Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States
A mono tiltrotor (MTR) design which combines concepts of a tiltrotor and coaxial rotor is presented. The aerodynamic modeling of the MTR based on blade element momentum theory (BEMT) is conducted, and the method is fully validated with previous experimental data. An automated optimization approach i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/5/1155 |
| _version_ | 1828115530793353216 |
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| author | Lifang Zeng Jianxin Hu Dingyi Pan Xueming Shao |
| author_facet | Lifang Zeng Jianxin Hu Dingyi Pan Xueming Shao |
| author_sort | Lifang Zeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A mono tiltrotor (MTR) design which combines concepts of a tiltrotor and coaxial rotor is presented. The aerodynamic modeling of the MTR based on blade element momentum theory (BEMT) is conducted, and the method is fully validated with previous experimental data. An automated optimization approach integrating BEMT modeling and optimization algorithms is developed. Parameters such as inter-rotor spacing, blade twist, taper ratio and aspect ratio are chosen as design variables. Single-objective (in hovering or in cruising state) optimizations and multi-objective (both in hovering and cruising states) optimizations are studied at preset design points; i.e., hovering trim and cruising trim. Two single-objective optimizations result in different sets of parameter selections according to the different design objectives. The multi-objective optimization is applied to obtain an identical and compromised selection of design parameters. An optimal point is chosen from the Pareto front of the multi-objective optimization. The optimized design has a better performance in terms of the figure of merit (FM) and propulsive efficiency, which are improved by 7.3% for FM and 13.4% for propulsive efficiency from the prototype, respectively. Further aerodynamic analysis confirmed that the optimized rotor has a much more uniform load distribution along the blade span, and therefore a better aerodynamic performance in both hovering and cruising states is achieved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:41:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38e6e8f73f804823832ef78c41d52e78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:41:47Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-38e6e8f73f804823832ef78c41d52e782022-12-22T04:23:28ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-03-01135115510.3390/en13051155en13051155Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising StatesLifang Zeng0Jianxin Hu1Dingyi Pan2Xueming Shao3School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaFaculty of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaA mono tiltrotor (MTR) design which combines concepts of a tiltrotor and coaxial rotor is presented. The aerodynamic modeling of the MTR based on blade element momentum theory (BEMT) is conducted, and the method is fully validated with previous experimental data. An automated optimization approach integrating BEMT modeling and optimization algorithms is developed. Parameters such as inter-rotor spacing, blade twist, taper ratio and aspect ratio are chosen as design variables. Single-objective (in hovering or in cruising state) optimizations and multi-objective (both in hovering and cruising states) optimizations are studied at preset design points; i.e., hovering trim and cruising trim. Two single-objective optimizations result in different sets of parameter selections according to the different design objectives. The multi-objective optimization is applied to obtain an identical and compromised selection of design parameters. An optimal point is chosen from the Pareto front of the multi-objective optimization. The optimized design has a better performance in terms of the figure of merit (FM) and propulsive efficiency, which are improved by 7.3% for FM and 13.4% for propulsive efficiency from the prototype, respectively. Further aerodynamic analysis confirmed that the optimized rotor has a much more uniform load distribution along the blade span, and therefore a better aerodynamic performance in both hovering and cruising states is achieved.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/5/1155mono tiltrotor (mtr)multi-objective optimizationbemtfigure of meritpropulsive efficiency |
| spellingShingle | Lifang Zeng Jianxin Hu Dingyi Pan Xueming Shao Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States Energies mono tiltrotor (mtr) multi-objective optimization bemt figure of merit propulsive efficiency |
| title | Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States |
| title_full | Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States |
| title_fullStr | Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States |
| title_short | Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States |
| title_sort | automated design optimization of a mono tiltrotor in hovering and cruising states |
| topic | mono tiltrotor (mtr) multi-objective optimization bemt figure of merit propulsive efficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/5/1155 |
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