Automated Design Optimization of a Mono Tiltrotor in Hovering and Cruising States

Lifang Zeng, Jianxin Hu, Dingyi Pan and Xueming Shao
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Lifang Zeng: School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Jianxin Hu: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Dingyi Pan: School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Xueming Shao: School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: mono tiltrotor (MTR); multi-objective optimization; BEMT; figure of merit; propulsive efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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