The ODD EVEN Blade Count - A True Story! ©
Way back in the "good-old-days"
about 80 years ago when wind for electrical
power first got its start as 36 volt battery powered lighting
for OFF-GRID
"Kansas Farm Homes" there was TWO blade designs and
THREE blade
designs competing.That is where the whole argument originally
started.
The proponents of THREE BLADES claimed that "3 blades behaves
more
like a round wheel" So today this notion of an ODD number
has been totally
perverted for PROFITEERING sake $$$
All propellers with 3 blades or more are behaving
"more like a round wheel"
anyhow! The argument that 10 blades gives any less of a "round
wheel
effect" than say 9 or 11 blades is pure "SALESMANSHIP"
and bunk!
Take a look way back in the history books and you
will find scores of
writing on the ODD/EVEN subject from the 2 blade and 3 blade
proponent
folks. Turbines with 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 blades
are ALL
"behaving more like round wheels" already. More importantly
is the
blades are ALL the same weight!!! Ask the pilot of any 2 bladed
helicopter, they work fine also as long as the blades are similar
to the
same weight each. I hope this helps stop all the confusion.
Point of interest: If you DO have a propeller with
an EVEN number
of blades and one blade happens to break you can always keep
it
working 'in-a-pinch' by removing the blade on the opposite side.
Whalaa! It works again and the balance is perfect!
You can't do this if your blades are in ODD numbers due to horrible
vibration.