Unsteady blade pressures on a propfan - Predicted and measured compressibility effects

The effect of compressibility on unsteady blade pressures is studied by solving the 3D Euler equations. The operation of the eight-bladed SR7L propfan at 4.75 deg angle of attack was considered. Euler solutions were obtained for three Mach numbers, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8 and the predicted blade pressure waveforms were compared with flight data. In general, the effect of Mach number on pressure waveforms are correctly predicted. The change in pressure waveforms are minimal when the Mach number is increased from 0.6 to 0.7. Increasing the Mach number from 0.7 to 0.8 produces significant changes in predicted pressure levels. The predicted amplitudes, however, differ from measurements at some transducer locations. Also the predicted appearance of a shock in the highly loaded portion of the blade revolution is not indicated by the measurements. At all the three Mach numbers, the measured (installed propfan) pressure waveforms show a relative phase lag compared to the computed (propfan alone) waveforms due to installation effects. Measured waveforms in the blade tip region show nonlinear variations which are not captured by the present numerical procedure.