Some rotorcraft applications of computational fluid dynamics

The growing application of computational aerodynamics to nonlinear rotorcraft problems is outlined, with particular emphasis on the development of new methods based on the Euler and thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations. Rotor airfoil characteristics can now be calculated accurately over a wide range of transonic flow conditions. However, unsteady 3-D viscous codes remain in the research stage, and a numerical simulation of the complete flow field about a helicopter in forward flight is not now feasible. Nevertheless, impressive progress is being made in preparation for future supercomputers that will enable meaningful calculations to be made for arbitrary rotorcraft configurations

Some recent applications of Navier-Stokes codes to rotorcraft

Many operational limitations of helicopters and other rotary-wing aircraft are due to nonlinear aerodynamic phenomena incuding unsteady, three-dimensional transonic and separated flow near the surfaces and highly vortical flow in the wakes of rotating blades. Modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology offers new tools to study and simulate these complex flows. However, existing Euler and Navier-Stokes codes have to be modified significantly for rotorcraft applications, and the enormous computational requirements presently limit their use in routine design applications. Nevertheless, the Euler/Navier-Stokes technology is progressing in anticipation of future supercomputers that will enable meaningful calculations to be made for complete rotorcraft configurations

Special opportunities in helicopter aerodynamics

Aerodynamic research relating to modern helicopters includes the study of three dimensional, unsteady, nonlinear flow fields. A selective review is made of some of the phenomenon that hamper the development of satisfactory engineering prediction techniques, but which provides a rich source of research opportunities: flow separations, compressibility effects, complex vortical wakes, and aerodynamic interference between components. Several examples of work in progress are given, including dynamic stall alleviation, the development of computational methods for transonic flow, rotor-wake predictions, and blade-vortex interactions

A critical assessment of wind tunnel results for the NACA 0012 airfoil

A large body of experimental results, obtained in more than 40 wind tunnels on a single, well-known two-dimensional configuration, has been critically examined and correlated. An assessment of some of the possible sources of error has been made for each facility, and data which are suspect have been identified. It was found that no single experiment provided a complete set of reliable data, although one investigation stands out as superior in many respects. However, from the aggregate of data the representative properties of the NACA 0012 airfoil can be identified with reasonable confidence over wide ranges of Mach number, Reynolds number, and angles of attack. This synthesized information can now be used to assess and validate existing and future wind tunnel results and to evaluate advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics codes

The phenomenon of dynamic stall

The general features of dynamic stall on oscillating airfoils are explained in terms of the vortex shedding phenomenon, and the important differences between static stall, light dynamic stall, and deep stall are described. An overview of experimentation and prediction techniques is given

AGARD Fluid Dynamics Panel Symposium on Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics in Aeronautics: Proceedings

The Fluid Dynamics Panel of AGARD arranged a Symposium on Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics in Aeronautics, on 7 to 10 April 1986 in Aix-en-Provence, France. The purpose of the Symposium was to provide an assessment of the status of CFD in aerodynamic design and analysis, with an emphasis on emerging applications of advanced computational techniques to complex configurations. Sessions were devoted specifically to grid generation, methods for inviscid flows, calculations of viscous-inviscid interactions, and methods for solving the Navier-Stokes equations. The 31 papers presented at the meeting are published in AGARD Conference Proceedings CP-412 and are listed in the Appendix of this report. A brief synopsis of each paper and some general conclusions and recommendations are given

Tip vortices of wings in subsonic and transonic flow: A numerical simulation

Thin layer Navier-Stokes and Euler equations are numerically solved using a multi-block zonal approach to simulate the formation and roll up of tip vortices of wings in subsonic and transonic flows. Several wing planforms were considered to examine the influence of tip-cap shape, planform geometry and free stream Mach number on the formation process. A good definition of the formation and qualitative roll up of tip vortices was achieved

The development of CFD methods for rotor applications

The optimum design of the advancing helicopter rotor for high-speed forward flight always involves a tradeoff between transonic and stall limitations. However, the preoccupation of the rotor industry was primarily concerned with stall until well into the 1970s. This emphasis on stall resulted from the prevalent use of low-solidity rotors with rather outdated airfoil sections. The use of cambered airfoil sections and higher-solidity rotors substantially reduced stall and revealed the advancing transonic flow to be a more persistent limitation to high-speed rotor performance. Work in this area was spurred not only by operational necessity but also by the development of a tool for the prediction of these flows (the method of computational fluid dynamics). The development of computational fluid dynamics for these rotor problems was a major Army and NASA achievement. This work is now being extended to other rotor flow problems. The developments are outlined

Aerodynamic characteristics of two-dimensional wing configurations at angles of attack near -90 deg

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to determine the drag of two-dimensional wing sections operating in a near-vertical flow condition. Various leading- and trialing-edge configurations, including plain flaps of 25, 30, and 35% chord were tested at angles of attack from -75 to -105 deg. Reynolds numbers examined ranged from approximately 0.6 x 10 to the 6th power to 1.4 x 10 to the 6th power. The data were obtained using a wind tunnel force and moment balance system and arrays of chordwise pressure orifices. The results showed that significant reductions in drag, beyond what would be expected by virtue of the decreased frontal area, were obtainable with geometries that delayed flow separation. Rapid changes in drag with angle of attack were noted for many configurations. The results, however, were fairly insensitive to Reynolds number variations. Drag values computed from the pressure data generally agreed with the force data within 2%