Pitting a CFD-Optimized Toroidal Propeller Against a Conventional One
A project by Neuronautics compared the efficiency of a conventional propeller against a CFD-optimized toroidal propeller to evaluate the latter's practical viability. The study utilized computational fluid dynamics and artificial neural networks to determine the optimal shape for the toroidal design, which ultimately achieved a simulated efficiency of 62.9%. Despite the lower performance compared to the conventional baseline, the results suggest that toroidal propellers are unlikely to replace standard designs in mainstream applications.
- ▪A conventional optimized propeller achieved an efficiency baseline of approximately 73% in CFD simulations.
- ▪The toroidal propeller design was optimized using multiple reference frame techniques and an artificial neural network to filter shape parameters.
- ▪The final 3D-printed toroidal propeller demonstrated an efficiency of less than 62% in physical testing.
- ▪The comparison was complicated by the fact that the toroidal propeller was a DIY resin print, whereas the conventional one was commercially made.
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| Canonical URL | https://hackaday.com/2026/09/28/pitting-a-cfd-optimized-toroidal-propeller-against-a-conventional-one/ |
| Publication time | Tue, 29 Sep 2026 05:00:43 +0000 |
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Pitting A CFD-Optimized Toroidal Propeller Against A Conventional One No comments by: Maya Posch September 28, 2026 Title: Copy Short Link: Copy Although we often think that we got certain aspects of aerodynamics pretty much licked at this point, details like the optimal shape of a propeller remains hotly debated, both in- and outside of academics. This also includes wilder designs like toroidal propellers that even after more than a hundred years are still mostly just being evaluated. Recently [Neuronautics] took a shot at figuring out whether toroidal propellers even make sense. In order to do this, first an efficiency baseline was established using a conventional and highly optimized propeller.
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