Abstract: Improved blade designs for turbomachinery, such as blade designs for propellers, have non-constant airfoil distributions and/or coefficient of lift distributions across the blade span. An improved blade may include the following three blade sections between a blade root and a blade tip: a first blade section, or span, extending from the blade root to a transition start point, a transition section, or span, extending from the transition start point to a transition end point; and a second blade section, or span, extending from the transition end point to the blade tip. The transition section may define or be a linear or non-linear transition span. Further, an improved blade may be defined or be configured as at least two different airfoils along the blade span and/or may be configured to have at least two different coefficients of lift along the blade span.

Abstract: Improved blade designs for turbomachinery, such as blade designs for propellers, that have non-constant airfoil distributions and/or coefficient of lift distributions across the blade span are described herein. An improved blade may include the following three blade sections between a blade root and a blade tip: a first blade section, or span, extending from the blade root to a transition start point; a transition section, or span, extending from the transition start point to a transition end point; and a second blade section, or span, extending from the transition end point to the blade tip. The transition section may define or be a linear or non-linear transition span. Further, an improved blade may be define or be configured as at least two different airfoils along the blade span and/or may be configured to have at least two different coefficients of lift along the blade span.