An experimental study on investigation of noise and thrust performance for modified propellers

This study investigates the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic effects of biomimetic-inspired trailing-edge modifications on propeller performance. A half-hexagon serration model was applied to the trailing edge of a propeller, and a series of experimental tests were conducted to assess its impact on thrust generation and noise characteristics. In this experimental study, thrust tests and noise measurements were conducted on 15 different models at different propeller speeds. The results indicate that while all modified models exhibited lower thrust performance compared to the base model at higher RPM values, some half-modified configurations (M02, M03, M06) demonstrated improved noise reduction capabilities. The M06 model achieved the highest noise reduction, approximately 11.75% at 50% RPM. Fully serrated models, on the other hand, had a limited effect on thrust but did not yield significant noise reduction benefits.