Pre RRNA 6 TECHNICAL Words 035 7 WATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS Ho. 579 CHARTS FOR CALCULATING THE PERFORMANCE OF AIRPLAWES HAVING CONSTANT-SPEED PROPELLERS By Roland J. White and Victor J. Martin California Institute of Technology Washington September 1936NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ATRQNAUTICS TECHNICAL NOTE WO, 579 CHARTS FOR CALCULATING THE PHRFORMANCE OF AIRPLANES HAVING CONSTANT-SPEED PROPELLERS By Rolend J, White and Victor J, Mertin SUMMARY Charts are presented for determining the performances of airplanes having variable-pitch propellers, the pitch of which is assumed to be adjusted to maintain constant speed for all rates of flight. - The charts are based on the general performance equa- tions developed by Oswald in reference 1, and are ueod in a similar manner. Examples applying the charts to airplanes having both supercharged end unsupercharged engines are included. INTRODUCTION Within the past several years the two-piteh control- lable propeller hes been developed to a reliable form and at present the maltipoeition, or variable-pitoh, propeller 1s being perfected. Because of these recent advances, Dr, ©. B, Uilliken suggested the problem of calculating a set of performance charts for airplanes having constant-speod propellere. The presentation of these charts is the eub- ject of this paper. Tho authors wish to extend their ap— Preciation to Dr, ifilliken for invaluable assistance ren- dered throughout the preparation of the paper. As the full-throttle brake horsepower of an airplane is approximately proportional to the engine speed, it is evident that the maximum brake horsepower for a given al- titude will be realized only when the engine ip operating at rated revolution speed; therefore, aside from special settings, the most efficient use of the variable-pitch propeller is obtained by adjusting ite pitch so as to main~ tain the rated revolution speed for all speads of flight,2 « NyA.0.4. Technical Note No, 579 Propellers operated in this manner have been termed "con- etanti-speed propellers." No attempt Will be made to develop the basic perform ance equations or to describe in detail the method of cal- culating the present charts, as t! Proct is similar to that of referenco 1, Tho difference botween the prosent charts and those developed for fixed-pitch propeliers lise in the ™, and 1, functions, which givo the variation of thrust horsepower available with altitude and velocity of flight. GENERAL PERFORMANOH EQUATIONS For the purpose of performancd calculation, the char- acteristics of the airplane are represented by three de- sign parameters: p= W/f, parasite loading, " W/o(eb®), effective span loading, 14 = "/Py TM, thrust horsepower loading, where W is gross weight of the airplane f£, equivalent parasite area (sq. ft.) defined by the equation f= Op. 8, kb, Munk's equivalent monoplane span, 6, airplane efficiency factor, N), design propulsive efficiency, P,, design brake horsepower, These parameters are combined into a singie parameter, A, which ie plotted ae the abscissa in the various per- formance charte, assN.A.0.4, Technical Note No. 679 3 The maximum speed at sea level, Yq, is expressed in terms of the three design parameters and speeds for other condi- tions of flight, which are given in terms of Ry, a dimon- sionless speod ratio, The fundamental performance equation ah _ (tebe = #sbp.y) 550 at ¥ @ is expressed in engineering units in the form ah 300% a, 4, css al« $B = $8008 Cengtyome-= ORY") - geet = ORY DD (2) whore GB ts vate of climb at altitutes and velocity R,, t.bp.g, thrust horsepower availadlo, t.bp.;, thrust horsepower requirdd, = P/P» (Py = 0.002878), tubp.g at velocity 7 2, (At soa level) tobpeg at Vn t.bp.g at altitude ee ‘a = Tips, et see level (At constant velocity) By the imposing of the various flight conditions on equation (2), expressions are obtained enabling charte for the major performance characteristics to be calculated, when suitable expressions for 7, and T, are introduced,4 N.EL0,AT Technical Hote Wo. 579 © “2. EXPRESSION FOR Ty T, function gives the effect of variation of at sea level due to different speeds of flight. In general, b.bp. 1 (3) and, in the case of the constant-speed propeller, b.hp. = behp.g