In flight mechanics, the term “total head ahead of the disc” refers to the total energy present in the airflow ahead of a rotating propeller or rotor disc in an aircraft. It is also known as “total pressure” or “stagnation pressure” ahead of the disc.
Total head is the measure of a pump’s ability to push fluids through a system
p∞ + (1/2)ρvj^2
Atmospheric pressure (p infinite) in n/m^2
- ρ: The density of the fluid. It is a measure of the mass of the fluid per unit volume.
- v: The velocity of the fluid at the point of interest. It represents the kinetic energy of the fluid due to its motion.