Contributions to the Workshop for Integrated Propeller Prediction
Aaron Crawford
WIPP
The Workshop for Integrated Propeller Prediction (WIPP) is a
workshop hosted by the American Institute for Aeronautics
and Astronautics (AIAA) in collaboration with NASA, Helden
Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, and Empirical Aerospace. Due
to the growing interest in propeller driven aircraft particularly
for electric and clean energy applications, this program seeks
to provide Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelers
experimental data for validating their tools. The geometry was
distributed to AIAA members around the nation. Experimental
tests were preformed in Fall 2018 on the model shown below.
The predictions from each researcher will be compared to the
Figure 1 –Domains and Wake Resolution Blocks
experimental results at the AIAA conference in June. This
poster details my contributions to the project.
Propeller and Wing Tested in a Wind Tunnel CAD model of Propeller Aircraft
Introduction to CFD
Computational Fluid Dynamics comes as the alternative to
experimental procedures. In order to test objects it is often
more cost effective and efficient to model and simulate the
flow field on a computer instead of using an expensive wind
tunnel. CFD can simulate both liquid and gas flows and for
speeds ranging from very low subsonic (Mach Number ~ 0) to
hypersonic Mach numbers (Mach Number > 7). Despite the
cost effectiveness, CFD serves only as a model and a best
approximation. CFD works on the basis of solving the
discretized form of the Navier-Stokes equations (conservation
of mass, momentum, and energy) and performs calculations
on the points of a mesh. This process is only a simulation
however, and will never be able to fully replace experimental
results. Despite this, many things can be modeled accurately
using CFD and may not need experimental testing if the
process and models have been verified before.
Visualization
Figure 2–Sliding Interface Geometry
Figure 4 – Z Plane Volume Mesh Cross Section
Figure 3 – Sliding Interface and Wing
Figure 5 – Z Plane Velocity Profile
Figure 6 – Q-Criterion Visualization
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my faculty mentor Dr. Kidambi Sreenivas as well as the
UTC SimCenter, AIAA, NASA, and Helden Aerospace.
Methods
The meshing process began in Pointwise with a simple grid
shown in Figure 1. This represents the physical geometry as
described by the 2D points covering the surface. Next cells are
grown off the wall of the model with a specified growth rate so
that the boundary layer effects can be properly captured and
resolved. After this an unstructured volume mesh is created by
coming in from the farfield as well as placing blocks behind the
model to add wake refinement. A sliding interface shown in
Figures 2 and 3 was introduced to enable the relative motion
between the spinning blades and the stationary nacelle and wing.
As the model inside the interface spins it connects and delivers
data through the sliding interface to the rest of the model that is
stationary. Once a satisfactory volume mesh (shown in Figure 4)
was completed, cases are run using a flow solver. Tenasi, the
SimCenter’s in-house flow solver, is a node-centered, finite
volume, implicit scheme applied to general unstructured grids
with nonsimplicial elements. Simulations are set to be run at
various Mach numbers, angles of attack and propeller speeds.
Results
Variable Run Condition
Free Stream Velocity 28.27 m/s
Mach Number 0.08
Angle of Attack 0 Degrees
Propeller RPM 5,905 RPM
Time Step 2.82x10-5 seconds
Simulations were run using the conditions specified in the table
above. Time accurate simulations are run for at least 5 complete
revolutions. The thrust values though simulation, 71 N,
compared favorably to the isolated propeller tests of 79 N.
Quantitatively the simulations cannot be compared directly since
the experimental results have not been released yet. Figure 5
shows an image of the velocity profile over laid on the meshing.
It shows the expected increase in velocity downstream of the
propellers. Figure 6 shows the wing with a constant Q-criterion
outlining the vortices coming off the propeller tips. These initial
simulations fall in line with the expected results. Not all of the
simulations specified by WIPP have been run but they should be
complete by the deadline in June. From this starting point the
model will continue to be refined and the remaining simulations
will be completed.