Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T22:27:35.171Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Aeroelastic response of helicopter rotors using a 3D unsteady aerodynamic solver

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

M. Gennaretti
Affiliation:
University Roma Tre, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Rome, Italy
G. Bernardini
Affiliation:
University Roma Tre, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Rome, Italy

Abstract

The prediction of blade deflections and vibratory hub loads concerning helicopter main rotors in forward flight is the objective of this work. They are determined by using an aeroelastic model derived through the coupling between a nonlinear blade structural model and a boundary integral equation solver for three-dimensional, unsteady, potential aerodynamics. The Galerkin method is used for the spatial integration, whereas the periodic blade response is determined by a harmonic balance approach. This aeroelastic model yields a unified approach for aeroelastic response and blade pressure prediction that may be used for aeroacoustic purposes, with the possibility of including effects from both blade-vortex interaction and multiple-body aerodynamic interaction. Quasi-steady aerodynamic models with wake-inflow from the three-dimensional aerodynamic solver are also applied, in order to perform a comparative study. Numerical results show the capability of the aeroelastic tool to evaluate blade response and vibratory hub loads for a helicopter main rotor in level flight conditions, and examine the sensitivity of the predictions on the aerodynamics model used.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2006 

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. Lim, J.W., Yu, Y.H. and Johnson, W., Calculation of rotor bladevortex interaction airloads using a multiple-trailer free-wake model, J Aircr 2003, 40, (6), pp 11231130.Google Scholar
2. Munsky, B., Gandhi, F. and Tauszig, L., An analysis of helicopter blade-vortex interaction noise with flight path or attitude modification, 58th Annual Forum of the American Helicopter Society, 2002, Montreal, Canada.Google Scholar
3. Liu, L., Patt, D. and Friedmann, P.P., Simultaneous vibration and noise reduction in rotorcraft using aeroelastic simulation, 60th Annual Forum of the American Helicopter Society, 2004, Baltimore, MD, USA.Google Scholar
4. Patt, D., Liu, L. and Friedmann, P.P., Rotorcraft vibration reduction and noise predictions using a unified aeroelastic response simulation, J American Helicopter Society, 2005, 50, (1), pp 95106.Google Scholar
5. Beaumier, P. and Delrieux, Y., Description and validation of the ONERA computational methods for the prediction of blade-vortex interaction noise, Aerospace Science and Technology, 2005, 9, pp 3143.Google Scholar
6. Datta, A. and Chopra, I., Validation and understanding of UH-60A vibratory loads in steady level flight, J American Helicopter Society, 2004, 49, (3), pp 271287.Google Scholar
7. Hansford, R.E. and Vorwald, J., Dynamics workshop on rotor vibratory loads prediction, J American Helicopter Society, 1998, 31, (1), pp 7687.Google Scholar
8. Hodges, D.H. and Dowell, E.H., Nonlinear equation for the elastic bending and torsion of twisted nonuniform rotor blades, NASA TN D-7818, 1974.Google Scholar
9. Morino, L., A general theory of unsteady compressible potential aerodynamics, NASA CR-2464, 1974.Google Scholar
10. Gennaretti, M., Corsetti, E. and Morino, L., Coupled free-wake-aerodynamics/blade-dynamics analyses of rotors in forward flight, AIAA Paper 98-2241, 4th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustic Conference, May 1998, Toulouse, France.Google Scholar
11. Gennaretti, M. and Bernardini, G., A novel potential-flow boundary integral formulation for helicopter rotors in BVI conditions, AIAA Paper 2005-2924, 11th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustic Conference, May 2005, Monterey, California, USA.Google Scholar
12. Morino, L., Gennaretti, M. and Petrocchi, P., A general theory of potential aerodynamics with applications to helicopter rotor-fuselage interaction, Symposium of the International Association for Boundary Element Methods, 1991, Kyoto, Japan.Google Scholar
13. Hodges, D.H. and Ormiston, R.A., Stability of elastic bending and torsion of uniform cantilever rotor blades in hover with variable structural coupling, NASA TN D-8192, 1976.Google Scholar
14. Morino, L., Kaprielian, Z. Jr., and Sipcic, S.R., Free wake analysis of helicopter rotors, Vertica, 1985, 9, (2), pp 127140.Google Scholar
15. Greenberg, J.M., Airfoil in sinusoidal motion in a pulsating stream, NACA TN-1326, 1947.Google Scholar
16. Theodorsen, T., General theory of aerodynamic instability and the mechanism of flutter, NACA Report 496, 1935.Google Scholar
17. Drees, J.M., A theory of airflow through rotors and its application to some helicopter problems, J Helicopter Association of Great Britain, 1949, 3, (2), pp 79104.Google Scholar
18. Zhang, J., Active-Passive Hybrid Optimization of Rotor Blades with Trailing Edge Flaps, PhD Thesis, Department of Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 2001.Google Scholar
19. Bir, G. and Chopra, I., et al. University of Maryland advanced rotor code (UMARC) Theory Manual, Technical Report UM-AERO 94-18, Center for Rotorcraft Education and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, 1994, Maryland, USA.Google Scholar
20. Morino, L. and Gennaretti, M., Boundary integral equation methods for aerodynamics, computational nonlinear mechanics in aerospace engineering, edited by Atluri, S.N., Progress in Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1992, 146, AIAA, Washington, DC, USA, pp 279320.Google Scholar
21. Gennaretti, M., Luceri, L., and Morino, L., A unified boundary integral methodology for aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of rotors, J Sound and Vibrations, 1997, 200, (4), pp 467489.Google Scholar
22. Schultz, K.J., Splettstoesser, W., Junker, B., Wagner, W., Schoell, E., Arnaud, G., Mercker, E., Pengel, K. and Fertis, D., A parametric wind tunnel test on rotorcraft aerodynamics and aeroacoustics (HELISHAPE) – Test Documentation and Representative Results, Proceedings of the 22nd European Rotorcraft Forum, September 1996, Brighton, UK.Google Scholar
23. Bernardini, G., Serafini, J., Gennaretti, M. and Ianniello, S., Aeroelastic modeling effect in rotor BVI noise prediction, AIAA Paper 2006-2606, 12th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, May 2006, Cambridge, MA, USA.Google Scholar
24. Lim, J.W., Tung, C., Yu, Y.H., Burley, C.L., Brooks, T., Boyd, D., Van Der Wall, B., Schneider, O., Richard, H., Raffel, M., Beaumier, P., Bailly, J., Delrieux, Y., Pengel, K. and Mercker, E., Hart II: Prediction of blade-vortex interaction loading, 29th European Rotorcraft Forum, September 2003, Friedrichshafen, Germany.Google Scholar