at sea level for all speeds of flight; thorofore : T, = d.hp. n/o-bp,, 1 = T/Ny (4) By reference to Weick's propeller charts (reference 2), the value of 1, {is determined in the usual manner from the design values of the propeller paramoters C,, and Jy, where Jo is V/aD. 0.658 Tn o*/* . a/6 Bo) ¥2/5 As the b.hp. and WN (r,p.m.) are invariant with speed, the values of C, and J are both directly proportional to the speed of flight; hence, Ry 0 (8) (6) Jo it ts possible, by usingN.A.O.A, Technical Note No. 579 5 equations (5) and (6), to determine the propulsive effi- ciency "| and the diade angle § as a functign of Ry, which hae been done for various values of Op for doth the BEST PERFORMANCE PROPELLER AND PHAK BFFIOIENOY PROPBL- LER* on the propeller charts presente. fgures—t-and 2, respectively. ae Asa definite J, “GS associated with each 0, for both types of propeller, it is necessary only to specify tho value of Gy, Since the value of 1" for different values of R, is known, equation (4) enables a curve of 1, to be plotted as © function of Ry, which te the de- sired relation. Thie T, function will depend upon 6 the type of engine installation. Curves of 1%, have been plotted in figure 5 based on the propeller chart for the case of fuselage 6 (reference 2), which 1s most represont- ative for modern airplanes. In order that the charts may be used for propeller designs other than those resulting in best performance or peak efficiency propellers, throe representative curves were drawn to represent this family of 1, functions and have been used in calculating the performance chart These representative curves were chosen to pass through Ty, = 0-86, 0.90, and 0.94, where Ty 1s termed the Neritical Ty" and 1s defined as the value of 1%. for Ry = 0,60, The velue Ry, = 0.60 wes chosen as that corre- sponding to the speed for best climb. By this specifica tion of the curves, values of 1, used ti calculating the *Tho BEST PERFORMANCE PROPELLER is defined es a pro- peller having ite diameter and blade angle chosen eo that Mo, lies on the envelope of the family of efficiency curves. ‘The PEAX BFFICIUNCY PROPELLER is defined as a propel- lor having ite dimater and blade angle chosen so that 7, lies on the peak of its efficiency curve. These definitions are those adopted by Oswald in ref- erence 1.6 W.A.OeA, Technical Note No. 579 performance charts will agree with the actual values at maximua velocity and at a speed near to taat for best 5 climb for any propeller design and will approximate valuos for other speeds very closely. The curve for Ty, = 0,94 was chosen to include the cases in which, in order to re- duce the take-off run, it 19 desirable to use a propeller of diameter greater than that of a peak efficiency propel- lor (reference 8), which gives a Ty curve having valu slightly greater than 1.00 at values of Ry near 1.00 and lying ag a whole ebove the Ty curves for either the best performance or the peak efficiency propellers. Tor reason- able increases in propeller diameter, the curves used in calculating the charts will give a sufficiently accurate approximation and, in any case, will be on the conservative ide, In the calculation of the charts, it to no ry to know the derivative 4T,/4%y. This derivative was graph- ically obtained by using e largo scalo because it wae im- possible to find a convenient analytical exproseion that would represent the %, curves used, EXPHESsioN FOR The T, function represents the variation of t.hp. at different altitudes for the airplane fiying at constant velocity, The t.lp.g equation, in which ¢ refers to altitude conditions becomes shen Ty Three cuvéé for variation of b.ip. With altitude are shown in figure 4. The lower curve labeled "Qewald" and_ fused in reference 1 (fig, 22) ts a combination of data ob- tained from references 3 and 4 and_is representative of un- supercharged engines. The uppor curve labeled "N.A.F," is ® curve obtained from altitude-chamber tests at the Naval Aircraft Factory and is believed to be more representative of proegnt-day supercharged engines, The middle curve is & mean adopted in calculating the charts and is somewhat conservative for the higher altitudes. It 1e expressed by the equation ae tebPeay =N.A,0.4, Technical Note No. 579 7 