SBIR Phase I: Experimental validation of an innovative lift-generating mechanism for use in future VTOL Aircraft.

小型企业创新研究SBIR第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是，它将满足开发新型垂直起降(VTOL)飞机的要求，将有翼飞机的竞争优势与直升机的竞争优势相结合。因此，该项目将使新型垂直起降飞机能够以每小时640英里的速度巡航，在高达35,000英尺的高度运行，建造和维护成本更低，更容易飞行，更不容易发生事故，并将提供有翼飞机享有的舒适性和低噪音水平。这些竞争优势将使这种新型垂直起降飞机对直升机和公务机制造商和客户更具吸引力，这将提振每年550亿美元的直升机和公务机行业。此外，该项目将能够生产用于大都市地区的中小型电动垂直起降飞机，这将为美国社区提供用于大都市地区的快速、方便、低噪音的交通工具。目前的SBIR第一阶段项目旨在确认创新的升力产生机制的可行性，以便能够生产新型垂直起降飞机。升力产生机构采用了两个新的部件，一个具有一系列特别设计的小迎角叶片的叶栅的复合螺旋桨，它们彼此紧密相连，以及一个气流模式调节器。用多段翼型CFD分析工具对这两个部件的可行性进行了论证，提出了样机的设计方案。这个项目将扩大我们对低攻角下工作的叶片的理解，并将其放置在彼此接近的位置。这个项目的主要目标是评估复合螺旋桨的性能和使用气流模式改进器对性能的影响；并估计这种拟议的升力产生机制的整体圆盘加载和悬停升力效率。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research SBIR Phase I project is that it will answer the quest for developing a new type of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft combining the competitive advantages of winged aircraft with those of helicopters. Accordingly, this project will enable the production of a new type of VTOL aircraft that will be able to cruise at 640 mph; to operate at altitudes up to 35,000 feet; will be cheaper to build and maintain, easier to fly and less prone to accidents; and will provide the comfort and low noise level winged aircraft enjoy. These competitive advantages will make this new type of VTOL aircraft more attractive to Helicopter and Business Aircraft manufacturers and customers, which will boost the $55 Billion/year helicopter and business aircraft Industry. In addition, this project will enable the production of small/medium-sized, electric, VTOL Aircraft for use in metropolitan areas, which will provide U.S. communities with a fast, convenient, low-noise means of transportation for use in metropolitan areas. The current SBIR Phase I project aims at confirming the feasibility of an innovative lift-generating mechanism to enable the production of a new type of VTOL Aircraft. The lift-generating mechanism employs two novel components, a compound propeller having a cascade of specially-designed low angle-of-attack blades positioned in close proximity to one another, and an airflow pattern modifier. The feasibility of these two components was suggested with a multi-element airfoil CFD analysis tool, motivating the prototype proposed here. This project will broaden our understanding of blades operating at low angle-of-attack and positioned in close proximity to one another. The main objectives of this project are to assess the performance of the compound propeller and the effect of using the airflow pattern modifiers on the performance; and to estimate the overall disc loading and hover lift efficiency of this proposed lift-generating mechanism.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.