Interactions of Two UAV Rotors at Low Reynolds Number

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yashvardhan Tomar ◽  
Dhwanil Shukla ◽  
Narayanan Komerath
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Viscous Effects ◽  
Forward Flight ◽  
Spatial Spread ◽  
Vertical Takeoff And Landing ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Vertical Takeoff

Abstract Vertical takeoff and landing vehicle platforms with many small rotors are becoming increasingly pertinent for small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as well as distributed electric propulsion for larger vehicles. These rotors operate at low Reynolds number unlike large rotors for which the existing prediction methods were developed. Operating at very low Reynolds number essentially means that viscous effects are more dominant; and their spatial spread is significant with respect to the rotor dimensions. This impacts the nature of inter-rotor aerodynamic interactions which become more difficult to predict and characterize. In the present research, two nominally identical commercial UAV rotors are studied for a range of separations in hover and forward flight, both experimentally and computationally, in parallel with ongoing vehicle flight tests with 4 and 8 rotors. Bi-rotor tests in tandem in-plane configuration were performed in Georgia Tech’s 2.13m × 2.74m test section wind tunnel. Rotor simulations were done using the RotCFD Navier-Stokes solver. In hover, rotor performance is sensitive to the distance between rotors at low rotation speeds, indicating the presence of greater inter-rotor interactions at low Reynolds number. In forward flight, the performance of the downstream rotor gets negatively affected by the upstream rotor wake.

Numerical Simulation of Turbine Blade Boundary Layer and Heat Transfer and Assessment of Turbulence Models

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 794-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Luo ◽  
B. Lakshminarayana
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Bypass Transition ◽  
Boundary Layer Development ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Layer Development

The boundary layer development and convective heat transfer on transonic turbine nozzle vanes are investigated using a compressible Navier–Stokes code with three low-Reynolds-number k–ε models. The mean-flow and turbulence transport equations are integrated by a four-stage Runge–Kutta scheme. Numerical predictions are compared with the experimental data acquired at Allison Engine Company. An assessment of the performance of various turbulence models is carried out. The two modes of transition, bypass transition and separation-induced transition, are studied comparatively. Effects of blade surface pressure gradients, free-stream turbulence level, and Reynolds number on the blade boundary layer development, particularly transition onset, are examined. Predictions from a parabolic boundary layer code are included for comparison with those from the elliptic Navier–Stokes code. The present study indicates that the turbine external heat transfer, under real engine conditions, can be predicted well by the Navier–Stokes procedure with the low-Reynolds-number k–ε models employed.

An Implicit Multigrid Scheme for the Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations With Low-Reynolds-Number Turbulence Closure

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gerlinger ◽  
Dieter Bru¨ggemann
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Convergence Acceleration ◽  
Iterative Solvers ◽  
Turbulence Closure ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Turbulence Transport

A multigrid method for convergence acceleration is used for solving coupled fluid and turbulence transport equations. For turbulence closure a low-Reynolds-number q-ω turbulence model is employed, which requires very fine grids in the near wall regions. Due to the use of fine grids, convergence of most iterative solvers slows down, making the use of multigrid techniques especially attractive. However, special care has to be taken on the strong nonlinear turbulent source terms during restriction from fine to coarse grids. Due to the hyperbolic character of the governing equations in supersonic flows and the occurrence of shock waves, modifications to standard multigrid techniques are necessary. A simple and effective method is presented that enables the multigrid scheme to converge. A strong reduction in the required number of multigrid cycles and work units is achieved for different test cases, including a Mack 2 flow over a backward facing step.

A Fluid Dynamics Study of a Modified Low-Reynolds-Number Flapping Motion

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Amiralaei ◽  
H. Alighanbari ◽  
S. M. Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Phase Angle ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Dynamic Performance ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Fluid Forces ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Volume Method

The objective of the present study is to investigate the low Reynolds number (LRN) fluid dynamics of an elliptic airfoil performing a novel figure-eight-like motion. To this mean, the influence of phase angle between the pitching and translational (heaving and lagging) motions and the amplitude of translational motions on the fluid flow is simulated. Navier-Stokes (NS) equations with Finite Volume Method (FVM) are used and the instantaneous force coefficients and the fluid dynamics performance, as well as the corresponding vortical structures are analyzed. Both the phase angle and the amplitudes of horizontal and vertical motions are of great importance to the fluid dynamic characteristics of the model as they are shown to change the peaks of the fluid forces, fluid dynamic performance, and the vortical patterns around the model.

Numerical Design and Study of a MEMS-Based Micro Turbine

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuo Onishi ◽  
Ste´phane Burguburu ◽  
Olivier Dessornes ◽  
Yves Ribaud
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Skin Friction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Micro Turbine

A full three dimensional Navier-Stokes solver elsA developed by ONERA is used to design and study the aerothermodynamics of a MEMS-based micro turbine. This work is performed in the framework of micro turbomachinery project at ONERA. A few millimeter scale micro turbine is operated in a low Reynolds number regime (Re = 5,000∼50,000), which implies a more important influence of skin friction and heat transfer than the conventional large-scale gas turbine. The 2D geometry constraints due to the limitation of fabrication technology also distinguish the aerothermodynamic characteristics of a micro turbine from that of conventional turbomachinery. Thus, for the foundation of aerothermodynamic design of micro turbomachinery, understanding of low Reynolds number effects on the performance is required and then the design of the turbine geometry can be optimized. In this study, aero-thermodynamic effects at low Reynolds number and different stator/rotor configurations are examined with a prescribed wall temperature. Losses due to heat transfer to walls and skin friction are estimated and their effects on the operating performance are discussed. Power delivery to turbine blades is checked and found satisfactory to give the objective design value of more than 100W. The effects of turbine exhaust geometry and the number of blades on turbine performance are also discussed.

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