From the condition that: N remain constant, the value of V/nD is constant for a given velocity at all altitudes. The value of Cy, however, varies with altitude according to the relation 0.638 V of ae = Cy (o = 1.0) ap 27 os a” . t-a The change in propulsive efficiency with altitude at constant velocity, due to the change in 0,, was investi- gated for the various 0, 's for both the best performance and the peak efficiency propellers, for valu 0.6 to 1,0, The maximum increase in efficiency at 30,000 feet for the best performance propeller was found to be about 3 percent for O,,, ranging from 1.7 to 2.0, and at operating velocities. The increase in efficiency for the peak efficiency propeller in the “same range was from 1 to 2 percent. For Oso ieee than 1.7, the change in efficiency at operating epecte et 30,000 feet was always within 1 per- cont, being sometimes positive and sometinos negative. of R, from This change in propulsive efficiency with altitude at constant velocity was not coneidered sufficient to take in- to account in calculating the performance charts, Hence it is assumed that 7 will be the same for all values of o, and the 1, expression becomes bene. venp., _o = 0.217 7 Pen My | DPR ey TWO . Vibp.g My DebP.g 0.888 From the foregoing discussion it 1s seen that this as- sumption leade to somewhat conservative values for thrust horsepower at the higher altitudes for hign O, . By the use of these 7, and 7, functions, perform ance charts have been calculated as explained in reference 1. Figures 5 to 9 give, respectively: maximum velocity at altitude; absolute and service ceiling; maximum rate of climb; volocity for maximum rate of climb; and minimum tine to climb to altitude.h.c.as Technical Note No. 579 ear. a usB oF omins : The first atep in making a performance calculation is to estinate the value of the parasite area. f and the alz~ plano sfficiency factor e. This estination is most con- Voniontly accémplished by comparigon with similar airplanes = - of known performance or by the use of figure 25 and table III of reference 1. Then, by assuming a value of V, and using the known engino data, one can find the velue of O,,. By the Selection af the propeller diameter, the values of 3g and 7, are determined, This detormination gives suf- : ficient data to compute tho design parameters 1, lg. The value of V, may then be computed and. value checked. ‘ . oo Before the charts can be employed, ¢ must be determined, which is accomplished by taking 60 per- cont of tho 0g, and J, valuos and obtaining a new 7 corresponding to the now C, and J. If a dest perform ance or poak efficiency propeller is used, this nex 7 may be found from figure 1 or figure 2 et R, = 0.6 for the design 0, . Dividing this new 7 by 7, a@tves the value of Ty. If) % is known and A is coupated, the charts may de used to find the performance characteristics, Should the airplane have a supercharged engine, theeo charts may be used to calculate the full-throttle perform ance above the critical altitude by either of two methods givon in reference 5, Tho second of these methods, which will be used in the second example, consists of using a fictitious unsupercharged engine of increased byhp. ch to give the actual design d.hp. at the critical altitud All performance characteristics below the critical altitude are invalid and should be discarded. “Sxdupna I - UNsyPaRcHARoED SGIIE Given: ¥ = 8,800 10. $= 390 oa th a f= 7.6 0g. tt. Py = 700 hp, at 2,000 r.pym. @ = 0,82 eeN.A.C.A, Technical Note No. 579 8 Assume: Ym = 220 m.p-h, at sea level 0, = 1.8 for 220 m.p.h., 700 hp., at 2,000 r.p.m 50 Ny = 0-86, for best performance propeller (fig. 1). Calculate: 1, = 1.118 : 1, = 4.5 Vy = 14 Fina: Ym = 218.5 m.p.h, (f4g, 29, reference 1) If this calculation does ‘not check the assumed value of Yg closely onough, a new choice must be made, and the procedure repeated. T= 0.747 at Ry = 0.6 for Og = 1.8 (ft. 1) If the propeller were not a best performance or a peak efficiency propeller, J, corresponding to the design diam eter would, be found: J, = 1.086 (in this case for Og, and dest performance setting) Thon find 0.6 Og, = 1.085 and 0.6 J, = 0.621 and, from figure 14 of referonce 2, read = 0.747 at 0, = 1.08 and J = 0.621, Gatoutate %, = 1 (R, = 048) /m, = 0.747/0,860 = 0.87 Calculate A = 14,75 Enter charts with A= 14,75 and Ty = 0.87io, W.A.C.A. Pochnical Note Ho. 579 Results Standard altitude Rte 10,000 11.6 20,000 88.0 serrioe coiling 18,800 eae Absolute ceiling 20,900 sone BEAMPLE IZ — SUPEROHARGED aNGINE ctven: ge = ges sae eon ¥ = 6,500 1. 