Static Aero-Propulsion Experiment of an Electric Ducted Fan
Electric ducted fans are gaining prominence in aviation due to their compact size, low noise, and zero emissions compared to conventional gas turbines. This study presents an experimental test system for a 390 mm electric Ducted Propulsion Fan developed by the Aerospace Propulsion Systems group at H...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Aerospace |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/6/509 |
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| Summary: | Electric ducted fans are gaining prominence in aviation due to their compact size, low noise, and zero emissions compared to conventional gas turbines. This study presents an experimental test system for a 390 mm electric Ducted Propulsion Fan developed by the Aerospace Propulsion Systems group at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. The carbon fiber composite thruster, driven by a centrally located BLDC motor, was mounted on a test stand equipped with force and rotational speed (rpm) sensors. Power was supplied through two battery configurations, eight-pack and nine-pack, with voltage and current monitored and controlled via an ESC module. Experiments conducted from 2000 to 7000 rpm explored the relationship between electrical inputs and aero-propulsive outputs. The results revealed that input power, current, and sound pressure level (SPL) amplified meaningfully with rpm, while the voltage slightly declined. The maximum rpm reached 6500 rpm for the eight-pack and 7000 rpm for the nine-pack configurations. When greater than 6000 rpm, the SPL reaches close to 120 dB. The eight-pack configuration provided higher thrust per volt, whereas the nine-pack offered better thrust per ampere and improved starting power. Although dimensionless indices, including power coefficient (CP), thrust coefficient (CT), and figure of merit (FM), reduced with rpm, the FM remained between 0.7 and 0.75 at medium speeds, demonstrating effective energy conversion. |
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| ISSN: | 2226-4310 |