Unducted Fan Propulsor Placement for Higher Wing-Flow Thrust
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of improving thrust delivery by an unducted fan propulsor without increasing the required engine power and addressing installation penalties such as increased drag and weight in winged aircraft.
Innovation Solution
Optimizing the location of the unducted fan propulsor relative to the aircraft wing's effective quarter chord point (QC) and fan blade size to offset interference and scrubbing effects, using specific positional criteria defined by the correlation of parameters such as midpoint (P) location between guide vanes and fan blades, and defining distances from QC.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the size of the undermounted propulsor is increased, then thrust delivery is improved, but installation penalties increase including increased drag and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the position of the unducted fan propulsor relative to the wing's effective quarter chord point by changing positional parameters. Specifically, it defines a midpoint P location between guide vanes and fan blades, and establishes specific distance relationships from the quarter chord point to optimize the propulsor's interaction with wing-generated flow, thereby reducing interference and scrubbing effects while maintaining thrust performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful interference and scrubbing effects between the propulsor and wing into beneficial aerodynamic interactions. By strategically positioning the propulsor at the optimized location relative to the quarter chord point, the design exploits the wing's pressure distribution and flow patterns to reduce drag penalties and improve overall aerodynamic efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is generally related to aircraft having one or more unducted fan propulsors at locations within specific regions relative to an airfoil, such as a wing or horizontal stabilizer. More specifically, the specific regions are located where there is a relatively higher pressure air flow beneath the wings or above a horizontal stabilizer. That higher pressure air flow can be utilized to provide increased thrust from the unducted fan propulsor.