8 = 890 ag. tt ba 49 et, “ER “aoe - 600 hp. at 2,000 r.p.m, 8 0.82 at 10,000 £t. (The subscript f denotes fictitious conditions at sea level.) Assume! Sg, = 220 w.peh, ¥= 0.705 at 10,000 feet (fig. 4) 600/0.705 = 852 hp, = 1.74 for 220 m.p.h,, 852 hp, at 2,000 r.p.m, = 0,853, for best performance propeller (fig. 1) 0.787 at Ry = 0.6 for Ogy, = 1.74 (£tg. 1)W.A.0,4, Technical Note Wo. 679 1 Calculate 1. = 0.737/0.853 = 0.865 Calculate: Up = 948 se = 4.5 Ug lips 52.7 . Veg F 8600/ (0.853) (862) = 11.7 tp leg= 80.7 Find Vay = 221.5 m.p.h. and chock assumption Calculate A = 12.2 : a. Enter charte with A= 12.2 and 3, = 0,865 Resulte: - Stendard altitude ft. o 10,000 20,000 Service coiling 21,200 Absolute ceiling 22,900 concLUsION Because insufficiont flight-test data are available for airplanes having constant-speed propellers, it has been impossible to dotermino the accuracy of the charts by com parison with flight-test data. It is reasonable to expect12 N.A.G.A, Technical Note No. 579 the same order of accuracy as is obtained from Oswald's similar charts for fixed-pitch propellers. Geliforaia Inetitute of Technology, Pasadena, California, March 1936. REFERENCES “1, Oswald, W, Bailey: Genoral Formulas and Charts for the Calculation of Airplane Performance, 1.R, Wo. 408, N.A.G.A., 1982, 2. Weick, Fred Z,: Working Charts for the Selection of Aluminum Alloy Propellers of a Standard Form to Oper- ato with Various Aircraft Enginos and Bodios. T.R. No. 360, N.A.0.A., 1930, “3, Gove, W, D.: Whe Variation in Engine Powor with Alti- tude Determinod from Moasuroments in Flight with a Hub Dynamometor. T.R. No, 295, WeA.0.A,,. 1928, “4, Coalos, J. D., and Lingard, A. L.: The Determination : of the Horsepower Height Factor of Hngines from the Results of Type Trials of Aircraft. R. & M. Wo. 1141, Britieh A.R.c., 1928, 5, Ashley, R. B.: Methods of Performance Calculation for Airplanes with Supercharged Engines Developed by W. Bailey Oswald. A.C.I.C, No. 679, Materiel Division, ray Air Corps, 1933. SW.4.0.A, Technical Note Wo 579 Fig. 1 2 1,00 90 Pusplage 6(referencp 2)| Pa * ‘ 0 60 b 3 of 50 ok 5 3 40 ° “3 bd 3 . 2m 10 20h 20) +50 6070 8080 2..00 - Ry 2 igure 1.- Cheracteristice of two-bleded ,constent-epeed best performance propeller.W.A.C.A, Technical Wote Wo. 579 ig. 2 1.00 +80 | | H \ Ml efebencp 2)| 1+ ao LF a) LT |, a1 + = WA | | T Ce 932 5 1 2 ee ae p= —— oe: al LEC eet igure 2.- Characteristics of two-bladed constant-speed peck efficiency propeller. 30 25 a a a a). Blade angle 8 at 0.75R, degreesae _t To —}—. 6 7 ro “9 7& By? Wek Figure 3,~ Variation of thrust horsepower with velocity at constant, engine apoi t. bp. at Ry NET. at By 1.0 1.0 *ON O40N TeOTUMDS, “Y'O'Y'R eg 2 FeN.A.C.4. Technical Note Wo, 579 Fig. 4 1.00 ‘ 90 |S x Y : 280 S 270 N » 250 o-9.117] 40. * [0-683 i ° 10,000 20,000 30,000 Altitude, feet Figure 4.- Variation of full-throttle brake horsepower at. constant r.p.m, with altitude.B.A.0.A, Technical Note No. 679 Fig. 5 1.00; -60} ° 10 20 A Pigore 5.- Ry and Byes functions of A. im “itN.A.C.A, Technical Note No. 579 Fig. 6 30,000 Altitude, feet 8 3 8 10,000 ‘ ty, G, oe WW. +86 = P= { Sal ; 7 VAN Vfl y TWIN ; y HO i SHEL 7 T Fe & Hi MA 1 ° 10 20 30, Figure 6,.~ Absolute and service ceiling as functions of A,N.A.C.A. Technical Note Yo. 579 Fig. 7 25,000 20,000) SE kK a ~ — 3 ~ le “N . ee | 15,000 = S = KEI : 1yeg Ns = x T 7 SN N ES 7 10,000. ~. T S N ql T = : | y . tS ® 30 A Figure 7.- 140g a8 @ function of A at various altitudes. oy is the maximum rate of climb in feet per mimate.W.A.C.A. Technical Hote No. 579 Fig. 6 “5 7 | Ts fooo} ze, I : boo be. . op the A 5, POO FE] Lt To 009 2: De 1 = rp Et es —+ — T BA | 10 Figure 8.~ Ry, ye 20 30 as a function of A at various altitudes. = velocity for maximum rate of climb ““naximm velocity at sea levelW.A.C,A. Pechnical Note No. 579 Pig. 9 Figure 9.~ 10 20 30 4 ‘D/L, as a function of A at various altitudes. 7 1s the minim tine required to clinb to altitude (ainates)