Aerodynamic Phenomena of Propeller-Wing-Flap Interaction

As the aviation industry faces growing environmental challenges, there is a critical push for innovations to reduce its climate impact. Advances in propeller technology present a promising, more efficient alternative to traditional turbofans, especially for short to medium-range flights. Propellers offer high propulsive efficiency and flexibility, though they pose challenges like increased noise and performance limitations at higher speeds. Recent developments explore propeller integration into airframes to harness aerodynamic benefits, such as distributed propeller systems that enhance lift during take-off. The design of such integrations requires a comprehensive understanding of the highly complex flow dynamics involved in the interaction between a propeller, wing, and flap.
The objective of this dissertation is therefore to characterise the phenomena and mechanisms that govern the aerodynamic interaction between a propeller, wing, and flap. The propeller-wing-flap aerodynamic interaction can be viewed as a combination of two fields which are already established in literature: propeller-wing aerodynamic interaction and multi-element airfoil aerodynamics. Using these foundations, the present research approaches the problem from two perspectives: the extension of propeller-wing interaction to include a flap, and the influence of a non-uniform flowfield induced by a propeller on the aerodynamics of a multi-element airfoil. Special attention is paid to the slipstream deformation, which is known to be substantial in propeller-wing interaction at high angles of attack and is likely to be very significant for the flow over a deployed flap. Additionally, the explorations of additional components in the system, such as distributed propellers and the role of the nacelle integration, are included to provide a basis for further research in the field....