An acoustic experimental and theoretical investigation of single disc propellers

An experimental study of the acoustic field associated with two, three, and four blade propeller configurations with a blade root angle of 50 deg was performed in the Texas A&M University 5 ft. x 6 ft. acoustically-insulated subsonic wind tunnel. A waveform analysis package was utilized to obtain experimental acoustic time histories, frequency spectra, and overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and served as a basis for comparison to the theoretical acoustic compact source theory of Succi (1979). Valid for subsonic tip speeds, the acoustic analysis replaced each blade by an array of spiraling point sources which exhibited a unique force vector and volume. The computer analysis of Succi was modified to include a propeller performance strip analysis which used a NACA 4-digit series airfoil data bank to calculate lift and drag for each blade segment given the geometry and motion of the propeller. Theoretical OASPL predictions were found to moderately overpredict experimental values for all operating conditions and propeller configurations studied.