The Fluid Dynamic Basis for Actuator Disc and Rotor Theories

 The  first rotor performance predictions were published by Joukowsky exactly  100 years ago. Although a century of research has expanded the  knowledge of rotor aerodynamics enormously, and modern computer power  and measurement techniques now enable detailed analyses that were  previously out of reach, the concepts proposed by Froude, Betz,  Joukowsky and Glauert for modelling a rotor in performance calculations  are still in use today, albeit with modifications and expansions. This  book is the result of the author's curiosity as to whether a return to  these models with a combination of mathematics, dedicated computations  and wind tunnel experiments could yield more physical insight and answer  some of the old questions still waiting to be resolved. Although most  of the work included here has been published previously, the book  connects the various topics, linking them in a coherent storyline. “The  Fluid Dynamic Basis for Actuator Disc and Rotor Theories” was first  published in 2018. This Revised Second Edition (2022) will be of  interest to those working in all branches of rotor aerodynamics – wind  turbines, propellers, ship screws and helicopter rotors. It has been  written for proficient students and researchers, and reading it will  demand a good knowledge of inviscid (fluid) mechanics. Jens Nørkær  Sørensen, DTU, Technical University of Denmark: “(…) a great piece of  work, which in a consistent way highlights many of the items that the  author has worked on through the years. All in all, an impressive  contribution to the classical work on propellers/wind turbines.” Peter  Schaffarczyk, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, Germany: “(…) a  really impressive piece of work!” Carlos Simão Ferreira, Technical  University Delft: “This is a timely book for a new generation of rotor  aerodynamicists from wind turbines to drones and personal air-vehicles.  In a time where fast numerical solutions for aerodynamic design are  increasingly available, a clear theoretical and fundamental formulation  of the rotor-wake problem will help professionals to evaluate the  validity of their design problem. ‘The Fluid Dynamic Basis for Actuator  Disc and Rotor Theories’ is a pleasure to read, while the structure,  text and figures are just as elegant as the theory presented.” The cover  shows ‘The Red Mill’, by Piet Mondriaan, 1911, collection  Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. Cover image: © 2022 Mondrian/Holtzman Trust.