Propeller Vortelator

[Sandman993]

Anyone tried a propeller vortelator? 

[carusoam]

Put that in the file with other things I never heard of before... 

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/vortelator_kit_certified.php

Is that a vortex generator for the slow part of the prop?

Best regards,

-a-

[orionflt]

 These have been around for a long time, if there is any validity to the technology we would see them on all the props. 

@Cody Stallings can tell us more 

Brian

[Yetti]

Somewhere I read that the Wright Brothers props were 70% efficient.  All these years later they have only gotten to 82% or something

[Cody Stallings]

I have seen them.

They usually have some pretty outrageous corrosion under them when we pull them off to service Propeller.

I have no idea performance wise if they do anything for the performance of the Propellers.

Sorry, I’m no help on this one.

[ArtVandelay]

Somewhere I read that the Wright Brothers props were 70% efficient.  All these years later they have only gotten to 82% or something

That’s just for fixed props, right?


Tom

[PT20J]

Let's wait for a pirep from the Bonanza crowd -- they'll try anything 

[Cody Stallings]

1 hour ago, ArtVandelay said:

That’s just for fixed props, right?


Tom

I have seen the on CS props as well.

[Sandman993]

You got it Carusoam. I bought that... with all these speed mods, I’ll be going for the record soon lol

[INA201]

Not this I guess?  Up to 16% more efficiency.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra-rotating_propellers

[Sandman993]

No... it’s a piece of zigzag tape that runs along the prop root about 6” and on a cs prop about .3” from the leading edge. They claim it helps the airflow with some mumbo jumbo terms and it brings the rpms up by reducing drag. I’ll let you guys know if it puts me back in my seat.

[carusoam]

Don’t forget to collect the before and after data...

If it magically works, it will be hard to get the before data later...

Strap in tightly... 

Best regards,

-a-

[Sandman993]

4 hours ago, carusoam said:

Don’t forget to collect the before and after data...

If it magically works, it will be hard to get the before data later...

Strap in tightly... 

Best regards,

-a-

Haha... I’m bad about the before data as you know. Like a kid, it’s all about that instant gratification. I can give you data on cowl flaps, open vs closed. I’m from Texas and if this little piece of tape adds anything significant to airspeed indicator or rpms, I’ll eat my hat. Hopefully the straw one. But, I’m gonna try it.

Another fella here, mentioned possible paint degradation under the tape. Geez, I hope not! I’ve been using a prop boot for a couple years and about to replace. Don’t see anything under it so far, but I’ll know more when it’s removed. The 3m adhesive accelerator worries me. I can definitely give before data for that since the prop was fresh when the film boot was applied. But those nicks are fewer where the boot is.

Going for curb feelers next! Trying to avoid those taxiway reflector turtles!!!

[ArtVandelay]

I’m a little disappointed given the creative and fabrication abilities of some of the members here that someone hasn’t built a wind tunnel in their hangar and use a models to test speed mods.


Tom

[jackn]

Saw these the other day. Looks like a few kts to me. 

[Sandman993]

2 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

I’m a little disappointed given the creative and fabrication abilities of some of the members here that someone hasn’t built a wind tunnel in their hangar and use a models to test speed mods.


Tom

Ditto!! What’s up with these Mooney peeps?

[DonMuncy]

Anybody know or a source for turbine fans for a wind tunnel?  

[carusoam]

I get the feeling the cowl width and closeness makes the first couple of inches of the prop an interesting compromise...

As the mod in Jack’s pic above seems to match the cowl width pretty well... something to help Pressurize the cowling better for cooling?

 PP thoughts only not an aero-engineer...

Best regards,

-a-

[Sandman993]

That thing looks like a whale shark. They do offer some cowl mods for those. I think, like the older Mooney’s along with the Comanche and other 60’s era planes, might have had cooling issues with those oversized openings. A friend with a Comanche 250 wants a new style cowl... and says that alone is a huge improvement where speed is concerned... probably way better cooling as well. The problem seems to be... the opening is bigger than the exit and causes a pressure build up, that spills some of the cooling air back out... (reminds me of my dear mother n law).

Don’t know the first thing about that fancy propeller... but my scientific knee jerk reaction would wager, it has the abilities a piece of tape can only dream about. Haven’t installed prop vortelator, am waiting for first warm weekend. It’s been too cold... stand by for new details. I know everyone is on the edge of their seats.

[philiplane]

I've had the vortelators on my Aztec props for two years now. Before and after data from my Insight G4 and TAS1000 air data computers indicates that the engine max RPM increases by 20-30 RPM, and the engine cooling is improved by the increased airflow at the blade roots, where the cowl inlets are. 

I removed them the following year to repaint the props. Left them off for a month, and that data set matches the original, pre-mod data. So of course I put a new set back on.

They work, and the attached file explains the theory.

1Vortelator.pdf

[A64Pilot]

I’m still putting these things in the same category as Intake Vornado’s and fuel line magnets.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, A64Pilot said:

I’m still putting these things in the same category as Intake Vornado’s and fuel line magnets.

Sorry, the intake magnets only work on carbureted engines!  

My initial thought was to relegate this to the same round file as the infamous turbo encabulator, but there is a user in the wild who posted real engine monitor data with and without the propeller vortellators, which is what everyone asks for with all speed mods. Let's at least look at the data before making up our minds and tossing the baby with the bath water.

[PT20J]

Might work. I think the theory is sound.

I flew one day a while back when the air was pretty thick with wildfire smoke. It left interesting patterns on the prop. You can see the transition from laminar to turbulent flow and you can see the trails left behind little imperfections in the eroded paint at the leading edge which acted as vortex generators.

Skip

[hubcap]

@PT20J Skip - that is a very interesting picture. Thanks for sharing!

[0TreeLemur]

Sorry, but I'm still waiting on the STC on the Acme Turbo-Encabulator.