Numerical investigation of cylinder rotors with various endplates

Abstract

For a finite-length cylinder rotor, rotation induces unique pattern tip vortices at the free end, significantly altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor. Endplates are often applied to finite-length cylinders as a means of restraining end effects. The endplates change the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor by affecting the end axial flow. In the present study, cylinder rotors with static and rotating endplates of various diameters are investigated by means of large eddy simulation. By analyzing the aerodynamic force, wind pressure, and flow field characteristics of the rotors, the varying patterns and reasons for the aerodynamic characteristics of rotors with static and rotating endplates are clarified. The results show that the endplate induces disk vortices and changes the vortex patterns at the free end of the rotor, and the static endplates show little effect on the development of tip vortices, so the wake vortices show the triple vortex pattern, whereas the rotating endplates enhance the intensity of the plate vortices and inhibit the tip vortices development, leading to the double vortex pattern, which in turn produces a different pattern of aerodynamic characteristics compared to the rotor with the static endplates. The mechanism of the variation in the aerodynamic characteristics and vortex patterns is partially explained by analyzing and discussing the flow field results.