Validation of an Unstructured Chimera Grid Approach for the Simulation of Propeller Flows

Abstract

A series of unsteady CFD simulations have been conducted for an isolated propeller configuration at low-speed flight conditions. The propeller geometry investigated is representative of a modern eight-bladed design for high-speed turboprop transport aircraft. Two typical low-speed conditions, one at zero and one at ten degrees angle of attack, were investigated and results compared with experimental data obtained from a wind tunnel test campaign. The computations were performed with the DLR TAU-code and made use of some recent extensions of the code which enable the modeling of multiple rigid bodies in relative motion. The results of the initial Euler computations agree well with the available wake data measured in the wind tunnel. Additionally, a detailed analysis of the forces acting on the propeller is performed which shows a strong influence of the propellers angle of attack.