334 Int. J. Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, Vol. 9, Nos.

3/4, 2014

Determining small diameter propeller efficiency

through wind tunnel test

M. Sallehuddin*
RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
Jalan Semarak, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
and
iKhoza Wind Engineering,
Malaysia-Japan International Institute,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
54100 Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Email: saleh@ic.utm.my
*Corresponding author

Mahzan Muhammad Iyas

RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
Jalan Semarak, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Email: iyas@ic.utm.my

Abstract: Most small unmanned air vehicles are powered by a fixed pitched
propeller. Since a fixed-pitch propeller will be efficient only through a narrow
range of operation conditions, selecting the right propeller is crucial to airplane
performance. A wind tunnel test rig was set-up to determine propeller
efficiency at different diameters and pitch angles. The efficiency of each
propeller is determined by applying the simple momentum theory to the
airflow. Results from the tests were compared with results from software which
used Glauret blade element theory. The experimental results are about 95%
accurate when the propeller advance ratio is between 0.2 and 0.5.

Keywords: component; propeller efficiency; small diameter propeller; wind

tunnel; test rig.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Sallehuddin, M. and

Iyas, M.M. (2014) ‘Determining small diameter propeller efficiency through
wind tunnel test’, Int. J. Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, Vol. 9,
Nos. 3/4, pp.334–341.

Biographical notes: M. Sallehuddin is an Associate Professor in Aeronautical

Engineering. He has more than 20 years experience in teaching aeronautical
engineering subjects. His research areas are aircraft design, structure and flight
safety.

Mahzan Muhammad Iyas is a graduate student in Aeronautical Engineering. He

is currently doing research on flutter on composite wing.

Copyright © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

 Determining small diameter propeller efficiency through wind tunnel test 335

This paper is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled ‘Determining

small diameter propeller efficiency through wind tunnel test’ presented at the
2nd International Conference on Mechanical, Automotive and Aerospace
Engineering (ICMAAE 2013), Kuala Lumpur, 2–4 July 2013.

1 Introduction

Propeller performance is important in the design and performance prediction of

unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) (Brandt and Selig, 2011). Small size UAVs fly at
moderate speed and are powered by a fixed pitch propeller which has high efficiency
only through a narrow range of operation conditions (Kroes and Wild, 2002). Both
Breguet endurance and range equations prove that efficiency of the propeller is important
in propeller powered airplane performance (Yechout et al., 2003). Thus, selecting a right
propeller that operates most efficiently at the airplane cruising speed is crucial as efficient
propeller will generate large amount of thrust for a given torque.
However when buying a small size UAV engine, the manufacturer will suggest a
propeller that is compatible with the power plant without giving the efficiency of the
suggested propeller. Therefore, small diameter propeller test rig is required to determine
the propeller efficiency.
Many researchers have produced propeller test rig. Asson and Dunn (1990) produced
a compact dynamometer system using linear variable differential transformers (LVDT) to
measure thrust. The rig was reported to have 5% error. Couture [Electric Airplane Design
Manual (EAD)] test rig used lead sinker to measure thrust produced by propeller. A
voltmeter and ammeter were used to find the wattage the motor while tachometer is used
to measure the propeller revolutions. However, the accuracy of his test rig is not
determined. Hunt’s (1993) test rig has a swinging platform that is built for response with
thrust. When comparing data from his test rig with data from low speed wind tunnel, he
concluded there are differences between static and dynamic testing. Hossain and
Krouglicof (2010) propeller test rig was based on thin beam strain gauge load cells. It is
able to measure thrust and torque with an accuracy of ±1% of full scale.

2 Methodology

2.1 Governing theory

There are many methods to determine propeller efficiency. Our propeller efficiency test
rig uses simple momentum theory which states that the propeller increases free stream air
flow to higher airspeed (Shevell, 1989). The theory assumes that:
a propellers have a large number of blades, so propeller become as a large actuator
disc
b thrust is uniformly distributed over the disk
c Vmean is immediately behind the propeller
336 M. Sallehuddin and M.M. Iyas

d slipstream rotation is ignored

e axial velocity of the fluid is continuous in passing through the propeller disk.

Figure 1 Air velocity distribution along the propeller

Free stream is assumed to have velocity V0. On leaving the disk, the axial velocity rises to
V0 + aV0 but the pressure falls from P1 to P2. The velocity is constant through the disc but
raises to V0 + bV0 in the final slipstream. Thrust; a rate of change of momentum from far
ahead of the disc to behind it is given as:
T = 2 AρV02 (1 + a )a (1)

The disk increases kinetic energy of the airflow by

ΔKE = TV0 (1 + a) (2)

Since efficiency is the ratio of useful work to change in kinetic energy, propeller
efficiency becomes:
TV0 1
η= = (3)
TV0 (1 + a ) 1 + a

where a is the fractional increase in air velocity through the propeller.

The propeller advance ratio J is determined by:
V0
J= (4)
nD
where
n propeller rotational speed (rad/s)
D propeller diameter (m).

