Eftersom användningen av små UAV:s (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) fortsätter att öka, harbullret från deras framdrivningssystem blivit ett ökande problem. Denna rapport är resultatetav ett masterprojekt med målet att utveckla en framdrivningsmetod med låga bullernivåerför små UAV:s.Projektet startade med en informationssökning där målet var att hitta information ombullerkällor i nuvarande system samt information om de fundamentala sätten på vilket luftflödekan skapas.När informationssökningen var färdig, genererades ett stort antal olika koncept. Konceptetsom författarna ansåg ha mest potential, var en propeller med en ny metod för passivkontroll av gränsskiktet. Konceptet har ett luftintag nära rotationscentrum. Efter att luftenhar kommit in i detta luftintag, leds den genom interna kanaler och accelereras radiellt utåtpå grund av centrifugalkraften. Luften sprutas sedan ut genom en slits nära framkantenpropellerbladets lågtryckssida. Denna ström av luft färdas över propellerbladet och sugsin genom en slits nära vingens bakkant. Därefter sprutas luften ut genom ett utlopp närapropellerbladets spets.Tanken är att den beskrivna metoden ska fördröja eller förhindra avlösning. Detta skullepotentiellt möjliggöra högre lyftkraft vid lägre rotationshastigheter, vilket därigenom potentielltsänker bullernivåerna. Förenklade modeller av det valda konceptet har utvecklats ochanalyserats med hjälp av CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) och jämförts med simuleringarav en referensmodell utan gränsskiktskontroll. Resultaten indikerar att flödet ikonceptmodellen strömmar genom kanalerna och över propellerbladet som det var tänkt.Lyftkraften och effektiviteten ökade med 4.3 % respektive 1.9 %, jämfört med referensmodellen,vid samma rotationshastighet. Den möjliga minskningen av rotationshastigheten pågrund av ökningen i lyftkraft resulterar i en minskning av bullernivån med 0.9 dB. Detbör noteras att resultaten från simuleringarna bör ses med försiktighet och att ytterligarearbete måste göras innan några definitiva slutsatser kan dras beträffande potentiella prestandaökningarav konceptet jämfört med en konventionell propeller. / As the use of small UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) keeps increasing, the noise emittedfrom their propulsion systems have become an increasing issue. This report is the resultof a master thesis project with the aim of developing a propulsion method with low noiseemissions for small UAVs.The project started with a background study, where the aim was to find informationabout sources of noise in current systems and information about the fundamental ways inwhich air flow can be created.When the background study was finished, a large number of different concepts were generated.The concept that the authors considered having the most potential, was a propellerwith a new method for passive circulation control. The concept has an air intake close tothe rotational center. After air has entered this inlet it is led through internal channels andis accelerated radially outwards due to centrifugal forces. The air is then ejected through aslot close to the leading edge on the low pressure side on the propeller blade. This stream ofair travels over the propeller blade and is the sucked in through a slot close to the trailingedge. After this, the air is ejected through an outlet close to the propeller blades tip.The idea is that the method described should delay or prevent boundary layer separation.This would potentially allow for higher thrust at lower rotational speeds, thus potentiallylowering the noise emissions. Simplified models of the chosen concept have been developedand analyzed using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and compared to simulations ofa baseline model with no circulation control. The results indicate that the fluid flow in theconcept model flows through the channels and over the propeller blade, as intended. Thethrust and efficiency were increased by 4.3 % and 1.9 % respectively, compared to the baselinemodel, at the same rotational speed. The possible reduction of the rotational speed due tothe increase in thrust, results in a reduction of the noise level by 0.9 dB. It should be notedthat the results from the simulations should be viewed with caution and the that furtherwork needs to be done before any clear conclusions can be drawn regarding the potentialperformance increase of the concept compared to a conventional propeller.

No description available.

