Systems and methods for improved propeller design
An aircraft assembly includes an engine, and intake, and a propeller assembly. The engine is mounted to at least one of a wing or fuselage of an aircraft. The intake is configured to provide air to the engine. The intake includes a body having an engine inlet through which air enters the intake. The propeller assembly includes propeller blades coupled to and driven by the engine. The propeller assembly is spaced an axial distance from the inlet opening of the intake wherein air passing by the propeller blades enters the intake. The propeller assembly has a propeller configuration that is at least one of sized or shaped to optimize performance of the propeller assembly based on an interaction between the propeller assembly and the intake.
1. An aircraft assembly comprising:
an engine mounted to an aircraft;
an intake configured to provide air to the engine, the intake comprising a body having an inlet comprising an inlet opening through which the air enters the intake, the intake comprising an intake upstream lip disposed proximate the inlet opening; and
a propeller assembly comprising propeller blades coupled to and driven by the engine, the propeller assembly spaced an axial distance from the intake upstream lip of the intake wherein the air flowing by the propeller blades enters the intake, the propeller assembly having a propeller configuration, wherein at least a portion of the propeller configuration is at least one of sized or shaped to optimize performance of the propeller assembly based on an interaction between the propeller assembly and the intake, wherein the propeller assembly defines a propeller spinner shape, wherein the propeller spinner shape has continuous positive radial growth from a leading edge of the propeller blades to a trailing edge of the propeller blades, wherein the propeller spinner shape has a reducing rate of radial growth between the leading edge and the location of a maximum propeller blade thickness followed by an increasing rate of radial growth through to the trailing edge defined by the propeller blades, the reducing rate of radial growth configured to reduce, on average, aerodynamic momentum losses for the propeller assembly based on the interaction between the propeller assembly, the propeller spinner shape and the intake.
2. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the propeller configuration of the propeller assembly comprises the axial distance from the propeller to the intake upstream lip.
3. The aircraft assembly of claim 2 , wherein the axial distance is larger than a minimal operational clearance.
4. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the propeller configuration of the propeller assembly comprises a propeller aerodynamic loading distribution.
5. The aircraft assembly of claim 4 , wherein the propeller assembly aerodynamic loading distribution comprises a reduced load, on average, at a root of the propeller blades, and an increased load, on average, at an intermediate portion of the propeller blades.
6. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the propeller configuration of the propeller assembly comprises a propeller root trailing edge airfoil shape.
7. The aircraft assembly of claim 6 , wherein the propeller configuration of the propeller assembly specifies a twist, chord, camber, thickness, and overall 3D geometry of the propeller root trailing edge airfoil shape.
8. The aircraft assembly of claim 6 , wherein the propeller root trailing edge airfoil shape has a trailing edge thickness that is thicker than a minimal operational propeller trailing edge thickness for at least a portion of the propeller root trailing edge airfoil.
9. The aircraft assembly of claim 6 , wherein the propeller root trailing edge airfoil shape has a trailing edge thickness that is 30% or more of a maximum propeller thickness for at least a portion of the propeller root trailing edge airfoil.