Experimental Analysis of Aerodynamic Loads of Three-Bladed Rotor

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Mechanical Vibrations

Background:

• Rotorcraft and wind turbine performance relies on understanding blade dynamics and aerodynamic loads.
• Predicting and mitigating complex aerodynamic interactions is crucial for efficiency and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate the dynamic behavior and aerodynamic forces acting on a three-bladed rotor.
• To analyze the influence of varying angular velocities and blade pitch angles on rotor performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized high-speed cameras to capture rotor motion and derive aerodynamic loads as polynomial functions.
• Employed strain gauges on each blade to measure structural responses and identify synchronization phenomena.
• Conducted experiments across three distinct angular velocities and four blade pitch angles.

Main Results:

• Quantified aerodynamic loads based on high-speed imaging data.
• Observed and analyzed the synchronization phenomenon between rotor blades using strain gauge data.
• Correlated rotor dynamics with varying operational parameters (angular velocity and pitch angle).

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable experimental data on the dynamics and aerodynamic loads of a three-bladed rotor.
• Synchronization phenomena were successfully identified, offering insights into rotor stability and performance.
• Experimental findings contribute to improved design and analysis of rotor systems.