I have always thought there must be something better than the plastic air-conditioning fans we use to lift and propell our racing machines. One aeronautical engineering degree later, and I am just about getting a decent enough understanding to think about doing it!
Its also taken a long time digging up decent information on ducted fans for propulsion (let alone getting it into my head), so i plan to share what im doing. So if you’re a fan design guru reading this and can see a better way please put me back on the right track! My main sources are shown below.
Before we try to start a new design from a clean sheet, we need to have a better idea of our requirements (MORE THRUST isn’t really helpfull…).
–What are the requirements for a racing hovercraft thrustfan?
Next we need to find the baseline using the blade which most people are using- the Hascon/Multiwing 5Z blade. Whats wrong with it and how could it be improved?
–The baseline design: Multiwing 5Z fan
Finally its time to think of the best way to make the shape of the blade and connect it to as many horsepowers as possible without it bananaing uncontrollably.
–Also to race it you need to test it!
Sources:
–R.A. Wallis: Practical fan design
–Ducted fan design book by F. Marc de Piolenc & George E. Wright Jr.
–Ducted fan design code by Marc Drela and Hal Y. as well as the ES2 version by Philip Carter
–Theory of wing sections by Abbott and Doenhoff
–Javafoil and Javaprop by Martin Hepperle
–Multwing Optimiser fan selection program
-Many NACA and NASA papers
Thanks for help from:
Rupert Baker, Tom Brufato, Alister Simpson, Marc Piolenc, Bob Parks, Philip Carter, Keith Oakley and many others i have pinched ideas from
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