Cylinderaircraft

[lippischh]

Hi, i just wanted to show you this design that i've a year ago when i started with 3D so i don't expect critics, otherwise your opinion is very welcome on the idea.
for those who ignore it when a rotating cylinder or ball is in front of an airflow it produces a pressure gradient which means lift, its called the Magnus effect, see the illustration :

 

[royabulgaf]

IIRC, this idea seems to crop up now and then. I think it doesn't do well scaling up to a useful size.

 

[hesham]

May be you meant;


fan-wing aircraft,as here;


http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4962.msg39390.html#msg39390

 

[Matej]

Once I saw a proposal for helicopter with this kind of principle. I also think that it is not a right way because of the scaling, so no chance for manned version, but small hand-launched UAV may work.

 

[Kryptid]

I'm curious to know what propels your aircraft forwards. Is it rocket-powered? I don't see any inlets or propellers.

Instead of relying on the Magnus effect alone, it may be more power efficient to use a combination of standard wings and Magnus "rollers" together.

 

[Jemiba]

AFAIK, the Magnus effect can be used to achieve lift, but not for forward propulsion in an aircraft.
It's known as the Flettner rotor, too and was actually tested in an aircraft, see
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1717.msg16514.html#msg16514 #14,
although I have to correct myself, as the fan wing is a different principle.
I don't think, that it will ever have a chance to be used for fast aircraft, as drag probably would
become too big a problem.
As a very energy efficient propulsion system, the Flettner rotor is proposed an already used
in ships, as here the wind can be used as the primary source of energy for propulsion
(http://www.wissenschaft-aktuell.de/artikel/Flettner_Rotor__Auf_Testfahrt_mit_Turbosegeln1771015586792.html)

 

[Kryptid]

Another thing to consider might be loss of power; I don't think an aircraft that relies on lift generated solely by the Magnus effect will be gliding down for a safe landing if those cylinders happen to stop rotating for whatever reason.

However, they might have some application for STOL. What if instead of having large spinning cylinders jutting out from the aircraft at all times, you had a relatively conventional aircraft design with smaller, retractable cylinders? The cylinders are popped out during take-off and landing for increased lift, then retracted for less drag during cruising flight. Of course, then you'd need a trade study to compare that against other STOL options such as lift fans, lift jets, swing wings, etc. to see if the cost, weight and power efficiency can justify using it.

Nevertheless, such an aircraft would be a very interesting thing to see.

 

[lippischh]

Hi evryone, i'm sorry i couldn't reply earlier but remember this model was done when i started with 3d and aeronautics so my knowledge now and when this thing was done is very different, and i agree with the fact that this sustentation principle isn't functional for a full scale aircraft but for a hand thrown RC.
and i would say bravo to Kryptid that have expressed a brillant proposal, maybe you have to get a patent on that
Magnus effect as a way to lift an aircraft is maybe more suitable for flying cars, slow and short flight, using the system Kryptid described.