Structural and aerodynamic analysis of a large-scale advanced propeller blade

A finite element structure code and a finite difference Euler solver are combined to provide a more accurate analysis of a large-scale propfan. The NASTRAN finite element code is used to compute the blade deflection due to centrifugal and aerodynamic loads, and the NASPROP finite difference 3-D Euler code is employed to compute the steady-state aerodynamic load of the deflected blade. The effects of deflection on the aerodynamic and propeller performance characteristics are discussed. The local pressure profiles of deflected and undeflected blade models are compared with test data. The results show that improvements can be made by including proper blade deflection in the numerical model.