2.2 Experimental set-up

The experiment was conducted using a TQ AF100 subsonic wind tunnel located at
Makmal Aeronautik UTM Kuala Lumpur. The wind tunnel working section is 305 mm ×
305 mm and 600 mm long with maximum velocity of 36 m/s. The test rig was fabricated
with components as shown in Figure 2.
 Determining small diameter propeller efficiency through wind tunnel test 337

Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the test rig

To conduct a test, a constant speed of air is supplied to the test section of the wind tunnel.
The propeller speed is controlled remotely by changing electrical current supplied by the
battery to the motor. Air speed at the back of the propeller is measured using anemometer
while the propeller rotational speed is measured by the tachometer.
Propeller with different diameter and pitch will give different efficiency since the
diameter and the pitch determine the amount of air transferred by the propeller in a single
rotation. Three propellers were tested to determine their efficiency using the test rig as
shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Propeller selection

Number Name Diameter (inch) Pitch

1 Propeller 1 5.5 4.5
2 Propeller 2 5.5 4.0
3 Propeller 3 6.0 4.0

The propellers were tested at various rotational speeds and the airspeed behind the
propellers was measured.

3 Result and discussion

Data from the test was tabulated and calculated using equation (3) and equation (4) to
determine propeller efficiency η and advance ratio J.
The propeller efficiency from the tests were compared with output from propel.exe
software encoded by University of Sydney (Anon, Glauert Blade Element Theory) and
shown in Figure 3 to Figure 5.
338 M. Sallehuddin and M.M. Iyas

Table 2 Propeller efficiency and advance ratio for propeller 5.5 × 4.5 at V0 = 4.11 m/s

Test n (rad/s) a η J
1 54 0.355 0.7379 0.5499
2 71 0.616 0.6190 0.4173
3 89 0.891 0.5290 0.3306
4 104 1.197 0.4551 0.2843
5 110 1.319 0.4313 0.2687
6 118 1.538 0.3941 0.2504
7 126 1.689 0.3719 0.2344
8 138 1.985 0.3350 0.2132
9 147 2.127 0.3198 0.2008
10 156 2.180 0.3145 0.1890

Table 3 Propeller efficiency and advance ratio for propeller 5.5 × 4.0 at V0 = 4.11 m/s

Test n (rad/s) a η J
1 66 0.365 0.7326 0.4492
2 85 0.606 0.6227 0.3482
3 105 0.881 0.5317 0.2811
4 117 1.100 0.4762 0.2525
5 126 1.304 0.4340 0.2344
6 147 1.472 0.4045 0.2008
7 149 1.803 0.3568 0.1981
8 157 1.956 0.3383 0.1880
9 165 2.061 0.3267 0.1783
10 165 2.139 0.3186 0.1788

Table 4 Propeller efficiency and advance ratio for propeller 6 × 4.0 at V0 = 4.11 m/s

Test n (rad/s) a η J
1 66 0.365 0.7326 0.4117
2 78 0.511 0.6618 0.3480
3 89 0.708 0.5855 0.3030
4 101 0.810 0.5524 0.2670
5 103 0.852 0.5401 0.2631
6 113 1.000 0.5000 0.2380
7 126 1.304 0.4340 0.2149
8 138 1.599 0.3848 0.1961
9 150 1.798 0.3574 0.1804
10 159 2.051 0.3278 0.1700
 Determining small diameter propeller efficiency through wind tunnel test 339

Figure 3 Propeller efficiency comparison for propeller 5.5 × 4.5 (see online version for colours)

Figure 4 Propeller efficiency comparisons for propeller 5.5 × 4.0 (see online version for colours)
340 M. Sallehuddin and M.M. Iyas

Figure 5 Propeller efficiency comparison for propeller 6.0 × 4.0 (see online version for colours)

Based on these graphs, the results from the wind tunnel tests are similar to the results
given by the software when propeller advance ratio is between 0.2 and 0.5. However,
result for propeller 5.5 × 4.5 has a difference of 5%, the highest amongst the three
propellers. The differences between experimental and the software results are due to
instrumentation error and the different in theory utilised in the experiment and simulation
software.

4 Conclusions and recommendation

A test rig to test small diameter propeller efficiency has setup by using simple momentum
theory. Results from both the experiment and the software give a similar value of
propeller efficiency when the propeller advance ratio is between 0.2 and 0.5. This proves
that wind tunnel can be used to determine small diameter propeller efficiency.
A better result can be achieved if the wind velocity behind the propeller and the
propeller rotational speed are captured by data logger. Further tests using larger diameter
propellers and at higher wind speed will confirm the effectiveness of this technique in
determining small diameter propeller efficiency.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ministry of Higher Education and Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia for funding this paper under Vot Q.K13000.2609.07J30. The authors would
also like to thanks Mr. Mohamad Safari Mansor for setting up the experiments.
 Determining small diameter propeller efficiency through wind tunnel test 341

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