Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2021
26th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Design of a Torque and Thrust Biaxial Sensor for Propellers
Submission Author:
Gabriel Pereira Gouveia da Silva , SP , Brazil
Co-Authors:
Gabriel Pereira Gouveia da Silva, João Paulo Eguea, Fernando catalano
Presenter: Gabriel Pereira Gouveia da Silva
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2021.COB2021-0489
Abstract
The emergence of urban air mobility aircraft has been driving a need for quieter and more efficient propellers. These new propellers should be capable of obtaining an extra benefit from the aeropropulsive integration. Thus, the relationships between the performance and acoustic parameters and the propellers' position, geometric and operational characteristics need to be known to the propeller designer. In this context, a test rig for distributed electric propulsion (DEP) was built at the Department of Aeronautical Engineering of the University of São Paulo (EESC-USP). It will be used to obtain an experimental database of propellers operating in DEP condition. This database will improve the understanding of the interaction between propellers and wing and between adjacent propellers. It will also provide a means of validation for design tools for optimizing propellers for DEP. The propulsive performance is related to the propeller capacity to generate more thrust with less torque and can be evaluated experimentally through measurements with torque and thrust biaxial load cells. The work presented hereby refers to the design of aerodynamic balances for the DEP test rig. These balances were designed to provide an independent measurement of thrust and torque, with a linear response to the applied loads. The balances are composed of aluminum alloy blades, that are flexed by the axial displacement of their ends caused by the propeller thrust; and a cylindrical rod with a hollow section, that is more easily deformed by the propeller torque. These load cells were instrumented with linear strain gauges connected in a complete bridge for the measurement of thrust and fishbone strain gauges in half-bridge for the measurement of torque. The load cells were simulated using finite element software and were manufactured in aluminum alloy through traditional and electrical discharge machining. The strain gauges have been installed and the balances will be calibrated with known loads. A measurement of the balance hysteresis will also be carried out. After the calibration process, the balances will be ready for use in the test rig.
Keywords
wind tunnel testing, aerodynamic balance, propeller test, Propeller Aerodynamics, FEM, Load cell
