Solar uav: propulsion system - selection of motor and propeller for male uav

• Main Author: Ong, Chin Hwee
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Propellers; DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Aircraft motors and engines
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61324
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This report relooks at the propulsion system selection for the solar UAV and seeks to obtain a more accurate characterization of the motor-propeller combination in a bigger wind tunnel. In addition, the functionality of the motor over 24-hour operation at temperatures of -40°C is investigated in an environmental chamber. The theoretical sizing of the system is revisited, and the XOAR PJN 26 x 12 propeller and Lehner 2240/14 brushless inrunner motor are selected due to availability. The set-up is tested in the National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) at the India Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) over a range of throttle settings and wind speeds up to 15m/s. Dimensional analysis is used to characterize the performance of the motor-propeller combination and relationships between the dimensionless performance parameters are obtained. The range of current setting for wind tunnel testing is limited by the power supply available at NWTF. The performance of the motor-propeller combination at cruise and climb is obtained from the performance parameter relationships through linear extrapolation of RPM values. The off-target efficiencies recorded is due to power losses in the wires and low pitch angle of the propeller. Environmental tests performed on the motor indicate preliminary functionality at 8000m cruise conditions.