tunnel tests performed at the LARCASE Price-Paidoussis wind tunnel. The results of this comparison demonstrated that our approach is highly accurate.