Work

Numerical investigation of the surface roughness effect on the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of a propeller

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of surface roughness on the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of propellers, employing CFD techniques with RANS equations. Considering boundary layer development with roughness conditions, the analysis derived the aerodynamic and noise performance of a rotating propeller. For aeroacoustics, both Proudman’s formula and Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic analogy were used. As the numerical results provide insights into the trade-offs between aerodynamic efficiency and noise reduction, this study applied different roughness configurations to the blade and the effects were compared. Through a parametric study with various configurations, three optimal surface conditions were identified, achieving tonal noise improvements up to 2 dB at blade passing frequency, despite reductions in aerodynamic efficiency by 2% with condition Opt.3. Taking further into account operating duty, i.e. thrust of the propeller, angular velocity of the proposed model was adjusted, and the results were compared in detail. By applying rough conditions onto blade surfaces with selected roughness configuration, improvements in thrust performance could be achieved with Opt.1 and thus the reduced angular velocity for intended operating duty could make noise reduction by 1.5 dB at blade passing frequency.

Source: Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics

DOI: 10.1080/19942060.2025.2555337

Authors: Seongho Park, Jae Sung Yang, June Kee Min

Institution: Pusan National University

Language: English

Topic: Aerodynamics and Acoustics in Jet Flows

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,993

Funder: Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement