Prop Optimizer PRO solves for the most efficient propeller called the minimum induced loss design. It designs either fixed pitch or constant speed controllable propellers automatically. The program provides climb performance, cruise performance and static thrust. Therefore, you may easily compare the performance differences between a fixed pitch and controllable propeller.
Prop Optimizer PRO models your aircraft and computes its performance to match propeller design directly providing more accurate performance improvements. The optimizer finds propeller design for: maximum cruise speed, maximum cruise speed and rate of climb combined, maximum climb rate for any design cruise speed, minimum required horsepower for any design cruise speed, best rate of climb speed and best engine/propeller gear reduction ratio. It also solves for equivalent flat plate drag area and slipstream drag coefficient from recorded cruise speed and climb rate. It includes strength analysis and design for uniform materials in the optimization to produce the best possible practical design. Experience shows this to be important in optimizing both aerodynamic and structural design.
Data calculated include: section lift and drag coefficients, local Reynolds number, local Mach number, axial displacement velocity, swirl velocity, propeller diameter, effective pitch, activity factor, advance ratio, efficiency, blade pitch angle, blade angle-of-attack, thrust and power coefficient, propeller rpm, gear reduction factor, speed of sound, flight thrust, static thrust, total drag, parasite drag, induced drag, slipstream drag, miles per gallon, fuel consumption and propeller chords, blade angles and airfoil coordinates at every desired blade station. Blade strength output includes margin of safety, bending, tensile and compressive stresses, tip deflection and blade weight for both maximum and cruise conditions.
Program input is interactive with on-line definitions for each input. The input calls for basic aircraft data and starting propeller size, engine horsepower and specific fuel consumption data from the engine manual, performance objectives and design constraints or requirements. The program allows the user to input any desired airfoil and optimize pitch distribution, taper or planform shape. Section data may be input at each blade radial station. The program corrects drag and lift for local variation in Reynolds number and Mach number radially. It accounts for user airfoil characteristics by input of upper and lower angle of attack limits for drag divergence variation with Mach number, variation of the zero lift line angle with Mach number and airfoil thickness ratio. To get you started, the high efficiency uniform loading NACA 16-xxx series airfoils are built into the program.
The optimizer automatically solves for the diameter, pitch, chord and thickness distributions that give the desired objective such as maximum cruise performance or the combination of maximum cruise plus maximum rate of climb, subject to certain constraints such as strength, tip Mach number or diameter limit. Since Prop Optimizer is also an airplane performance program, this approach gives the best prop design for the desired performance objective. The program uses the Prandtl factor or the user modified Prandtl factor to account for compressibility. The program also corrects drag coefficient for local Reynolds number variation.
Finally, need very high altitude designs or racing load factors? The PRO program gives you the standard atmosphere model extending to 50000 meters (164042 feet) altitude. The user may modify the atmosphere model using temperature inputs to account for special desnsity altitude requirements. The program accepts load factor input for accelerated turns to provide an increase in induced drag for racing propeller design.