Simone Basile
Effects of leading edge tubercles on drone propeller performance.
Rel. Francesco Avallone, Raffaello Mariani, Alessandro Grava. Politecnico di Torino, Master of science program in Aerospace Engineering, 2024
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Abstract
Bio-inspired designs are widely adopted in aerodynamics to enhance performance. One such design, derived from the tubercles found on the pectoral fins of humpback whales, has shown potential as a passive flow control device by manipulating flow patterns. Tubercles generate localized vortices at their leading edge, promoting an earlier transition of the laminar boundary layer to turbulent. Depending on the Reynolds number, this can delay stall and improve the overall aerodynamic performance of control surfaces. This is why humpback whales can perform fast, tight-turning manoeuvres despite their large mass and dimensions. This thesis focuses on the application of tubercles, modelled in a sinusoidal shape, to the leading edge of a 30-centimeter diameter propeller, intended for use in drone and UAV propulsion systems.
At this scale, propellers work within a Reynolds number range where laminar separation bubbles can form, causing performance losses due to flow separation and negatively impacting aeroacoustic behaviour
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