The Nebulous Art of Using Wind-Tunnel Airfoil Data for Predicting Rotor Performance

The objective of this study was threefold: to evaluate different two-dimensional S809 airfoil data sets in the prediction of rotor performance; to compare blade-element momentum rotor predicted results to lifting-surface, prescribed-wake results; and to compare the NASA Ames combined experiment rotor measured data with the two different performance prediction methods. The S809 airfoil data sets evaluated included those from Delft University of Technology, Ohio State University, and Colorado State University. The performance prediction comparison with NASA Ames data documents shortcomings of these performance prediction methods and recommends the use of the lifting-surface, prescribed-wake method over blade-element momentum theory for future analytical improvements.