Vol 12, Issue 06, June/2021

ISSN NO:0377-9254

Design and Analysis of Composite Propeller Blades for Aircraft

K. V. S. Phani1, Vinay Kumar. P2, D. Purushotham3, A. Pavan3, P. Jashwanth Goud3, M.
Harish3
1
Assistant Professor, 2Assistant Professor & HOD, 3UG Student, 1,2,3Department of Mechanical
Engineering
1,2,3
Kommuri Pratap Reddy Institute of Technology, Ghatkesar, Hyderabad, Telangana

Abstract
In this project, the work basically deals with the modeling and analysis of the propeller blade
of an aircraft for its strength. A propeller blade is complex 3D model geometry. This requires
high end modeling CAD software is used for generating the blade model in CATIA V5 R20.
This paper consists of brief details about Fiber Reinforced Plastic materials and the
advantages of using composite propeller over the conventional metallic propeller blade. This
project focus on the metal and composite strength analysis of the propeller blade carried out
by using the finite element analysis. By using ANSYS software static and modal analysis
were carried out for isotropic material and, we also conducted linear layer analysis using
orthotropic materials. In this work two different types of propellers i.e. Aluminium, E-glass
and carbon fiber, were studied using FEA techniques.
1. Introduction
Thrust is the force that moves the aircraft through the air. Thrust is generated by the
propulsion system of the aircraft. There are different types of propulsion systems develop
thrust in different ways, although it usually generated through some application of Newton's
Third Law. Propeller is one of the propulsion systems. The purpose of the propeller is to
move the aircraft through the air. The propeller consists of two or more blades connected
together by a hub. The hub serves to attach the blades to the engine shaft. The blades are
made in the shape of an airfoil like wing of an aircraft. When the engine rotates the propeller
blades, the blades produce lift. This lift is called thrust and moves the aircraft forward. Most
aircraft have propellers that pull the aircraft through the air. These are called tractor
propellers. Some aircraft have propellers that push the aircraft. These are called pusher
propellers.
Propeller Geometry: Propeller geometry is normally a complicated shape at the edges
because of the complex nature of profile. The important terms which determine the shape of
the blade profile are as follows:
Propeller Diameter: Diameter of the propeller is two times the distance from the centre of
the hub to the tip of the blade. It is the distance across the circle that the propeller would
make when rotating as shown in below Figure.

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Fig. 1: Propeller

The composite propeller blades perform better than the wooden propeller blade. To avoid the
deflection of the blade poly materials are used inside the composite propeller blade. One of
most commonly adopted manufacturing of composite propeller is hand layup. The finite
element method is so popular and has been used many researchers. The back drop to this
advancement is the fact that composites can provide a wide variety of special characteristics
that metals cannot. The usage of composite is rapidly increasing in industries due to its
properties and cost effectiveness. As the technology advances the usage of composites is
increasing and cost is becoming less. The present work is mainly focused on converting the
metal blade into a composite propeller in terms of weight reduction, improve in performance
of blade and reduce deflection.
2. Literature review
Changduk Kong et al, structural design and analysis of the propeller blade for turboprop
aircraft, which will be a high speed transportation system for the next generation, were
performed. The propeller of turboprop shall have high strength to get the thrust to fly at high
speed. The high stiffness and strength carbon/epoxy composite material was used for the
major structure and skin-spar-foam sandwich structural type was adopted for improvement of
lightness. As a design procedure for the present study, firstly the structural design load was
estimated through investigation on aerodynamic load and then flanges of spars from major
bending loads and the skin from shear loads were preliminarily sized using the netting rule. In
order to investigate the structural safety and stability, stress analysis was performed by finite
element analysis code MSC. NASTRAN. Finally, it is investigated that designed blade have
high efficiency and structural safety to analyze of aerodynamic and structural design results
Wang et al. analysed the marine propeller performance using a transition-sensitive turbulence
modeling for CFD analysis. Turbulence intensity of 1% and was chosen throughout all the
study cases, with an advance ratio (J) range from 0.0 to 1.60. The transition sensitive
turbulence model was incorporated in the analysis, as it was found that large laminar and
transition flow regions existed. The analysis provides the method to minimize the
discrepancy between CFD and the experimental results by including the transitional analysis.
The study proves that the results improve prediction accuracy for propellers, compared to the
standard k-ω SST turbulence model.
Alka Sawale et al the objective of this thesis is "Optimization of propeller for the existing
UAV to produce maximum thrust of 1000N rotating at 8000rpm at higher speed". Diameter

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of propeller is restricted to 1000mm. Maximum power available is 40KW.The propeller will

be made using carbon fiber composite to make it light weight .Propeller is one of the main
component in a unmanned aerial vehicle which is responsible to produce thrust . The cross
area of propeller edge is an airfoil segment which is ordinarily differing from tip to hub in
terms of chord or twist distribution.
3. Modeling and Analysis of Propeller Blade
Modeling
Modeling of the propeller is done using CATIA V5 R20. Two propeller models are
developed i.e., solid metal blade and composite blade. The propeller blades are developed at
the length of 1100mm and at the width of 120mm. The diameter of the hub is 25mm. The
developed model is further modified to get the exact aerofoil of the blade as shown in fig.
The solid model is transferred to the composite module in CATIA software. The total weight
of the metal blade is 2.071Kg. To design a composite propeller blade the blade is divided into
ten sections along the span length of the blade at each section the outer profile of the blade is
developed as shown in figure.

