Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T06:20:36.227Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prediction of aerodynamic forces on a helicopter fuselage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

A. Filippone
A. Filippone*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents a critical analysis of the aerodynamic loads created by the airframe of a conventional helicopter. The airframe is modelled and computed with an implicit, multi-block, multi-grid parallel Navier-Stokes solver. The flow solver has been optimised and run on up to 200 parallel processors. The cases reported include the effects of angle-of-attack (positive and negative), the effects of yaw (starboard and port) and side flow. Finally, the effects of the support strut in the wind tunnel experiments have been evaluated. Data are shown for the lift, drag and side force coefficients at flight Reynolds numbers (Re = 30m). A case of 30 degrees yaw at a flight Reynolds number is shown. We conclude that with the use of top-end computer resources it is possible to calculate the aerodynamic coefficients with a good degree of accuracy if the flow is mostly attached.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 111 , Issue 1117 , March 2007 , pp. 175 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2007 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Berry, J.D. and Bettschart, N., Rotor-fuselage interaction: Analysis and validation with experiment, 1997, Technical Report, TM-112859, NASA.Google Scholar
2. Gleize, V. and Costes, M., Low-Mach-number preconditioning applied to turbulent helicopter fuselage flowfield computation, AIAA J, 2003, 41, (4), pp 653–662.Google Scholar
3. Wurtzler, K.E. and Morton, S.A., Accurate drag prediction using Cobalt, J Aircr, January-February 2006, 43, (1), pp 10–16.Google Scholar
4. Ahmed, S.R. and Amtsberg, J., An experimental study of the aerodynamic characteristics of three model helicopter fuselages, September 1987, Paper 20, 13th European Rotorcraft Forum, Arles, France.Google Scholar
5. Ahmed, S.R., Amtsberg, J., De Bruin, A.C., Le-Falempin, T.H. and Poltz, G., Comparison with experiment of various computational methods of airflow on three helicopter fuselages, September 1988, Paper 20, 14th European Rotorcraft Forum, Milano, Italy.Google Scholar
6. Ahmed, S.R., Private communication, November 2005.Google Scholar
7. Rhie, C.M., A Numerical Study of the Flow Past an Isolated Airfoil with Separation, 1981, PhD Thesis, Univ of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.Google Scholar
8. Patankar, S.V. and Spalding, D.B., A calculation procedure for heat, mass and momentum transfer in three-dimensional parabolic flows. Int J Heat Mass Transfer, 15, pp 1787–1972.Google Scholar
9. Filippone, A. and Michelsen, J.A., Aerodynamic drag prediction on helicopter fuselage. J Aircr, March 2001, 38, (2), pp 326–333.Google Scholar