Improved Shroud Design for Rotary Wing MAV Applications Based on Computational Analysis

A compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver is used to improve the design of a microscale shroud applicable for micro air vehicle (MAV) applications. The new shroud is primarily designed to improve the hover performance; however, it is also shaped to better suit nonhovering flight conditions. The proposed shroud design has an elliptic shape on the inner portion of the shroud inlet and a circular shape on the outer portion. A collective angle sweep study of the shrouded rotor configuration using the proposed shroud design shows significant performance benefits in hover.