An evaluation of the use of a dynamic wake theory for edgewise rotors at high advance ratios

Authors
Howard, Andrew B.
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Other Contributors
Gandhi, Farhan
Koratkar, Nikhil A. A.
Hicken, Jason
Issue Date
2015-08
Keywords
Aeronautical engineering
Degree
MS
Terms of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
This electronic version is a licensed copy owned by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Copyright of original work retained by author.
Full Citation
Abstract
Dynamic wake theories are widely used in rotorcraft simulation codes and continue to be a valuable resource even though computationally heavy methods, such as vortex lattice methods and CFD, have become more accessible. As next-generation rotorcraft continue to push the boundaries of performance and maximum speed, it has become increasingly important to gauge the accuracy of rotorcraft simulation codes. For many helicopters, it is imperative that the rotor is slowed in the high-speed regime, causing a large portion of the rotor disk to be submerged in reverse flow. It is in these conditions that dynamic wake theories have not undergone a rigorous analysis. Fortunately, wind tunnel experiments have been performed at high advance ratios so that the validity of new simulation codes can be assessed. To test the predictions of a rotor aerodynamic model which utilizes a dynamic wake theory is the pursuit that motivates the following investigation. Detailed aerodynamic analysis of a slowed UH-60A rotor operating at μ = 0.80, 0.90, and 1.00 is provided. In addition, the results from this investigation are compared to experimental data and other computational validation studies which use hybrid CFD and free wake methods. Conclusions regarding slowed-rotor behavior at high advance ratios can be drawn based on this analysis.
Description
August 2015
School of Engineering
Department
Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Relationships
Rensselaer Theses and Dissertations Online Collection
Access
CC BY-NC-ND. Users may download and share copies with attribution in accordance with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. No commercial use or derivatives are permitted without the explicit approval of the author.