Flutter of Swept Fan Blades

Abstract

The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to study the effect of sweep on fan blade flutter by applying the analytical methods developed for aeroelastic analysis of advanced turboprops. Two methods are used. The first method utilizes an approximate structural model in which the blade is represented by a swept, nonuniform beam. The second method utilizes a finite element technique to conduct modal flutter analysis. For both methods, the unsteady aerodynamic loads are calculated using two-dimensional cascade theories that are modified to account for sweep. An advanced fan stage is analyzed with 0, 15, and 30 deg of sweep. It is shown that sweep has a beneficial effect on predominantly torsional flutter and a detrimental effect on predominantly bending flutter. This detrimental effect is shown to be significantly destabilizing for 30 deg of sweep.