Influence on the hydrodynamic performance of a variable vector propeller of different rules of pitch angle change

Abstract

To design a more effective blade pitch adjustment mechanism, research was done on changes to the hydrodynamic characteristics of VVPs (Variable Vector Propeller) caused by different rules for changing pitch angle. A mathematical method for predicting the hydrodynamic characteristics of a VVP under unsteady conditions is presented based on the panel method. Mathematical models for evaluation based on potential flow theory and the Green theorem are also presented. The hydrodynamic characteristics are numerically predicted. To avoid gaps between panels, hyperboloidal quadrilateral panels were used. The pressure Kutta condition on the trailing edge of the VVP blade was satisfied by the Newton-Raphson iterative procedure. The influence coefficients of the panels were calculated by Morino’s analytical formulations to improve numerical calculation speed, and the method developed by Yanagizawa was used to eliminate the point singularity on derivation calculus while determining the velocities on propeller surfaces. The calculation results show that it’s best for the hydrodynamic characteristics of the VVP that pitch angle changes follow the sine rule.

Keywords

variable vector propeller / panel method / unsteady / uneven in-flow distribution