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Variational Approach to the Problem of the Optimal Propeller Design

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the theoretical efficiency of optimal propellers by means of a variational approach; non classical propellers are included in the analysis. A solution to the optimum rotor problem, in the context of propeller vortex theory, was given by Goldstein in 1929; in this paper, a variational formulation of the optimum rotor problem is proposed. The formulation consists into finding a class of functions (the circulation along the blade axis) for which the thrust and drag momentum functionals are well defined; in this class, the functional is proved to be strictly convex and, thus, the global minimum exists and is unique. Some configurations are analysed using the Ritz method: classical straight blade, parabolic blade, elliptical blade; single and multiple blade propellers are compared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile Industriale, Università di Pisa, Italy

    F. Torrigiani, A. Dipace & A. Frediani

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  1. F. Torrigiani
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  2. A. Dipace
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  3. A. Frediani
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Torrigiani, F., Dipace, A. & Frediani, A. Variational Approach to the Problem of the Optimal Propeller Design. Aerotec. Missili Spaz. 95, 13–23 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404710

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404710

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