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Aerodynamics and Design for Ultra-Low Reynolds Number Flight

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these variations <strong>and</strong> possible solutions, but even the current error magnitude only<br />

marginally diminishes the utility of the rapid analysis method. The one glaring<br />

Chapter 6<br />

exception is the small-hub rotor. In this case per<strong>for</strong>mance radically differs from both the<br />

predictions <strong>and</strong> the other experiments. Similar problems are seen in the last of the three<br />

designs.<br />

6.4.3 Five-Blade 2.2cm Diameter Rotor<br />

This rotor has the most non-traditional plan<strong>for</strong>m of all three designs. Key features are<br />

the small hub radius <strong>and</strong> root chords, large mid span chords, <strong>and</strong> high local solidity. This<br />

rotor is predicted to per<strong>for</strong>m similarly to the four-blade rotor, generating three to four<br />

grams of thrust between 35,000 <strong>and</strong> 45,000 RPM, but the experimental results have been<br />

surprising <strong>and</strong> quite disappointing. The predicted <strong>and</strong> measured thrust <strong>for</strong> the original<br />

version of this rotor is presented in Figure 6.18. The behavior is very similar to that of<br />

the small hub four-blade rotor <strong>and</strong> is explained in the next section.<br />

Thrust (g)<br />

4.5<br />

4.0<br />

3.5<br />

3.0<br />

2.5<br />

2.0<br />

1.5<br />

1.0<br />

0.5<br />

<strong>Low</strong>-order Method<br />

5-Blade Rotor, Experiment<br />

0.0<br />

10000 20000 30000<br />

RPM<br />

40000 50000<br />

FIGURE 6.18 Predicted <strong>and</strong> experimental thrust of the five-blade 2.2cm rotor.<br />

113

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