Learning in engineering education from the development of an experimental platform for tensile tests of aircraft electric propulsion systems

• Grant number: 25/01606-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering - Aerospace Propulsion
• Principal Investigator: Raphaela Carvalho Machado
• Grantee: Jaber João Macari Neto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEG). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Guaratinguetá. Guaratinguetá , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the aircraft design development stage, it is very important to test the performance of the propellers from the static tensile test of the aircraft, as well as to obtain the traction and engine power curves as a function of the flow velocity. In this sense, in order to obtain precision in the determination of the static traction available by the motor and propeller assembly, motor test benches are commonly used. Also, wind tunnel tests are applied to provide dynamic traction as a function of flow. In this context, the development of an experimental bench for traction tests of electric propulsion systems combined with the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology provides students with an applied learning environment, promoting an in-depth understanding of mechanical, electrical and aerodynamic phenomena.Also, it is intended to carry out tests in a wind tunnel, since this will make it possible to obtain the mathematical model of traction in relation to wind runoff. In this way, this work will contribute not only to the scientific and technological development, since it will serve to validate computational models used for this type of performance analysis, but will also be a fundamental tool for a more dynamic and practical learning of engineers.