Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Three-Dimensional Flows around Propellers in Low-Reynolds Number Flows

Abstract

A propeller for small scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is used in low-Reynolds number conditions. In order to obtain high thrust and efficiency under low-Reynolds number conditions, the blade aspect ratio becomes small. The flow around the propeller with low-aspect ratio becomes quite three-dimensional. In the present study, experimental and numerical investigations are carried out to clarify effects of the three-dimensional flow on the propeller performance focusing on vortices associating with the low-Reynolds number flows.