Fig 2: Solid blade

Table: 1 Mechanical properties of materials
Materials Young’s modulus Tensile strength Poisson’s Density
(Mpa) (Mpa) ratio (kg/mm3)
Aluminum 71700 280 0.33 0.00000028
7075
Carbon fiber 70000 3900 0.30 0.00000020
E-glass fiber 72000 2050 0.21 0.00000019

Structural Analysis
Static analysis calculates the consequences of consistent loading situations on a shape, while
ignoring inertia and damping outcomes, inclusive of the 1s resulting from time varying loads.
A static analysis can, but, encompass steady inertia masses (including gravity and rotational

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speed), and time-various loads that can be approximated as static equivalent hundreds (along
with the static equal wind arid seismic masses generally defined in lots of building codes).
Static analysis is used to decide the displacements, stresses, lines, and forces in structural
additives resulting from hundreds that don't set off big inertia and damping outcomes. Steady
loading and reaction are assumed to differ slowly with respect to time.
4. Results and Discussion
Material: carbon fiber

Fig 3: Total Deformation of CFRP aircraft propeller blade

Above figure 3 shows the maximum total deformation at edges of the propeller blade and
mini deformation at hub of the propeller blade due to applied rotational velocity on the
blades. The maximum deformation is 1.6139mm and minimum deformation is 0.179993mm.

Fig 4: Von-Misses Stress of CFRP aircraft propeller blade

Above figure 4 shows the maximum stress at hub edge of the propeller blade and mini stress
at hub of the propeller blade due to applied rotational velocity on the blades. The maximum
stress is 7.189 N/mm2 and minimum stress is 0.79883N/mm2.

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Fig 5: Von-Misses Strain of CFRP aircraft propeller blade

Above figure 5 shows the maximum strain at hub edge of the propeller blade and mini strain
at hub of the propeller blade due to applied rotational velocity on the blades. The maximum
strain is 0.0001034 and minimum strain is 1.14e-5.
Modal analysis of propeller blade
Total deformation 1

Total deformation 2

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Total deformation 3

9 layers stacking

STRESS

Strain

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Table 1. Static analysis results.

Material Speed(rpm) Deformation Stress Strain
(mm) (n/mm2)

Aluminum alloy 7075 7000 2.8494 12.767 0.00018045

9000 4.6523 20.845 0.00029462
Carbon fiber 7000 2.0981 9.2709 0.00013288
9000 3.4257 15.137 0.00021695
E-glass fiber 7000 2.4886 11.937 0.00015759
9000 4.0632 19.489 0.00025729

By observing the table, static analysis performed on the propeller blade at different materials
(al 7075, carbon fiber and E glass fiber) and different propeller speeds i.e., 7000 and 9000
RPM. The maximum stress value of 20.845 N/mm2 with aluminium alloy 7075 at 9000 Rpm
and minimum stress value of 9.2709 N/mm2 with material of carbon fiber at speed 7000
Rpm.
Table 2. Modal analysis results.
Materials Frequency Mode Frequency Mode Frequency Mode
(Hz) 1 (Hz) 2 (Hz) 3
Aluminum alloy 25.145 104.06 28.148 104.07 111.81 104.08
7075
Carbon fiber 22.652 86.521 22.655 86.528 90.554 86.549
E-glass fiber 23.224 98.58 23.22 91.583 98.5 95.77
Table 3. Linear layer analysis results.
Layer stacking Speed (rpm) Stress (n/mm2) Strain

3 7000 4.3305 0.017729

9000 5.7736 0.031581
6 7000 5.1744 0.019739
9000 8.4484 0.03228
9 7000 6.5386 0.017961
9000 9.1129 0.025033

5. CONCLUSION
In structural analysis, the carbon fiber and E-glass fiber composite structure is used to endure
effectively various speeds. In order to evaluate the designed structure, structural analysis is
performed using the finite element analysis.

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By observing the static analysis of aircraft propeller blade, the stress values are increases by
increasing the speed (7000 and 9000 Rpm) of the aircraft propeller blade, the less stress value
for carbon fiber than E-glass and aluminium alloy. Carbon epoxy material has more strength
because it is a composite material.
By observing the linear layer analysis, the stress values les for 3 layers with orthotropic
materials when we compared to static analysis results. So, it can be concluded that layer
composite materials suitable for aircraft propeller blade.
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