View in EDS

Investigation of the Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Performance of Tilting Ducted Fans.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Investigation of the Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Performance of Tilting Ducted Fans.
Authors: Meng, Han1 (AUTHOR), Song, Fuqiang2 (AUTHOR), Gu, Yijuan2 (AUTHOR), Lu, Zhenbo3 (AUTHOR) Luzhb7@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Source: Journal of Aerospace Engineering. Mar2026, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p1-15. 15p.
Subjects: Aerodynamics, Aeroacoustics, Aerofoils, Aerospace technology, Noise control, Flow separation
Abstract: This study presents a detailed experimental and numerical investigation into the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of a tilting ducted fan based on a NACA 0018 airfoil. Tests were conducted in an anechoic wind tunnel under hover (varying tip Mach numbers and clearances) and cruise (varying wind speeds and angles of attack) conditions. The key findings revealed that the ducted configuration provides a significant thrust enhancement of up to 15.8% compared with an isolated propeller, without a measurable increase in overall broadband noise from reducing the tip clearance. Furthermore, the duct fundamentally altered the acoustic directivity, shifting the point of minimum noise downstream of the rotor disk due to its shielding effect. Under cruise conditions, the noise level attains a distinct peak at specific angles of attack (10°–15°), a phenomenon linked via large-eddy simulation (LES) to flow separation and vortex shedding on the duct's outer wall. This work provides critical insights for the design and optimization of low-noise propulsion systems for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Aerospace Engineering is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:This study presents a detailed experimental and numerical investigation into the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of a tilting ducted fan based on a NACA 0018 airfoil. Tests were conducted in an anechoic wind tunnel under hover (varying tip Mach numbers and clearances) and cruise (varying wind speeds and angles of attack) conditions. The key findings revealed that the ducted configuration provides a significant thrust enhancement of up to 15.8% compared with an isolated propeller, without a measurable increase in overall broadband noise from reducing the tip clearance. Furthermore, the duct fundamentally altered the acoustic directivity, shifting the point of minimum noise downstream of the rotor disk due to its shielding effect. Under cruise conditions, the noise level attains a distinct peak at specific angles of attack (10°–15°), a phenomenon linked via large-eddy simulation (LES) to flow separation and vortex shedding on the duct's outer wall. This work provides critical insights for the design and optimization of low-noise propulsion systems for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:08931321
DOI:10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-6731