The effects of propeller tip vane on flow-field behavior

Abstract

 This paper investigates the effects of attaching a tip vane to a propeller blade on the development and propagation of a tip vortex. The study employed a two-bladed propeller operating with and without a tip vane. Evaluation of the tip vortex was studied by using both smoke-wire flow visualization, hot wire anemometer, and strain gauge load-cell techniques. The mean velocity distributions and the velocity unsteadiness data as well as thrust, input power and efficiencies were obtained. Experiments were repeated at various rotating speeds ranging from 2000 to 5000 rpm.