The object of the present work is to experimentally study the case of a turbulent boundary layer subjected to an Adverse Pressure Gradient (APG) with separation and reattachment. The effect of unsteadiness on turbulent boundary layer separation by means two different methods were explored viz. the effect of local forcing by acoustic waves and effect of wakes on separation bubble. The experiments were conducted in a low speed open circuit blower type wind tunnel. The turbulent separation bubble was created on the test plate by a contoured ceiling which created the adverse pressure gradient. The velocities were measured using single element hot wire and X-wire. Limited studies on quasi shear stress were also conducted using surface mounted hot film probes. Static pressure was measured using a projection manometer. Boundary layer is tripped near the leading edge of the flat plate to ensure a turbulent boundary layer. Surface pressure distribution and flow visualization were conducted as part of diagnostics. In the case of laminar separation bubble, lot of investigations have been done on the effect of unsteady wake and the most important conclusion was that the wake induces `bypass' transition to turbulence and since the turbulent boundary layer is more resistant to separation, it remains attached. In the case of turbulent separation bubble, laminar-turbulent transition is not relevant and if the bubble is suppressed, it should be by some other mechanism. This is what we seek to unravel in this study. A closer look at the mean velocity profiles reveal the occurrence of inflection point before separation as in the case of laminar separation bubble and the peak values of turbulence intensities correspond to the location of point of inflection. Turbulent separation correlations proposed by various investigators were compared with the present results and are found to be in good agreement. Surface flow visualization pictures are used to get qualitative information. The wall forcing on the separation bubble was done using a speaker which blows a small amount of air when the diaphragm moves up and sucks in when the diaphragm moves down. The blowing effect seems to be more effective in suppressing the separation compared to suction. The interaction with wake is studied using an unsteady bar which is moving up and down. The inflection point in the mean velocity distribution seems to move closer to the wall with the impingement o the wake. Also the turbulence intensities have increased and seem to move closer to the wall. The displacement and momentum thickness have increased and the shape factor has decreased which indicates suppression of the bubble. The quasi shear stress in the separated region also increased which indicates suppression of separation. While the oncoming unsteady wake might be a parcel of fluid with defect velocity when seen in isolation, in comparison to the velocity defect in the separation bubble, it is a region of velocity excess. As a result, one can expect the impingement of the unsteady wake on the TSB to transport momentum thereby contributing to separation reduction. But the mechanism of separation is different from laminar separation bubble affected by wakes. The suppression in the case of turbulent separation bubble is partly due to the entrainment of turbulence and partly due to the kinematic impact of the wake on the bubble.

Vortex generator jets (VGJs) have been found to be an effective method of active separation control on the suction side of a low pressure turbine (LPT) blade at low Reynolds numbers. The flow mechanisms responsible for this control were studied and documented in order to provide a basis for future improvements in LPT design. Data were collected using a stereo PIV system that enabled all three components of velocity to be measured. Steady VGJs were injected into a laminar boundary layer on a flat plate (non-separating boundary layer) in order to more fully understand the characteristics and behavior of the produced vortices. Both normal (injected normal to the wall) and angled (injected at 30° pitch and 90° skew angles to the freestream) jets were studied. The steady jets were found to create vortices that swept the low momentum fluid up from the boundary layer while transporting high momentum freestream fluid towards the wall, a phenomenon that provides the ingredients for flow control. Pulsed VGJs were then injected on a flat plate with an applied adverse pressure gradient equivalent to that experienced by a commonly tested LPT blade. This configuration was used to study the effectiveness of the flow control exhibited by both normal and angled jets on a separating boundary layer. Time averaged results showed similar boundary layer separation reduction for both normal and angled jets; however, individual characteristics suggested that the control mechanism of the two injection angles is distinct. Steady and pulsed VGJs were then applied to a new aggressive LPT blade design to explore the effect of the jets on a separating boundary layer along the curved blade surface. Steady injection provided flow control through freestream entrainment, while pulsed jets created a two-dimensional, spanwise disturbance that reduced the separated area as it traveled downstream. A detailed fluid analysis of the uncontrolled flow around the blade was performed in order to identify the separation and reattachment points and the area of transition. This information was used as a basis for comparison with the VGJ cases to determine flow control effectiveness.

Draft tube is very important part of hydraulic turbines. Only optimum work together with turbine can bring highest performance of this machine set. Hence it is necessary to deal with character of flow in the draft tube for different operating conditions. Efficiency of the draft tube depends on many phenomena of flow. Observing these phenomena and finding their relation with energetic transformation in the draft tube is a suitable tool to judge quality of draft tube performance. Incorrect design of the draft tube can sometimes cause lower efficiency of whole machine set. The goal of this thesis is finding the main reasons causing draft tube efficiency drop for given operating conditions.