100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory

V.L. Okulov, J .N. Srensen, G.A.M. van Kuik

Development of theories
of optimal rotors
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
N.E. J oukowsky has reported
Vortex theory of the screw propeller
1 October 1912
Before Rotor Vortex Theory
R.E. Froude W. Rankine
Strong discussion about a validation of the theory took place up to the
first formulation of the vortex theory but a distrust to the Froudes
theory in English school kept long time after that.
Momentum (or slipstream, or actuator disk) theory (1889)
Before Rotor Vortex Theory
Lord
Rayleigh
M. Kutta
Strong discussion about aerodynamics of aerofoil results to
the formulation of Kutta-J oukowsky theorem (1902 - 1906).
Aerodynamics of aerofoil
N. J oukowsky
Before Rotor Vortex Theory
S. Drzewiecki
Blade elements theory (1892)
The original theory of Drzewecki was incomplete
because it did not include induction velocity.
For this reason propellers designed in accordance with his theory in
beginning of XX century was inferior to ones after empirical selection.
Before Rotor Vortex Theory
The first picture of the wing vortex by Lanchester (1907)
Aerodynamics of wing
F. Lanchester
L. Prandtl
The first simplified vortices
of wing (Prandtl 1913)
J oukowsky used it to his
vortex theory of rotor
More accurate vortices
(Prandtl 1918)
Betz used it for rotor
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
N.E. J oukowsky
Rotor vortex theory
of Joukowsky
(October 1912)
was formulated in first article (1912)
of his famous cycle from 4 articles
Vortex theory of screw propeller
(1912-1918)
+ =
Flamms visualization and the first wing vortex system result to his theory
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
Model of helical tip vortex in his first article (1912)
Moor & Saffman (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., 1972)
re-suggested the vortex ring approximation 60 years later!
Ricca (J FM, 1994) estimated the regular term by numerical simulation
J oukowsky was first who derived the vortex ring approximation for helical tip vortex
but he neglected a regular rest term which is sufficiently great without which
becomes impossible to find a correct solution for rotor with finite number of blades
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
Rotor with infinite number of blades in his first article (1912)
In the first article (1912) Joukowsky proposed the rotor vortex theory
with finite number of blades but he could solve this infinite case only!
A complete solution with definition of induction
velocity and blade form was found by vortex
theory for rotor with infinite number of blades
(J oukowsky 1912)
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
In the second article (1914) Joukowsky only described the method
but he could not formulate an law for optimization
V. Vetchinkin
(pupil of J oukowsky)
2-d article of Vortex theory of screw propeller (1914)
Vortex system for rotor with
arbitrary circulation along blade
(Vetchinkin, 1913)
Blade element approach
to the Vetchinkins rotor
(J oukowsky 1914)
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
3-d article of Vortex theory of screw propeller (1915)
In the third article (1914) Joukowsky for the first time created
theory of hydrodynamical cascades from the blade profiles
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
4-th article of Vortex theory of screw propeller (1918)
The general momentum theory based on an understanding of the rotor
flow from the vortex theory of the screw propeller has been formulated
A partial case of the general theory for wind turbine rotor
with constant circulation includes a paradox of infinite
power for small tip speed ratio. This paradox has been
discussed by Srensen & van Kuik in (WE, 2011) Propeller case
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
Rotor vortex theory of German school (1919)
The German vortex theory of rotor based on
Prandtl solution for wing with elliptical distribution of load.
A. Betz
(pupil of Prandtl) L. Prandtl
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
Prandtls correction of infinite number of blades (1919)
Idealized vortex system for
screw propeller by Prandtl
Associative plane flow with
the wake behind Betz rotor
In 1919 Prandtls school could only formulate the optimum for the rotor
vortex theory with finite number of blades but they have considered
case of infinite number of blades like the Russian consideration!
Betz-Joukowsky limit (1920)
The First Results grounded by Rotor Vortex Theory
Blade element momentum (BEM) theory (1912-1920)
The First Results grounded by Rotor Vortex Theory
Betz-Joukowsky limit
Glauerts correction
+ =
H. Glauert
The first combination was made in Russia (Sabinin & Yuriev 1912),
the next ones in Germany (Betz 1915) and English school adopted
it in book by Fage & Collins in 1919 only.
First optimization
of wind turbine by
BEM theory (1935)
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Goldsteins solution for Betz rotor (1929)
S. Goldstein
Unfortunately his solution was very complex to simulate and
Theodorsen used the electromagnetic analogy to design blades
for the screw propeller
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Theodorsens measurements for Betz rotor (1945)
Theodore Theodorsen prepares an electromagnetic equipment to give a
talk on the physics of a four-blade propeller in 1945.
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Progress of helical vortex theory in XX century
Many famous contributions in helical vortex theory (e.g. Forsdyke,1928; Goldstein,
1929; Rosenhead, 1930; Morgan & Wrench, 1965; Crow, 1970; Widnall et al 1971 &
1972; Moore & Saffman, 1972; Batchelor, 1973; Callegari & Ting, 1978; Fukumoto &
Miyazaki, 1991; Okulov 1993&1995; Ricca, 1994; Kuibin & Okulov 1998; Vozhdaev
et all 1997; Boersma & Wood ,1999 etc.) were made in XX century to result
analytical solutions for both rotor with finite number of blades.
Goldsteins circulation
Points: Tibery & Wrench (1964)
Lines: Okulov & Srensen (WE, 2008)
Self-induced velocity of the helix
2 4 6 8 10
1
0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
O
pitch
Joukowskys
approximation
Black line is analytical solution (Okulov, 2004)
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Major assumptions of the main rotor theories
Theories
Number of
blades
Definition of
the pitch in the wake
Circulation
along blade
Betz-Joukowsky limit
(1920)
actuator disk
non specified non specified
Glauerts optimization
(1935)
non specified
non specified* non specified
Joukowsky consideration
of the rotor I (1912)
infinite without induction velocity constant
Betz consideration
of the rotor II (1919)
infinite without induction velocity Betz type
Prandtl tip correction
(1919)
finite (N
0
) without induction velocity correction of Betz type
Goldsteins solution
of the rotor II (1929)
finite (N
0
=1-4) without induction velocity Goldsteins type
Theodorsens consideration
of the rotor II (1948)
finite (N
0
)
with induction velocity
of far wake
Goldsteins type
New OS solution of rotor II (2008) finite (N
0
)
with induction velocity
in rotor plane
Goldsteins type
New OS solution of rotor I (2010) finite (N
0
)
with induction velocity
in rotor plane
constant
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Test of the Betz-Goldsteins and Theodorsens theories

