Abstract

At eCon Engineering Kft. a conventional Virtual Blade Model (VBM) linked with blade element theory was developed and implemented in a commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics software of finite volume approach (ANSYS Fluent). The integration of the Virtual Blade Model (VBM) was achieved via User Defined Functions (UDF) written in C programming language which carries out the calculation of the spanwise load distribution along the propeller blade using available 2D profile data, such as lift and drag coefficients. Our VBM model accounts for not only the radial but the azimuthal variation of the propeller inflow and calculates the additional momentum source terms accordingly. This model was further enhanced by applying 3D aerodynamic corrections derived by Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm improving the VBM spanwise load distribution prediction capability leading to a better approximation of 3D flow field which would be induced by the propeller. The changes in downstream turbulence level is also calculated with the help of the AI algorithm. The AI model was trained using isolated explicit 3D propeller blade simulations. There is an increasing need for the capability to accounting for the effects of propeller induced flow on the airframe during small and medium size aircraft design. Being aware of the propeller induced flow field from the beginning of the design process could save significant time and cost later in the optimisation and prototyping stages. Also, it can ensure improved product performance which is sought for by many aircraft developers. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models explicitly including the propeller blades comes with high costs, therefore it is unaffordable during the initial stages of product development. Our Virtual Blade Model (VBM) applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to derive 3D corrections and turbulence intensity predictions can be used as a cost-effective alternative, but with improved performance compared to conventional Virtual Blade Models.