0 5 10 15 20
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
C
P

N =1
N =2
N =3
N =5
N =10
N =20
N =
0 5 10 15 20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
C
T

1 3
2
2
P
w
C w I I
| |
=
|
\ .
1 3
2 1
2 2
T
w w
C w I I
| |
= +
|
\ .
0 5 10
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0 5 10
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
CP CT
=OR/V =OR/V
N =2
N =3
N =4
N =5
N =6
( )( )
2 1
P
C w w w k c =
2
2
T
C w w
k
k c
(
| |
= +
| (
\ .

Lightly loaded propeller with
finite number of blades
(Betz, 1919; Goldstein,1929)
The induction velocity did not
influence on the pitch of the
wake
Theodorsens consideration
for propeller with finite
number of blades
(Theodorsen,1948)
The pitch calculates via
induction velocity in far wake
Points is Glauerts optimization
Development of Rotor Vortex Theory
Comparison of both rotors (Okulov & Srensen, JFM 2010)
1 3
2 1
2 2
P
w w
C w I I
| || |
=
| |
\ .\ .
For the first time the comparison between the famous rotor conceptions
was made by analytical solutions but in both cases the wake expansion
has been neglected.
J oukowsky vortex model of rotor Betz vortex model of rotor
Points is Glauerts optimization
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
The centennial is also celebrated in
Russia.
The Russian institute TsAGI, founded by
Joukowsky, makes a special issue on
this topic
Development
of theories of an optimal rotor
by V. Okulov, J. Srensen G. van Kuik.
Collaboration between Russian and German aerodynamic schools
in the beginning of XX-th century was very successful
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
100 Years of Rotor Vortex Theory
Concluding remarks
The story of rotor vortex theory
will be continued!
Both Russian and German schools created their vortex theories
independently because World War I and Russian revolution
separated their collaboration.
100 years of the theory should celebrate from 2012 to 2019!